I've been reading on this site for probably a month. I hope someone out there can help me. I can't seem to keep up with all that needs done around the house. I do work full time so by evening just the basics of dinner/cleanup and homework get done. My husband had to move two years ago with his job of 28 years so usually weekends are spent on the road for me. I need more time management, better oraganizing skills, simple living tips,and more of me to go around.
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Please check out www.FlyLady.com! And give it a good whole-hearted try for 6 months. You'll be amazed! But please don't get overwhelmed when you first see the website. It's really very simple.
I work far from home & I am gone Monday thru Friday from 6:30am - 7:00pm so I totally understand your predicament. I am married with 4 pets (no kids). I was always stressing out that I could not get anything done at home during the week due to my hours. I have a great job that I am grateful for so I have decided to "let it go" which means I have adopted the attitude that I can only do so much in the waking hours I am at home & have eased up on myself. I try to do one task per night such as load the dishwasher, a load of laundry, dusting, vacuuming, etc. because by the time I fix dinner, feed the pets, make lunch & iron clothes for work the next day, it's time to go to sleep.
I try to do a number of tasks during my lunch hour such as reading mail, paying bills, banking, light shopping, etc. It sounds like you have kids so, if they are old enough, assign certain tasks that they can do to help you out.
Unfortunately, since you are on the road on the weekends, I would have suggested getting the bulk of your tasks done on the weekends like I do. If possible, trade off weekends visiting your husband. One weekend, go to him; the next weekend, have him come to you. Then the weekends that he visits you ask him to help out with chores.
I hope some of this advice is helpful to you. Good luck &, remember, you are not alone when you feel stretched for time so try to ease up on yourself a bit.
A big "Amen" and 2nd the motion to AmyCakes!!!
I can't say enough about FLYLADY.NET she is great!
Do not get overwhelmed reading all that she offers. Take/give each of your house hold tasks 15 minutes and then quit until the next week/day. Before long everything will be as it should be...
It took us about a month to get "it" all together so do not be too hard on yourself.
I get home later than Victoria, so I know how it is. Even though my husband gets home hours before I do, if I don't remember to make a list or call and tell him things to do, they don't get done (all you married ones know what I mean). I don't get home until 8P or after, so all I feel like doing is crashing; I'm gone from home 13+ hours five days a week, with an 50-minute drive each way. Three weekends out of four are getting things done, and one weekend I must get a medical treatment for a condition I was born with; nothing gets done on my part that weekend because I must take it easy the day after the treatment.
I second the vote to go to FLYlady.com. It has helped me alot.
I have have found, when you leave a room, take something with you. Seems like there is always something that is not where it is suppose to be. This has helped us keep things a little neater. kddid
I used to be a quilter (when I had time) and so I have adopted a policy of what I call using "scraps of time." Even if I only have 10 or 15 minutes, I'll use it to my advantage to either get a little bit of something done (better than getting nothing done in most cases) or to prepare something for doing later. I'll put a covered pot of water on the stove so when I come home I just turn the burner on and then go through the mail or change my clothes. I'll move the chairs out of the kitchen and set the vacuum cleaner out in the morning so I can just jump into cleaning the floors when I come home.
I find it especially helpful to make lists of everything I want to accomplish in the week no matter how petty they are. Then it's easy to knock off a few of those little things you wouldn't have even remembered until you were in the car, when you only have 15 minutes or so. And every now and then I still get to quilt, even if it's only for a few mintues!
Every woman has been here. You have children to dole responsibility to. Simple things, they are busy too, but they MUST be there for you. The way I did this was just everyday a room: Mon. the Kitchen, Tue. LR. and throw in laundry as needed. Cut down on extra curricular activities. Choose what is important and keep them.
Thanks for all the feedback, all suggestions were very helpful. Our two children are a greater help than anyone could ask for. They have always been a help and never frown when ask to do something. They are our greatest blessing.
Both FlyLady and a list get it done for me. I come home from work, start dinner, and then write down 5 things I really can't stand to look at. I then do those 5 listed items and look for 5 more. Even if I run out of steam before they're all done, those left overs "roll over" til tomorrow. Not only does it keep me on task, it also lets me see what I've done so I get a sense of accomplishment.
Have everyone clean up their own messes. Children keep their bedrooms clean daily.
Everyone takes their own dishes to the counter.
Rotate days children load dishwasher.
Rotate weeks children clean bathrooms (If they're old enough.)
Make sure everything has its own storage place so a bunch of items are not constantly floating around making a mess.
Have a clean sweep of the house each evening where everyone gathers and puts away their own things and cleans up their own messes.
I would get a piece of paper out and say Monday is the bathrooms, Tuesday is the bedrooms, Wednesday living room kitchen everyday. Eat off of paper plates, pick a room for each day. Friday touch up so when you come back home its clean.
I believe that since your husband is not there to help you, as he should if he were there. He should figure out a way to get your budget set were he can hire someone, even just a couple times per month to help you to do all the chores that you, as the person keeping down the main fort are responsible for.
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