former Stay At Home Mom, Recently Rejoined The 40 Hr. Work Week. Looking For Time Saving & Chore Saving Ideas.
I WORK WITH SEVERLY DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED CHILDREN. LOVE BEING BEACK TO WORK. BUT I AM JUGGLING MY HOUSEHOLD--KIDS, CHORES, DIABETIC HUSBAND, & MY INTERNET BUSINESS. WE HAVE RECENTLY STARTED CHORE LISTS, BUT I STILL END UP DOING MOST OF THE CHORES ANYWAY. DO I NEED TO JUST ACCEPT THE CHAOS?

IDEAS WELCOME, COMMENTS TOO, I LOOK FORWARD TO ANYTHING THAT HELPS GET MY HOUSEHOLD UNDER CONTROL.
SHERRY

edited by moderator (blessed_with_6): This site does not allow links to home businesses. We hope you join the discussion boards in other ways, though!

Hi and welcome to mommysavers! I'm sure you'll find lots of good tips here. A chore list is a start - now getting them to do the chores - that's the test. Good luck!

First of all, Welcome to the group!! Mommysavers is a great way to get some ideas and suggestions from other moms around the world!

I have chaos at my house too. I think many of us struggle with how to get the chaos out of the house and many have found living more simply as the solution. Check out some of the different threads in that forum for more ideas. http://mommysavers.com/boards/forumdisplay.php?f=55

Welcome again! I am sure you will gather some GREAT ideas here!!

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Theresa
Mom of 3 boys and 1 girl

I find that if you are able to reward the kids at the end of the week when they do their chores this helps. Perhaps taking the family out once a week to a restaurant or depending on your kids' ages just giving them allowance. I would definately tell you dh that you need him to step up and help you more. My dh needs constant reminders and when he doesn't do anything, then I don't. I let the house go for one day and he realized what I meant and just needs reminders nowadays and he is willing to help out. Talk to you kids and tell them that in order for you guys to have nice things everyone needs to help out.

welcome to the group. we are always glad to have new input.
I'm a SAHM to 3 girls, married going on 13 yrs. If I can be of any help just let me know.

as far as chore chart goes, did u put the consequences if it doesn't get done on there as well? also u have to follow through and that is tough.

allgirls

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allgirls, mom to 3 girls

Hi, my name is Tammy. I am a SAHM, and I also have a childcare business. I am very happily married and we have 6 children. My sister sent me this site and thought I might enjoy it.

How old are your kids? If they are old enough then they can help keep a house livable. My sister's husband is a diabetic, but he also helps around the house. If all of you pitch in together (have a family meeting), then the house won't be so chaotic.

There's some good ideas all over the board really...use or buy a crock pot ,that saves cooking time when you get home and we have lots of recipes in the kitchen forums.

Make your own bed as soon as you get up...for me anyway, there's nothing worse than crawling into an unmaid bed to make me feel like I'm right back where I started no matter how much I accomplinshed that day.

and try to always do a quick "rid up"before leaving any room.

Kitchen is always a "hot spot" so I always try to prepare for the clean up first...run the hot soapy water first...if thats ready to go I find it's easier to clean as you go...then I dont feel faced with a mess when a meal is over...plus you can now get your family in the habit of putting their dirty dishes in the water.(hey every little step counts)

good luck though and welcome !!!

Accepting a little chaos will make it a little more tolerable. I am in the opposite boat...I just became a SAHM.

BUT.... My DH and I used to tidy up some of the rooms in the house about a half hour before we went to bed after my son was in bed. Having your Family help out is a major plus!
I used to make dinner and then DH would do the dishes while I got my son ready for bed.

I suggest taking a break some nights. Don't make anyone do extra chores at least one or two nights a week that way they won't get burnt out! Trust me, you will enjoy the "off" nights when you can get them! We always planned our "off" nights to be a dinner out with friends, or even on a night when one of our favorite TV show's were on. We would then order out some food and watch out favorite show!

The weekends were always make-up time. We would do all of our laundry on the weekends.
If you could have one child dust, then another vacuume, and DH Strip the bed sheets....imagine how much easier it would be!

Maybe having it broken up into little bits like that and then make sure to reward the kids!! It teaches them good responsibility as well. I was amazed when I went to college and you would meat some boy who had never done a bit of laundry or made his own bed before. I found that to be sad!

Yep your right, having the prep done before hand helps.

When I used to work away from the house fulltime I used to get up make the bed, shower, run all the washing to the laundry, flicking on the kettle on the way, load the machine on a delay timer so when I got home in the afternoon at least one load of washing was done everyday.

I have always run the washing up water while I cook the meal and start with stuff already there to be done. I only wash up once a day because I'm just far too busy in the mornings.

The boys bedroom and the playroom get a clean once per week, they help because there is a no tv rule in place on saturday until all the floors are clean. I vacuum all floors(picks up dust better and quicker).

DH is totally responsible for the garbage... I don't 'do' garbage.

I got one of those in shower cleaners and clean the shower once per week usually my lazy day sunday because it's quick and easy. Also found a great bubble bath that stops grime on the tub so it just needs a quick wipe every so often, usually when the water is being let out.

I don't have heaps of ornaments, furniture and things, I banned them years ago because DH is sensitive to dust so dusting is the easiest job, I do it as I walk through each room picking up washing, swipe the dust cloth over the stuff and then the cloth goes in the wash.

I usually only spend about 1/2 hour cleaning everyday but it's quality time and then I don't stress!