[who_it_is]

A response in Shannon's "Going back to work" thread and the fact that I too find myself not sitting down from the moment I hit the front door after work until bedtime some nights got me thinking. Whether you are a working Momma or just a busy Momma, how do you manage to get everything done these days? What are your tips and tricks to making it all work?

For me, I try to do lots of the dinner cooking on the weekends. For example, this week we are having Tomato Soup, Macaroni and Cheese and Lemon Chicken (all on separate nights)- the soup was made on the weekend and frozen as was the cheese sauce for the Mac and Cheese (and if I were using regular pasta I would have cooked the pasta and put the whole thing together, but GF pasta doesn't freeze well). The Lemon Chicken is basically chicken nuggets with Lemon Sauce served with rice, so the nuggets were made (along with their other 300ish nugget friends) also over the weekend. Tonight's dinner, Rouladen was made last night, refrigerated and then just reheated at dinner time. It means that rather than spending over an hour putting together a homemade dinner, it takes maybe 30 minutes to just re-heat things. This equals more time for me to check homework, answer questions/listen to stories about school and play baby dolls.

[josie_24]

I've always wanted to try freezer cooking. I use e-mealz for grocery shopping and taking the thinking out of cooking. Cleaning waits til the weekends usually but I need to get in the habit of doing it during the week.

I actually usually work from home one day per week and do laundry and get some stuff started cleaned for the weekend. I have a very hard time motivating to do anything during the week because Im so tired, but sometimes I try to get up earlier than typical even and do a few things when the house is quiet.

[kimmiejo]

currently I am extremely overwhelmed with work, kids, home, etc and feeling like I am failing at one thing or another constantly so I am not the person to ask at the moment, I will get back to you on this

[ChoMomma]

Originally Posted by kimmiejo

currently I am extremely overwhelmed with work, kids, home, etc and feeling like I am failing at one thing or another constantly so I am not the person to ask at the moment, I will get back to you on this

haha, not that its funny but I have to ditto Kim. I can't even think of 1 tip that makes my life easier these days lol & I gotta go back to work full time next week at home, which usually would be great but Alicia is such a momma's girl that I will probably get zero work done.

[LisaS]

When I was working, I would spend the extra money on the pre-cut, pre-washed veggies that you could steam in the package and the pre-marinated meats that I could just wrap in a foil pouch and stick in the oven. Less clean up to deal with and you still get a hot meal on the table in 30 minutes or so. Or you could buy the large packs of meat and separate them into ziploc bags...add your own marinade and throw in the fridge or freezer and do your own premarinated stuff. I also used to not care if the house was a mess. If it was a choice between cleaning and playing with Alie after work, I played. If it was a choice between relaxing and getting some time with DH and cleaning, I relaxed. A messy house isn't the end of the world.

[Man N Cheese]

My best tip is to multitask whenever possible. Spelling lists can be run through while picking up, older kids can read books out loud to you while cooking dinner, math facts can be practiced while doing the dishes. Also utilizing big kids is a saving grace in my home. Divide and conquer chores so it is not all on me all the time...we have a dinner helper, a dishes out of the dishwasher, and a dishes in the dishwasher assignments. Then a sweeper, a vacuumer, and a laundry up and down person. Between the four of us we are a pretty well oiled machine!

[Mama Chemist 73]

I try to do 1 (maybe 2) load of laundry a day so that it doesn't pile up for the weekend. Sometimes I will start a load in the morning, dry it first thing when I get home and that leaves time for another load to run. DH usually gets dinner going so that takes a load off.

[3xCrazy]

Originally Posted by LisaS

When I was working, I would spend the extra money on the pre-cut, pre-washed veggies that you could steam in the package and the pre-marinated meats that I could just wrap in a foil pouch and stick in the oven. Less clean up to deal with and you still get a hot meal on the table in 30 minutes or so. Or you could buy the large packs of meat and separate them into ziploc bags...add your own marinade and throw in the fridge or freezer and do your own premarinated stuff. I also used to not care if the house was a mess. If it was a choice between cleaning and playing with Alie after work, I played. If it was a choice between relaxing and getting some time with DH and cleaning, I relaxed. A messy house isn't the end of the world.

Ditto the bolded!

[MommaLee]

I also do freezer meals...I do a wee morning bootcamp (5:20 am) and I make her lunches and watch dvr shows after I get home from that bootcamp in the morning. Dh and I share a lot of responsibilities. Usually one of us entertains Julie and the other cleans or does whatever.

[SweetSimpleThings]

Freezer meals here too - though I don't do it often enough.

I also "chill out" about at least one or two meals a week - if we order pizza, get takeout, subway sandwiches, whatever, I don't feel guilty about it. Or some nights I'll do simple dinner, like grilled cheese sandwich and canned soup. Would it be good every night? No. But one or two nights, in exchange for less time taken up cooking and less mess to clean up, is worth it.

I am also a big planner - lists, planning events well in advance.

And I've started not worrying about some things - I prefer for my own sanity to have all the toys cleaned up at the end of the day, I just find it easier to relax without stepping on hot wheels cars. BUT ... some days, I just leave things where they are and do something else, maybe another chore that's important or just sitting down to read.

But things are definitely sllipping through the cracks lately, lol.....

[RuPaul-O-Saurus]

My tip? Not getting too stressed over the fact that some 'things' don't get done daily. Example: Certain things being cleaned spotless or a folded pile of clothes being put away the second they're done. Yes, there are times where I say screw it and sit down to play with Daphne or hang out with the family rather than clean a few dishes or fold some towels, but you know what, we're all happy and those things not being done aren't hurting anyone! lol