[Emerald]

I am a single mum to 3 kids aged 10, 7 & 5. I work full time hours (4 days a week 38hrs a week). The kids all have their own sports and activities in which i am forever running them around.

My house is a disaster zone, I'm forever struggling to get the kids to help. I'm always running like a chook with my head cut off trying to get it all done. I'm constantly stressed and always yelling at the kids hurry this hurry that do this do that!! I hate it.


What i need is help getting organized. My parents do the morning drop off to school and pick up in the afternoon. I usually run in the door from work and out again to an activity.


Is there anyone out there that can help me get some sort of organized system? Routine going that works for you?

I have charts of chores for the kids to help, but the fighting and carrying on to get them done that i eventually give in from exhaustion!!.

HELPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP i need a super mum who is super organized to tell me how you do it!!!!

[Mumof1OneontheWa...]

I am struggling myself with a 3.5 year old and a 5 month old and not working so hats off to you. Just some thoughts (of which I am not managing any at the moment!)
- meal plan and do a big cook up on the weekend for the week ahead
- do washing at night and hang out at night so dry when you get home at night
- make lunches night before (can freeze some fillings on sandwiches so again could make big batch on weekend).
- Can you afford a cleaner - I pay $66 once a fortnight and with that I get all floors mopped, vacuumed, bathrooms and kitchen cleaned.
- Can you cut back on any of the kids activities?
- Shop online

Good luck - sounds like you are doing a wonderful job

[Ianthe]

Hi Emerald,

I am a single parent to five kids and study. So I have a bit more flexibility around my schedule.

What helps me?

Thursdays we have nothing on after school
I try to only do drop off activities (my four older kids do Taekwondo and I don't need to stay)
I bulk cook so that dinner is easy
I try to keep my bedroom and downstairs tidy-upstairs is currently a nightmare
I do little things often for the main things that bug me (wash every day, do a quick vacuum every day)
Sometimes the kids and I do a beat the clock clean up. And sometimes I pay them for every item they pick up. I know that is dreadful but when I am desperate it works
I do online grocery shopping-I do need to top up milk and fresh fruit but frozen veges are my friend
My three older kids are 15, 12 and 10 and they are much more capable than they used to be

[aleithaki]

Check out 'flylady' on google. Her system works for heaps of people. Just ignore the bits you don't like and you're sure to find some really useful ideas.

[SarahM72]

I'm a single parent of a large family for teens down to a toddler. I study full time (but externally, so mostly at home). All my school age kids do various after school activities everyday except for Sunday.

What I have done is put baby gates on my lounge, so that room remains tidy. All my school age kids do their own laundry. And I have pretty much given up on the rest of the housework except for the bare essentials.

The secret is to not care anymore.

[~Perplexity~]

I second a cleaner. Ours is a godsend, once a week floors vacuumed, mopped, showers/bathrooms/toilets cleaned, kitchen cleaned.

Otherwise i am still struggling so will be watching this thread, full time work with kids is just so hard and exhausting.

[Cherish]

Can you show us an example of your day and your week? It might help us to help you.

I am a very busy SAHM to 4 kids and Im 35 weeks pregnant and I'm not single so you are not alone in your struggle to stay on top of things
Just recently I have implemented a few strategies to help myself.
1) I went thru all the kids clothes and went down to bare minimums. All their clothes now fit in their drawers etc and they haven't got 20 tshirts and 15 pairs of pants each. This reduces the massive washing pile I used to end up with.
2) I spent a day getting every single load of washing done from start to finish.
3) because me washing was caught up, I was able to stay on top of it. I now only wash a load when I can peg it out (save having to rewash it!) I also peg it on the line in order. Dd's clothes,ds1,ds2,ds3 etc so that when I get it off I fold it in piles and I bring it in straight away and put it away. It only takes 15 minutes and I don't end up with clean piles of waging everywhere like I used to.
4) I think ahead. So tonight we are home and I might be having sausages and veggies for tea, I know tomorrow night I won't be home with time to make a fancy dinner so I peel tomorrow's nights veggies tonight and cut them all up ready to go. Then I plan something I can quickly cook with veggies, steak,fish,snitzels etc. this helps to eliminate some mess too (dealing with all the peelings in one go) I have prepared 3 days veggies at a time- it really helps!

Can you cut the kids activities so you aren't so busy? Carpool with friends? The kids are old enough to help. I would be insisting on them following with their chore charts or I'd be removing xyz (phone, weekend privlidges etc) until they get the msg.

[Emerald]

My day starts at 530am (wAke up be at work by 7am) and home from work at 4pm (4days a week) my day off I have as me day


Mondays - swim club/ squad 5pm till 7pm dd1 dd2 ds speech therapy homework
Tuesdays- netball 430pm Dd2 (homework ) ds speech therapy homework ends in a few weeks
Wednesday- swimming lessons for ds 430pm (homework) ds speech therapy homework
Thursdays - Cheerleading 4pm to 6pm ( mum drops off a friend brings her home) oztag ds 440pm ( 2 weeks to go)
Fridays - swim squad dd1 dd2
Saturday- home or fun stuff ds speech therapy homework
Sunday- nippers 9am till 11am homework clean house prepare for the week

Most nights I sit down at 9pm after I get basics done!!!!
I don't want to cut the kids activities as the enjoy them and aren't doing a lot. Just seems they are as there Re 3 of them lol

In there I have mopping washing general housework. Make muffins for kids for school lunches (dd2 needs gluten free)

My house is a disaster lol and a constant fight to get the kids to pick up!!!' I have started threatening no iPods for a week lol

This post has been edited by Emerald: 22/11/2012, 10:45 PM

[roses99]

I empathise, and I'm not even a single parent.

This year has been unbelievably busy for me with a lot of work, including work I have to do from home at night when the kids are in bed. The house has been in various states of messiness ALL YEAR! And it's driving me crazy too.

My solution is that I'm going to commit to getting organised and uncluttered. To do that, you'll probably need to take a few days off work or sacrifice your day off and your weekend, get someone (parents?) to look after the kids and just get stuck into it.

I think my biggest problem extends from the fact that the house is so disorganised; that means that even when I do clean something (clear off the table, for instance) it gets messy again very quickly because there's too much stuff and not enough 'homes' for things.

If you really cull and organise, and then set up a routine (like the flylady ones), you should be able to maintain it.

It sounds like you won't be any less busy, but at least if the house is organised, it'll be a lot easier to live in! I find having a messy house means I'm constantly on edge at home, and I want my home to be a haven AND a place I can invite people over to.

[Emerald]

My organisation so far is:-

IN the kids living room, they have draws with their names on it- in these drawers go all school stuff (books pencil cases library books etc) so there is no mad rushing in the morning looking for things. They just go to their drawers.

Activity drawers. These are labeled with the kids sports and all uniforms, etc are in these drawers per activity.

I have one show basket (disguised lol) where all shoes worn weekly, daily go in there. School sports, soccer etc.

Now thats it for my organisation.

I think maybe cooking in advance is a go... and getting a strong routine. De---clutter, good idea!!

Thanks ladies, i can live with a bit of a messy house, but i ffeel all i am doing is cleaning cleaning cleaning