Today’s parents are busier than ever, meaning getting all those to-do items crossed off the list can often be at the expense of Mom’s or Dad’s sanity. Here are some proven ways to maximize your efforts so that you have time for what matters most in your life.
Kids
The workload may increase with each additional member of the family, but with it comes an extra set of hands that can help lighten the load. Training children to join in family chores teaches them responsibility, the merit of hard work and allows them to see their value within the family unit. Every contribution is valuable, from taking out trash to feeding the dog and folding washcloths. Doing chores doesn’t need to be a bore. Crank up the music and have a family dance party while cleaning up after dinner or set the timer for 10 minutes and have a competition to see who can clean the most within a designated space! Mix things up over time, ensuring that chores are rotated to everyone within the house.
Clothing
Avoid purchasing clothes that require dry cleaning or ironing. Wrinkled clothes? Skip the ironing and simply throw them in the dryer with a lightly damp towel. If laundry piles seem to breed like rabbits in your house, enforce the 3x’s use rule: Each article must be worn at least three times before being thrown in the wash, provided it does not have stains or odors. Not only will this lighten the load, but it will help your clothing hold up better over time.
Olathe mom of three Leslie Smith has found the best way to stay ahead of the laundry pile is to wash one load a day. “I used to get swamped with laundry, and now I don't even notice it because it doesn't heap up,” she says.
Melissa Franzen, on the other hand, has found one-day laundry washing to not only be the most effective for her household, but it’s also a marriage booster. She says, “My husband does all the laundry from start to finish on Sundays, and in exchange for that, I let him watch as much sports as he likes while folding—without complaining!”
Organizing
It’s a basic fact of life. The more stuff you have, the more time it will take to maintain it all. Simple living isn’t just a passing trend; it’s a way of life that can drastically change your habits for the better. Start each season off flipping all of the hangers in your closet backwards. Every time you chose an article of clothing to wear, return the hanger to its normal position. By the end of the season, donate all the items that still remain on backwards hangers. Do a clean sweep, donating or selling unused toys, books, DVDs and video games before Christmas and birthdays. Not only will this allow more space for new items, but you can make a little extra money in the process, selling items on Ebay, Craiglist or Facebook buy/sell/trade sites (no need to go to the hassle of hosting a garage sale!).
Meal Prep
Kansas City mom Stephi Santos calls for reinforcements in her kitchen. “I get all my ‘household servants’ to work for me!” she says. “The dishwasher, the bread machine, the crockpot…I get them all started so that I can work on something else.” Nicole Blasor, a Kansas City mother of five, finds meal planning essential, adding, “I make a dozen (or more) freezer meals for the crockpot at one time. It’s so easy to pull a meal out in the morning, put it in the crockpot and let it cook all day.”
In her effort to ward off endless snack requests, Leslie Smith has developed a snack box for each of her children. “The night before, I fill it with the snacks they can have during the day. For example, maybe a yogurt, spoon, granola bar, cheese and a beef stick,” she says. “Now there is no need to ask me during the day. They know where their snack box is, and they are learning to ration their snacks so they don't eat them all right after breakfast!”
Time Management
While children get a bad rap for overindulging in screen time, evidence confirms that their parents are no better off. In fact, Nielson Company’s Council for Research Excellence discovered that the average adult views more than eight and a half hours of screen time a day. For many, busyness is greatly compounded by an overwhelming feeling of distraction, all thanks to a barrage of information coming from multiple sources. Set up healthy boundaries, not only for your kids but also for yourself. Set a timer when going online to ensure that time doesn’t slip away from you.
Lastly, guard family time as sacred and devote an evening a week to it. A movie or board game night gives everyone something to look forward to and, by guarding that time, you send a message to your children and those outside your doors that time together is top priority.
There’s an App for That
- Groovebook: Subscribe for $2.99 and they will take up to a hundred of your uploaded photos each month and print them into a photo book.
- Amazon Subscribe & Save: Have your favorite items delivered to your door monthly with free shipping and the perk of 15 percent off if more than five items are purchased.
- My Mini Wallet: For only 99 cents, you can store all of your gift cards, coupons, membership cards and receipts in one app.
- Manilla: All the information you need to pay your bills and manage your accounts can be securely stored within Manilla (with the added perk of reminders for when bills are due!).
- Mommy Nearest: From scouting out the closest restroom with a changing table to kid-friendly restaurant recommendations, this comprehensive resource is a go-to for any parent!
Olathe writer Lauren Greenlee installed a command station so that she no longer loses her keys—her greatest time waster!