Last week I asked if anyone had any homekeeping questions for me (feel free to leave a homekeeping question in today's comments) and Ginger had this one (thanks, Ginger!) :
Here's my question: I am returning to work full time next school year and would love tips on cleaning schedules or meal plans for busy afternoons! I'm trying to avoid the "clean house all day Saturday" routine.
Great questions - I feel for you. I went back to teaching after my oldest was born and it was hard to muster up the energy to do anything "domestic" when I got home. I think that the best thing you can do is to figure out a way to rotate through your "chores" - one a day every day of the week when you get home from work. You could start a load of laundry when you get up and put it in the dryer before you leave - or start a load when you get home from work and fold while you're relaxing in the evening. If it gets too crazy-busy just do what is necessary (laundry and meals) until things settle into a routine. I added a great Cleaning Kit printable set to the shop this weekend that would help keep things orderly and on-task.
As for the meal planning, I'd prepare lots of meals this summer and store them in the freezer so you have little meal kits that you can pull from. Weekends, cook an extra meal to toss in the freezer so you always have a little stockpile. Some ideas: frozen hamburgers, grilled chicken, cubed chicken, taco meat, lasagna, pasta bakes, pizza dough, soup, chili... Have some back-ups for quick meals - turkey/ham melts or grilled cheese with a salad, crockpot meals, soup and salad, pick up a rotisserie chicken on your way home from work, quesadillas (recipe tomorrow). I hope this helps! Any suggestions from other readers?
Now on to a little Homekeeping chit-chat. What's in your Cleaning Bucket? Here's my bucket - this is what I haul around the house for dusting and bathrooms. I love that it's simple and streamlined, safe and easy.
Here are the products separated and out of the bucket:
Cleaning Side
Dusting Side
Here are a couple links for you if you are interested in any of these products:
If you are a customer and have ordered Basic G from me (there are a lot of you out there!) and you want a Basic G label like this one, email me (clean.mama@yahoo.com) and I'll send you a pdf file so you can print some out for your own Basic G spray bottles.
Have you checked out my June special? It's a Free Membership with an order of 50PV (the Get Clean Starter Kit qualifies). I ALWAYS have another great special for new members - email me for details.
Have you checked out my June special? It's a Free Membership with an order of 50PV (the Get Clean Starter Kit qualifies). I ALWAYS have another great special for new members - email me for details.
WOW....I want a cleaning bucket as nice as yours is! One...day.... Still working on decluttering (ow, the pain) but your blog certainly inspires. I can't wait to have a streamlined clutter-free home.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Preparing meat in advance is a great idea; that would save tons of time!
ReplyDeleteon a different subject - your recipe folder. what type of paper do you use to hold your recipe cards - just the clear sleeves? don't they fall to the bottom?
ReplyDeletemmwalk - I do have a recipe card box - from before I did the recipe binder. Recipes that I use often, I have photocopied and put that sheet in a plastic sleeve, in the binder. You could tape/glue it on a piece of paper and then get away from recipe cards in a recipe box all together. Thanks for the question!
ReplyDeleteI love your cleaning bucket! Where is it from?
ReplyDeleteHi Mrs. K-
ReplyDeleteThe cleaning bucket is from Target :)