Hello ladies!
As of February of 2012, due to my job moving across the state, I will officially become a SAHM, at least for a while, which is perfect timing for me since our baby is due early Feb.
Anyhow, I am really excited for this opportunity, and I am already thinking and planning what my days will be like as a SAHM with a new baby, and a kindergartener.
My thinking is that I would like to be on a schedule. I don't want to be flying by the seat of my pants, and letting things go, then feeling overwhelmed about all the things I need to do at a given point. And since I'll be home with no boss and no deadlines to motivate me, I think I'll function best if I put myself on a schedule.
Here is my tentative plan so far.
I plan to do a menu for the month, and then rotate the meals for the next month. That way, I don't ever have to waste any energy pondering 'what should we have for dinner today?'
I made a list of laundry loads that I think I'll be doing: Whites/grays, husband's work clothes (filthy), lights, darks, baby stuff, towels, bedding. That gives me one load per day, unless any of those categories requires two loads, but I'd still try to keep the designated load on the given day. Right now, I more or less do all the laundry in one day, and I don't want to do that when I'm home every day. I think a load a day will be much more manageable, especially when I'll be going up and down 4 flights of steps to get the stuff from the basement to the upstairs... so I don't want to have to do that 7 or more times in one day.
Then as far as housework, I'd also like to designate one chore per day. Maybe clean the downstairs bathroom on Monday, the upstairs bathroom on Tuesday, Vacuum on Wednesday, etc.
Do any of you have a schedule anything like this?
Would you share it with me? I'd love to hear how other people schedule their household duties to keep some semblance of routine and order, and to keep yourself sane!
Thanks, ladies!
Here was my schedule:
feed the kids when they're hungry, about three to four times a day
clean stuff when it needs to be cleaned
wash clothes when I've got a full load of one type or another
make dinner based on what I'm in the mood for that night
LOL!
You and I must be polar opposites.
I'm sharing my "schedule" with you because I thought you might get a kick out of it :)
Happy Friday!
One thing that is often surprising to new SAHMs is how MESSY the house gets. At this point (having been home and not in rotation quite a bit, I just revel in how clean it is when I'm working).
It can be hard to quantify... but when you're HOME all day (or running 10,000 errands) the house mess just becomes springloaded. Working, most people are only home for morning madness and dinner/bath/bed. A couple hours. Then the weekend, which is novel enough that it's pretty easy to pick up after yourself and everyone else.
It is a MILLION times harder to keep your house clean when you're SAHM'ing. So be prepared for that. Even if all you did was sit on the couch and stand and sit and stand... the cushions get all messed up. Being IN the house the floor gets all messy.
PERSONALLY (owning a dog and possessing a homeschooled 9yo)
- I have to sweep and mop every day. It takes 20 minutes. If I don't... the floor gets sticky, gritty, hairy, icky. (When we had carpet, I'd vacuum every day)
- I wash the table and counters twice a day (2 minutes each AFTER decluttering; 5-15 minutes) Flat surfaces collect things. They also get used, a LOT. When you're cooking 3 or more times a day (even if it's just making sammies for one and cereal for one) the kitchen and the table get messy FAST.
- I do at least 2 loads of laundry every day. Like you, theoretically I could do one load per day. If I did that, I'd be up to my eyeballs in dirty clothes and sleeping on dirty sheets and the bathroom would stink of pee because someone missed and got the shower curtain, and we'd all be walking around covered in food, paint, grit, and stinky clothes. (Esp with an infant in the house.)
Those are my bare bones daily things (not including cooking).
WEEKLY I 'field day' on Thursdays. Scrub the whole house. I also deep clean one room every OTHER day (I need a day off in between to keep up moral).
This system, as long as nothing happens, works great. I have a clean, good smelling, welcoming home the vast majority of the time. But HA! One really fun day, or one really bad day, and one gets a week behind in just a few hours.
Just be prepared for your schedule going out the window at least once a week.
I think your plan sounds great....but it doesn't allow for the demands of a newborn. You can plan your day down to the minute, but if you end up with a coliky baby that screams for hours on end unless you're holding her (like I did *sigh*), then all your planning won't count for sh!t.
Keep your plan, stick to your plan....but ALLOW for a little chaos, especially those first 3 months. If you go in with the attitude of 'well, there's always tomorrow' then you won't get so down on yourself if you don't get that vacuuming done EVERY Wednesday. Do you get what I'm saying?
As for me, I try to work around my girls - I've got a 5y, 3y and 9m old. I try to do about 1-2 hours of cleaning per day and I base it on what NEEDS attention first. My house isn't spotless, but most days it's presentable enough that if company just dropped by unannounced I wouldn't be embarassed.
I agree with LeslieS. about how you have to expect the unexpected with a newborn. However, I think that a great carrier or sling can solve the problem (we use the moby wrap!)
I have just started the Fly lady and she gives great ideas about routines. It seems a little crazy, but it really is great and doesn't much time. Her whole concept is about building routines to keep your house clean so you will never have to do the "spring cleaning" thing again! By using routines, they become habit. She recommends a morning, afternoon, and bedtime routine. By doing small tidbits throughout the day, you will be able to keep up with the housework! You can check out her website
www.flylady.net
I love the menu idea. It sounds like you have your schedule down pat.
Not sure how old your kids are.. but when mine were little... newborn and 18 months old.. I got nothing done.. I fed the baby held the baby played with the toddler... changed the todller changed the baby.. and so on..
then magically they got on the same nap schedule. and I had 3 hours a day of time when they were both sleeping.. I cleaned I did laundry.. it was wonderfull I had 3 years then they both napped at the same time..
Then this summer.. they stopped napping .. no break for mommy .. my house is trashed.. my laundry is piling up.. we spent the summer outside at the pool, the park having fun fun fun.. the kids dont care about the housework.. they wont remember the dust on the blinds.. they will remember mommy took them to the pool.
School starts next week.. andmy inlaws are coming to visit the week after I plan to get busy and clean up this mess.
Yes I had a schedule many years ago similar to the one you are saying. I also planned my meals for the month with an extra week so it was for five weeks. This way if I had extra food/or not I could change up what was for dinner and not be blindsided.
My "daily duties" was broken down into morning and afternoon things to do. It also included time outside with the kids and cooking dinner. There were times when I washed a load of clothes in the evening and hung them outside to dry (about an hour) and brought them back in ahh the smell of fresh line dried laundry.
Anyway when you first begin your routine it will take a bit to tweak it to what you need but it will work. In fact I even had time to participate in the spouses group and have a no night to cook.
If there are things your family likes in meals make large amounts and then freeze for later in the month. Somehow freezing brings out the best in the flavors.
Congrats on the baby and on becoming a SAHM.
The other S.
PS Now I am wondering when do I "retire" from the work a day world.
Ok, I admit I'm not a SAHM but... Based on my maternity leave experiences, your schedule sounds ambitous for having a newborn. I know you have an older child, but either you've forgotten, or he/she was an exceptionally easy baby :) Maybe it will work great for you, but don't get down on yourself if it doesn't quite work as you planned.
In my house, the baby alone required 1 load of laundry per day (reflux baby, spit up constantly). I have always tried to do one other load of laundry per day, so when mine were infants, that meant 2 loads per day, at a minimum.
As for the menu, there is a terrific website for menu planning if you are a computer person and know anything about using Excel. You put all your favorite meals on one page, and then it has a page that looks like a calendar, and when you click on each day, you can choose the meal you want to put on that day from your favorites page. Hard to explain, but you should check it out. It's got templates with food in there so you can see how it works. It is a free download from: http://www.vertex42.com/ExcelTemplates/meal-planner.html
Enjoy being home with your baby!
When my boys were babies, I did their laundry separate from mine and my husbands. Just until they were around 2 years old. A good laundry soap to use if you want to combine everyone's laundry is ALL Free and Clear. You don't want to use anything with dye's or perfumes as it will give baby a rash. (just a little tip for ya there).
When my son was a baby, I found that the overwhelming baby duties really didn't give me much time to do a schedule routine of cleaning as I had to do everything around my baby's schedule. Most of the time you have to plan around their schedule. :-) Sounds like you have a great plan there, but it may not be feasable for ya after the baby is born. Things can get a little chaotic/hectic. lol Some Mom's are great at multitasking and can manage everything. I'm great at multitasking when I worked, but I feel like being a SAHM (for 7 yrs now), it's a bit different than if you were at a job.
I did however plan one or two chores a day that I was able to get done. One being the kitchen chores ( that's an everyday job for me), and I added one each day to do along side with the kitchen chores. My husband is great at helping out. Even with him working, he'd come home, take over caring for the baby while I got dinner made and some chores finished. We were a team on the weekends, and during the week when he'd come home from work, he will take over, and give the baby a bath and do bedtime. (with some help from me).
Things can get overwhelming, so if a friend offers help, accept it. :-) That there will definitely help keep you sane. lol
Here's what I do every day...two loads of dishes (by hand, of course...no dishwasher here!), a load or two of laundry, make the beds, vacuum, sweep,etc.
I change the sheets twice a week.
After my children are in bed, I dedicate an hour to the house and do whatever needs to be done most. Bathroom, kitchen floors, dust furniture, extra laundry, rearrange furniture, etc.
Oh...I also do all the laundry at night. I'll start a load before bedtime, and then finish it all in front of the TV and clean in between switches.
Personally, I like to do most everything at night so when I wake up, the house is in order and I don't have to think about it during the day as much. I homeschool a first grader and have a 16 month old who I can't take my eye off of for a second (OH MY, I let her go for about 30 seconds unsupervised today and she was standing ON TOP OF THE PIANO when I walked back into the room. I about had a heart attack.) so I don't have as much time during the day to do chores.
Congrats on the baby & for being a SAHM! I too am a SAHM & I have 3 children. You will need a routine going. I have schedules for the kids & myself. Get a big calender! Write down appointments, school activities ect. I have a kinder too so when he gets home we do homework. Then its time to get my 3rd grader. We have reading time. Baths & dinner are scheduled. Bedtimes are set at 7:30 & 8pm. I run errands when they are at school & Clean every Wednesday since my husband is off Thur/Fri. I do laundry Monday for kids & Thur, for us. Event though I have a routine be flexible. Sometimes it takes a turn & you have to adapt. Good luck & remember to try to squeeze in some you time :) even if its 5 min :)
