Wednesday, May 19, 2010

How do you do it?

SuperMom.gif


The last few days I've been really on top of things. It's not super overwhelming. Well, sure it can be at times. But that's just being a mom, right? Anyway, I think this new system I've come up with is really going to help me stay on top of everything. At least, so far it's working. I guess we'll see as time goes on.

I've got my housework and other responsibilities divided up (somewhat) evenly throughout the week. Yesterday I didn't get it all done. But today I made up for it by getting today's work done, finishing yesterday's work, and having a little recreation time to spare! I'd call that balance.
But sometimes it still feels like I could/should be doing more. And other times it feels like I'm cramming too much into a single day. Either way, I know there's no way I can do it all and still sleep. I'm the first to admit that I am NOT Super Mom!!

So I'm just wondering how you guys do it. How do you balance it all? How do you get everything done? Is one day set aside to clean the house? Or do the laundry? Or do you do a little each day? And when do you SLEEP?!

9 comments:

Tiffany said...

i also try to divide my chores throughout the week. there is no way i can clean my entire house in one day unless my kids watch tv all day. and i don't like that. here is my schedule.
monday- laundry (although i do this more on a "as need basis). if i wait for just once a week, it takes me ALL DAY LONG. i usually do some every other day.
tuesday- vacuum
wednesday- bathrooms
thursday- all tile floors (bathroom, entry, kitchen, eating area, laundry)
friday- make up day. usually, i end up a day behind, so usually this is the day i do the floors.
saturday- vacuum

if i leave all my chores for once a week, i end up doing most of them on saturdays. which sucks. i want that to be our family fun day, where we all get to hang out together. other things like dishes, kitchen, cleaning up, i do daily and on an as needed basis also. i try to have the kids have "clean up" time every night before bed so we wake up to a clean home. that is super important for me. it also helps if i have my dishwasher unloaded (not ready to empty in the morning). that way, i don't start the day behind. i don't worry so much about my kids toys and crap during the day. i try to keep my things tidy and picked up, and leave most of the clean up for the end of the day. otherwise, i become too OCD about wanting everything picked up ALL THE TIME. and i start saying things like, "no you can't build a fort with pillows and blankets. i just picked up the house." i try to let them be kids. my house is too small to have a play room or something. so the entire house by the end of the day is pretty messy. but that's okay.

and just cause this is my "schedule," doesn't mean i always stick to it. i'm not super mom either. and sometimes, i throw the clean laundry back in the dryer to fold the next day (or a lot of the time). and sometimes, i leave the dishes in the sink to do the next morning, cause i don't feel like doing them at 8 PM after my kids go to bed. i try to have it all done by the time they are in bed so i can just relax and have some time alone, or with my husband. so don't get stressed if you are a day behind. but i really think dividing up chores throughout the week is the way to go. at least it is for me! this was WAY too long. sorry!

Lindsay said...

I am still trying to figure the secret out as well. I feel like I am never caught up all they way and there is always something that needs my attention. Honestly what saves me and this might make me sound like a crazy bad mom, but I invite a friend over at least once a week to play with kaden. When I do that I am not the playmate all day and I do get my house-whole house-clean. They end up entertaining them selves and I can just listen for them or just check them every few minutes...

If I do this then it seems like the rest of the week I can "keep up" on it a little easier too. And since Kaden is the only child he still gets the social aspect of sharing and taking turns and playing nice with others, which he needs to learn anyway!

And i agree with Tiffany. I do try to keep a little of a schedule and mine is simular to hers. Granted somedays there is just no chance. But every morning I wake up and say today is a new day and I am going to try my hardest to get just one major thing done! And everything else is a bonus!

Good Luck in your quest for becomeing super mom. I don't know about you but I think there is a cave of Kryptonite under my couch that weakens me everyday. :)

Anonymous said...

WHEN I clean my house (3 kids and super sick with pregnancy), I tackle one room at a time. That way, if all I got cleaned that day was the bathroom, at least it was done well enough that you could eat off the floor :)

I designate 1 day for laundry. Each week it's different but it's always 5/6 days after the last time I did it. On laundry day, the kids veg. It's the one day of the week that that doesn't bother me.

I do the kitchen every day if I'm not in pain (baby is V.E.R.Y. low) but I won't let it go past 2 days.

I am definitely not one to look up to for SUPER MOM tips at all. I am far from it. I pretty sure I'm more on the verge of close-to-having-a-mental-breakdown mom. But, these are things that work for me. It's gotten harder since we had our third baby and I'm sure it will get harder when this one gets here.

Good luck friend!

PS: I'm watching GLEE as I write this :)

vaneblu said...

I dont have babies yet, but before I moved to the mountain I had a very BIG house, I just did one area a day and had a schedule just like you do, it worked! at first it was too much (because I also work) but I got used to it.
I also only do laundry once a week :)

XO said...

I do a little at a time. If I see enough laundry in the basket for a load, I throw it in. If the bathroom looks dirty or I know it hasn't been done for a while, I do it. I try my best to have the dishes done before the kids go to bed so that I don't have to feel guilty for some personal downtime before I got to bed. While the kids take their bedtime bath, I quickly vacuum the places that need vacuuming.

Like you said yourself, nothing is ever going to work perfectly all the time, but that's what works best for my personality.

We are ALL works in progress. Don't get down on yourself if you choose sleep over dusting. Adequate sleep makes a much better person than dust-free book shelves.

Breeann said...

Honestly, I need to work on not trying to be super mom myself. I am pretty anal about the house being clean so I probably over do it. Everyday I get up around 6, read scriptures, read e-mails etc. Then I work out and pick up the house usually by then Mick is up so I start breakfast. After breakfast (actually after each meal) I pick up the house (dishes etc) and vacuum (once a day) then we get ready for whatever the day holds but here is my week:
M- Run errands, groceries, etc
T- Clean, I mean deep clean
W- laundry and kids choice
Th-Personal time (I get a sitter for a few hours and do whatever I feel I need to for my sanity)
F- Quick clean (before the messy weekend)
and that is pretty much it. I have each day broken down into what I want to accomplish then I set aside what I dont get done for when the sitter comes. I dont feel like I have balance AT ALL! I am so OCD but for now it works and my daughter is happy and I am sane :)

Lynette said...

Wow, I got a lot of good ideas from this post because I'm usually just the "as needed" kind of Mom too. Since I have three floors to clean, I usually split them up into three different times of the day. Morning-main floor, Before and During kids naps (if I don't take one lol) top floor, and evening when Jared and I are down by the computers, I will tidy up while I'm down there. Laundry is definitely as needed. We are always running out of things we need to wear...especially since I'm running almost every day now. P.S. I hate laundry.

Trish Griffee said...

LOL...LOL...LOL..oh M. you are hilarious. Know one ever gets enough done. And if they tell you they do they are either #1 lying to you, or #2 neglecting loving their babies. But that said thing are always easier if you simplify and don't sweat the small stuff.

I would give you one tip...get EVERyONE's clothes out and ready the night before. If you don't, let your kids get them selves dressed in anything they want:)

Shauna said...

Ugh, I wish I could come up with some sort of schedule! Everything piles up so fast...