On a caregiver's board that I'm on we brainstormed once to come up with ways we had simplified things to find more time. Thought I would share. I'd lovbe to hear what other things you all do.
<b>General</b>
Lower your standards
Join flylady (at <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.flylady.com">http://www.flylady.com</a> ) . It seems dumb and anal but it works.
<b>Finding "me" time and couples time</b>
Reserve the weekends for me time, couples time, and family time. Do all of your home-related work during the week.
If you work, don't do anything for anyone other than yourself from when you leave the house till when you come back. (OK, maybe one stop at the pharmacy if it is an emergency.)
If you work, eat your lunch at your desk, and use your lunch hours for you . Excercise (3 x a week?), lunch with friends (2 days).
If you work, keep a book at your desk that you can read during your breaks. (Find something that breaks up easily, maybe poetry or essays.)
Keep the last hour of the day for snuggle time. Share the ups and downs of your day, but no trying to resolve big stuff.
If you want me time at night, schedule it before the couples time.
If you want me time in the morning, get up before everyone else.
Schedule time with your spouse to discuss big stuff. Don't let it intrude on every day.
Make Saturday night "date" night. Hire a babysitter for as many Saturdays as you can afford and actually go out. When you can't go out, plan a special event (like rent a movie you both like) or make it a double-date and have another couple over.
Use your commute for me time. Get books on tape/CD. Sing to your favorite songs (particularly if no one else in the family likes them.)
Use your commute to transition. Get a recorder and make your todo list for whichever place you are driving TO.
Use your commute to journal by using a recorder.
Split one weekend day up so that you and your spouse gets "me" time while the other one does special stuff with the kids
Save one weekend day for family time and time that you do things with other couples with kids
<b>Grocery Shopping and Meal Preparation</b>
Buy your groceries online and have them delivered ( <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.peapod.com">http://www.peapod.com</a> is what is available in my area)
Don't cook dinners during the week. Cook up all the meals on the weekend and freeze them. (Almost everything cooks at 350 degress you can get a lot into one oven if youy try...and then there are things that are great as leftovers)
Learn to use the crockpot.
Take turns cooking dinner with your spouse and anyone else who is old enough (old enough can be age 15 and up)
Don't cook separate meals for the kids. If consistency is an issue, buy and use a blender to blend the stuff you are having for dinner.
If you can't all eat at the same time, still only prepare dinner once. Prepare plates of food to zap for later.
<b>Doing dishes</b>
Buy a dishwasher and teach everyone to put their dishes IN the dishwasher. Start it up when you go to bed at night. Put the dishes away as you fix breakfast.
If you don't have a dishwasher and can't do dishes immediately after dinner, at least scrape the plates and such and put them in a pot/pan of hot water after dinner.
Buy and use paper plates and cups for breakfast, lunch, and snacks.
Get a mug, glass, and snack plate for each member of the family (paint their name on) and have them use that all day (washing out in between uses).
<b>Cleaning/sterilizing nebulizer cups</b>
Buy a separate countertop dishwasher that heats water up just for neb cups and other stuff like that (one model is at <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.compactappliance.com/xq/JSP.detailmain/EdgeStar_Black_Portable_Countertop_Dishwasher/itemID.13618/itemType.PRODUCT/iMainCat.548/iSubCat.570/iProductID.13618/qx/shopping/product/DWP40BL.htm">http://www.compactappliance.co...ng/product/DWP40BL.htm</a> )
Buy the neb cups you can wash in the dishwasher and get a small parts basket for them
Buy a deep fat fryer with a thermostat just for sterlizing things
<b>House cleaning</b>
Hire a weekly/biweekly cleaning person. Have them come on Friday when you are at work so the house is clean on the weekends and you won't feel like you have to do it.
Clean the house with your spouse on Friday nights before you go to sleep or get up early and do it Saturday before anyone else gets up.
Organize the house so everything has a place and make sure everyone puts stuff back. Have all adults do the last minute pickup/putaway before the cleaning starts.
<b>Laundry</b>
Split-shift the laundry. Start a wash right before you leave for work. Move it to the dryer sometime in the afternoon/evening (time it so you can fold immediately after to avoid wrinkles.)
Only buy clothes that are washable, permapress, and can be washed together (no reds).
Do one load of wash every day and fit that in and around the other things you do. Don't let it build up so it takes hours of time.
Have everyone who is older than 10-12 do their own laundry.
If you have to send some things to the cleaners, find one that picks up stuff from home or find one that is on you or your spouse's commute route.
<b>General</b>
Lower your standards
Join flylady (at <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.flylady.com">http://www.flylady.com</a> ) . It seems dumb and anal but it works.
<b>Finding "me" time and couples time</b>
Reserve the weekends for me time, couples time, and family time. Do all of your home-related work during the week.
If you work, don't do anything for anyone other than yourself from when you leave the house till when you come back. (OK, maybe one stop at the pharmacy if it is an emergency.)
If you work, eat your lunch at your desk, and use your lunch hours for you . Excercise (3 x a week?), lunch with friends (2 days).
If you work, keep a book at your desk that you can read during your breaks. (Find something that breaks up easily, maybe poetry or essays.)
Keep the last hour of the day for snuggle time. Share the ups and downs of your day, but no trying to resolve big stuff.
If you want me time at night, schedule it before the couples time.
If you want me time in the morning, get up before everyone else.
Schedule time with your spouse to discuss big stuff. Don't let it intrude on every day.
Make Saturday night "date" night. Hire a babysitter for as many Saturdays as you can afford and actually go out. When you can't go out, plan a special event (like rent a movie you both like) or make it a double-date and have another couple over.
Use your commute for me time. Get books on tape/CD. Sing to your favorite songs (particularly if no one else in the family likes them.)
Use your commute to transition. Get a recorder and make your todo list for whichever place you are driving TO.
Use your commute to journal by using a recorder.
Split one weekend day up so that you and your spouse gets "me" time while the other one does special stuff with the kids
Save one weekend day for family time and time that you do things with other couples with kids
<b>Grocery Shopping and Meal Preparation</b>
Buy your groceries online and have them delivered ( <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.peapod.com">http://www.peapod.com</a> is what is available in my area)
Don't cook dinners during the week. Cook up all the meals on the weekend and freeze them. (Almost everything cooks at 350 degress you can get a lot into one oven if youy try...and then there are things that are great as leftovers)
Learn to use the crockpot.
Take turns cooking dinner with your spouse and anyone else who is old enough (old enough can be age 15 and up)
Don't cook separate meals for the kids. If consistency is an issue, buy and use a blender to blend the stuff you are having for dinner.
If you can't all eat at the same time, still only prepare dinner once. Prepare plates of food to zap for later.
<b>Doing dishes</b>
Buy a dishwasher and teach everyone to put their dishes IN the dishwasher. Start it up when you go to bed at night. Put the dishes away as you fix breakfast.
If you don't have a dishwasher and can't do dishes immediately after dinner, at least scrape the plates and such and put them in a pot/pan of hot water after dinner.
Buy and use paper plates and cups for breakfast, lunch, and snacks.
Get a mug, glass, and snack plate for each member of the family (paint their name on) and have them use that all day (washing out in between uses).
<b>Cleaning/sterilizing nebulizer cups</b>
Buy a separate countertop dishwasher that heats water up just for neb cups and other stuff like that (one model is at <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.compactappliance.com/xq/JSP.detailmain/EdgeStar_Black_Portable_Countertop_Dishwasher/itemID.13618/itemType.PRODUCT/iMainCat.548/iSubCat.570/iProductID.13618/qx/shopping/product/DWP40BL.htm">http://www.compactappliance.co...ng/product/DWP40BL.htm</a> )
Buy the neb cups you can wash in the dishwasher and get a small parts basket for them
Buy a deep fat fryer with a thermostat just for sterlizing things
<b>House cleaning</b>
Hire a weekly/biweekly cleaning person. Have them come on Friday when you are at work so the house is clean on the weekends and you won't feel like you have to do it.
Clean the house with your spouse on Friday nights before you go to sleep or get up early and do it Saturday before anyone else gets up.
Organize the house so everything has a place and make sure everyone puts stuff back. Have all adults do the last minute pickup/putaway before the cleaning starts.
<b>Laundry</b>
Split-shift the laundry. Start a wash right before you leave for work. Move it to the dryer sometime in the afternoon/evening (time it so you can fold immediately after to avoid wrinkles.)
Only buy clothes that are washable, permapress, and can be washed together (no reds).
Do one load of wash every day and fit that in and around the other things you do. Don't let it build up so it takes hours of time.
Have everyone who is older than 10-12 do their own laundry.
If you have to send some things to the cleaners, find one that picks up stuff from home or find one that is on you or your spouse's commute route.