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By all means, hire someone to come out and do your yard. It won't cost a lot unless you've got a huge yard, and that will be one thing you can cross off your list.
About the meal planning and grocery shopping, why don't you plan for two weeks of meals at a time? Make a menu for the two weeks and buy everything you need. Freeze the meat until the day you need it. Designate several days to be dine-out days or take-out days, so that you know you have a break sometimes. On weekdays, try for meals that don't take long to prepare, and if you want to try anything complicated, save it for the weekend. You can use the same menu and shopping list over and over...just ask your husband now and then if there's anything he wants to change on the menu so he feels like he has some input.
Then, since you're only grocery shopping once every two weeks, go to target on the weekend that you don't do grocery shopping. Do a little fun shopping too, you're working so hard that you need to reward yourself!
For the laundry, do a load of laundry every day. Do light clothes one day, dark clothes the next. On the weekend, wash your sheets. I put the towels in with the regular laundry and it all seems to dry faster that way. If your husband wears dress shirts and you're wasting your time ironing them, send them to the cleaners. It doesn't cost much to launder shirts and they stay crisp longer than they do when they're ironed at home.
Thanks everyone for your responses. I will respond to as many of them as I can, in order. Want to start with this one first.
Yes, I think yard work is definitely one thing we can hire out. Hubby does the yard work. It takes hubby 2 hours to mow the lawn, and a lawn company could get it done faster and take that chore off the to-do list. This is definitely something I'm going to look into. Since this is the first time we've had a yard we are trying to figure out how to best manage all the yard work.
Meal planning has always been a huge source of stress for me. I never really learned how to do this well. The idea of spending several hours on a Sunday cooking for the week is very unappealing to me. I'd rather do it in smaller bits on the week nights, making things that will last at least two nights. I can't imagine meal planning for two weeks at a time--seems extremely complicated. I can barely do one week at a time. I'm trying to master one week at a time for now and then maybe I can move on to two weeks at a time.
I can't seem to make it through the week without going to the grocery store 3 times, at a minimum. I always shop with a list and a meal plan and the intent of just going once a week but I find that we eat everything so quickly that I run out of stuff after a few days and have to go back for more several times. I don't know how to manage this issue.
My meal planning usually includes lunches for the week, and four dinners for the week (with leftovers the next day), as well as healthy snacks (like cheese and crackers, fruit, etc.). But we just eat everything too quickly and I have to keep going back to the grocery store. And I feel that our food spending is too high. We spend about $200 a week on groceries for two people (and we don't eat meat, so it's not meat that is the cause of the high food bills). It seems like $200 is too high but I don't know how to get that amount down. We don't eat things like frozen chicken fingers for dinner (which I know would be more economical), but on the other hand it's not like I'm cooking anything gourmet. I buy a lot of fresh produce and that seems to be partly behind these high grocery bills. The problem is that although it's just the two of us, we eat like a family of four (we are of normal weight, though, we just eat a lot). I find when I make a casserole or something that says it serves 8 that we often only get one meal out of it because we're big eaters. So that's part of the problem. It's only when I double recipes for casseroles, etc. that we get two meals out of it, but of course that increases the grocery bills even more.
Hubby works 70 hours a week so he doesn't have much time to do things but he definitely helps out when he can. He has assigned chores which he does. That's not the problem. The problem is that there is just too much to do in general to take care of a house, even for two people. All the things I listed as regular household chores/maintenance takes about 30 hours a week, if not more.
Cooking and cleaning up from cooking alone takes at least 1.5 hours every day, that's 10.5 hours a week spent cooking and cleaning up from cooking, not counting time spent meal planning, going to the grocery store, and time spent unloading groceries. Cleaning takes me about 1.5 hours a day, and that's just pretty much just dishes, tidying and light cleaning of kitchen and bathrooms.
I feel that nearly all my spare time is spent doing household stuff. Is this how everyone else feels too? I feel stressed and overwhelmed by being a household manager and I want to learn to be more efficient. I don't like to spend my weekends doing chores and errands because the weekends are the only time we get to spend quality time together and I'd rather do that than household stuff.
I like the idea of doing one load of laundry per day. That is something I can definitely incorporate into my household manager skill set. I have tended to do 8 loads on the weekends and none during the week, which adds to my stress, because the laundry keeps piling up and then it takes a lot of time to do so much all at once. I started this yesterday, did one load, and will do the same today. Great idea, thanks!
As others have said, different people have different ideas of cleanliness. I know someone who drives everyone nuts because she cannot stop fussing. If you get a drink of water, she must get up and wash the glass and wipe off the faucet. I knew another lady who, even into her 70's, would scrub her floors weekly on her hands and knees.
I like a clean and orderly house, but it gets vacuumed and dusted once a week, and I tidy up every day. If you think you must scrub bathrooms and vacuum and scrub floors every day, then you really might consider that you're going over board. Some of us were raised to believe that our worth was determined by how we achieved someone else's idea of perfection. Really, who cares?
I'm having a hard time believing that two people who are gone all day could manage to make a hose dirty enough to require 1.5 hours of cleaning a day.
The last thing I'll say is, being a house manager requires you to see that certain things get done. It does not require you to do them all yourself.
Cooking and cleaning up from cooking alone takes at least 1.5 hours every day, that's 10.5 hours a week spent cooking and cleaning up from cooking
Cooking should only take 30 minutes, and cleanup 15-20, less if you are just loading a dishwasher.
Are you cooking elaborate meals?
As you cook, have a sink of hot soapy water waiting. Drop items in as you are done with them. When you are done eating, they are done soaking and your husband (yes, he can wash dishes!) can wash them while you do something else.
Cooking should only take 30 minutes, and cleanup 15-20, less if you are just loading a dishwasher.
Are you cooking elaborate meals?
As you cook, have a sink of hot soapy water waiting. Drop items in as you are done with them. When you are done eating, they are done soaking and your husband (yes, he can wash dishes!) can wash them while you do something else.
I think the cooking takes longer because of all the peeling of vegetables and chopping, etc. For instance, zucchini parmesan is something typical I would cook. Is that considered elaborate? I would say that is pretty easy and basic and I usually get two dinners out of it. But it involves peeling and chopping of zucchini and other veggies, that takes quite a lot of time. That's why the prep for something like this can definitely be 45 minutes to an hour.
Cleanup takes about 20-25 minutes--putting everything back into fridge, scraping plates, loading dishwasher, wiping down counters, wiping down table.
Yes. It is overwhelming if you try to maintain the picture perfect home.
Here are some of the time saving things that we do:
Throw laundry in in the morning. Dry it at night. Much of our laundry never makes it out of the laundry room. We often dress in there. And gues what? It does not make us defective. In fact no one even knows that much of our landry never gets fromt eh laundry room to the dresser drawers.
Lots of things do not need cleaning that often. Keep one room really clean for entertaining. Other rooms can be cleaned once in a while. They figured this out years ago with the whole front parlor back parlor thing.
Frozen pizza, tater tots, hamburger helper, spaghetti, peanut butter and jelly, are all food. They take about ten minutes to make and clean up. It is ok to eat crappy stuff once in a while.
If your husband is working 70 hours a week, then he is making enough that you can eat out once in a while (in fact with no kids, you should be able to eat out every day).
If you are taking 2 hours to mow the lawn, something is wrong. We have an acre and it takes us about half an hour. get a bigger mower.
Have someone come in and clean once or twice a month. They can catch up on the odd things that you do not get to, or do not want to do. It is not that expensive.
Make a weekly meal plan. salmon on monday, steak on tuesday, pizza on wednesday, tilapi on thursday, spagetti on Friday, pork chops on Saturday. Yes it gets boring repeating the same things each week, but it is a big time saver. Use the extra time and sanity to spice up you life in other ways. Break it up by going out to eat from time to time. This allows you to make one meal plan. One shopping trip a week. We have 7 people i our family and we go to the market once a wekk. Sometimes less. I often pick up mils or something on my way homes (the chickens provide eggs).
You do nto always have to have a plan. Sometimes you can just open the fridge and find something to make. If you have milk and eggs, you have a meal. You can always make something.
A garden can actually be a major time saver. A raised box garden is best because it is less work once it is set up. That way you do not have to plan so much, just duck out and pick a tomatoe if you need one.
carpeting is a lot more work than hardwood. Get rid of your carpeting. Is it really a disgusting thing anyweay (nail a piece of cloth to the floor that you can never really clean and then walk on it, sweat on it, drip on it, etc - ick).
Get a roomba or several roombas. Let them do some of the regular vacuuming. You can just touch up when you have guests coming.
Forget all the junk that people tell you that you should do. Half of it is not even applicable to your particular situation. Routine maintenance schedules are made by people who want to sell you products. Substitute common sense for schedules and outside advice.
I think the cooking takes longer because of all the peeling of vegetables and chopping, etc. For instance, zucchini parmesan is something typical I would cook. Is that considered elaborate? I would say that is pretty easy and basic and I usually get two dinners out of it. But it involves peeling and chopping of zucchini and other veggies, that takes quite a lot of time. That's why the prep for something like this can definitely be 45 minutes to an hour.
Cleanup takes about 20-25 minutes--putting everything back into fridge, scraping plates, loading dishwasher, wiping down counters, wiping down table.
OMG, you need to get a food processor NOW!
I cook almost every day and nothing takes me that long.
Dont know where you live, but perhaps some cooking lessons might be in order.
Professionals will show you all the tricks of the trade to cut down on time as well as teach you how to budget your time and $, trust me on this one.
The idea of spending several hours on a Sunday cooking for the week is very unappealing to me. I'd rather do it in smaller bits on the week nights, making things that will last at least two nights. I can't imagine meal planning for two weeks at a time--seems extremely complicated. I can barely do one week at a time. I'm trying to master one week at a time for now and then maybe I can move on to two weeks at a time.
Do not spend Sunday cooking.... but whenever you cook now (making enough for 2 nights) try to make enough that will last for 4-5 nights. Then take half of it and freeze it in the freezer. (No matter what anyone tells you, it does not get stale if used within 2 months). So if you do this 3 times a week, then you have food for another 3 times in the future, and you have not spent a whole day cooking.
Once you get used to it, you will be fine. Buy a freezer, it does not have to be huge maybe a 5 or 6 cu ft will do, and buy a labeler to put the "date of manufacture"...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bass101
I can't seem to make it through the week without going to the grocery store 3 times, at a minimum.
Now thats too much, I agree with you about being unable to plan for food, and sorry to say that you guys don't even have kids yet, its only going to get worse. Is your pantry stacked full ? Can you get non - perishable items in bulk and store it in a shelf in garage ?
I think the cooking takes longer because of all the peeling of vegetables and chopping, etc. For instance, zucchini parmesan is something typical I would cook. Is that considered elaborate? I would say that is pretty easy and basic and I usually get two dinners out of it. But it involves peeling and chopping of zucchini and other veggies, that takes quite a lot of time.
Why are you peeling zucchini??? Unless it's the size of a baseball bat -- and if it were, you wouldn't be using it for zucchini parmesan -- you don't need to peel it.
Sit back, look at all the stuff you're doing, and think: "Do I really need to do this? And do I need to do it now?"
Stop trying to be Suzy Homemaker. It's really not worth it. Relax and enjoy life.
One thing that might really help you and be fun - take a few cooking classes or watch some of the cooking shows on the television - you can record them and watch them when it is convenient.
I have been cooking for years and taught cooking classes for years. I can make a tasty, simple dinner in 30 minutes or less and, with a little practice and patience, so can you.
One thing that may really help you. Stop whining. Seriously - it is counter-productive and self-defeating. Do what you can and call it good enough. Stop feeling overwhelmed and start patting yourself on the back for all that you are able to accomplish.
Realize that learning to be a good homemaking takes years of practice and patience and perfection is boring, unattainable and often too self-involved.
Prioritize. What really are the most important things you need to accomplish? What things can take a back seat for now?
Instead of chopping your veggies - buy them already chopped. Good, healthy take-out is available in almost every city - some of them even deliver.
Start some traditions. Every Sunday after church my husband and I have scrambled eggs, turkey sausage, fresh fruit and a piece of toast - it is a tradition. Fridays we go out. Often once a week we will have cottage cheese, fresh fruit and 1/2 of a peanut butter sandwich for dinner - healthy and easy. Not every meal has to be a production.
Buy a panni grill and grill yourself a couple of seasonsed, pounded chicken breasts - let them rest for a few minutes, slice on the diagonal and serve over mixed greens and tomatoes and sprinkle with some goat cheese or fresh mozarella, maybe a few garbanzo beans tossed with a little oil and vinegar - this takes 20 minutes tops. A scoop of ice cream with fresh strawberries and you have eaten well.
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