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I'm not a SAHM yet (will be in about a month though!). My plan is to take things as they come. For cleaning, I like to focus on a room a day. If I can't get to it that day, then it's no big deal, but then the whole house will get done throughout the week and it won't take a huge amount of time b/c you do a little at a time.
I think the whole mom job was unfamiliar until my son was 6 months--then I finally got a routine down. Before the 6 months mark--I couldn't get much done except for laundry, dishes and simple dinners. I still make lists of what's most important and during his naps I get the most done. By the age of one my son was taking two 2 hour naps a day and going to bed at 7pm so by that point I would tackle vacuuming, kitchen and bathrooms. For the thing area's that were safer for him to be around we would play but clean at the same time.
ps. my son learned to crawl by trying to chase after hangers that were on the floor when I was folding laundry one day, and this worked with a few of my friends too! 6 month old babies LOVE hangers for some reason...I never let him get them but it was motiviation to start moving!
The time when I wakeup thru her first morning nap, I shower, eat (she's in the high chair near me) and clean kitchen. Throw laundry in.
Sometimes I have visitors/playdates over right after the morning nap.
During long mid nap, I prep for dinner and rest, read.
AFter nap, I go on a shopping errand with baby.
The last part of day, while she's playing... I straighten up and make dinner.
At night, I usually go on the computer and do personal stuff.
Hubby does bathrooms and vacuums.
I'm a stay at home wife, soon to be mom, but what I find is best for me is to make lists every Monday to get done by the next Monday. The house is staying organized and clean, I'm still getting everything done, and I don't feel frazzled like I have to get a chore done TODAY. :) But we will see what changes when I actually have a baby... Maybe I should be keeping my mouth shut!
Not a mom, but this summer (I'm a teacher) I've started using the system from FlyLady
http://www.flylady.net/index.asp
I'm starting with the beginner steps and even after just a little over a week my house is already looking better, plus even my "I never notice all the dog hair everywhere" husband even commented today that the house is really looking better and it is helping him be more accountable for his chores.
So many great tips, thanks!
Anyone feel like they have to get it all done themselves out of guilt since you aren't brining any money into the home?
when my daughter was tiny i could do whatever whenever since i could drag her swing room to room. now that shes 2 its totally changed. we get up and get breakfast. wash the dishes, wipe down the kitchen. then pick up the living room since thats about the time her cartoons come on so i can be there with her and get stuff done. we eat lunch then i lay her down to nap. while shes sleeping i run the mop through the house, tidy up the bathroom and gather laundry. when she gets up she helps me with laundry and folding and putting away. when thats finished she plays in her room till daddy gets home then she picks up her toys and we have dinner. after dinner we all chill in the living room and watch cartoons till she falls asleep. thats when i get to finish putting my and FI laundry away then him and i relax on the couch!! it dosent always work this way but part of being a sahm is being flexible. i may not do laundry every day and the dishes might not get done after every meal but its all dont by the end of the night.
@Lillindy: I'm about to become a SAHM in August, and I'm really worried about this. I have major guilt about not bringing in as much of a salary while I'm on mat leave, and know that I will be trying to do everything on the home front, despite being told to "sleep when the baby sleeps".
My husband has already offered to take over some chores, like the bathrooms and dishes, but I already feel way too guilty to even think about accepting. Maybe once the baby's here and reality hits hard I will change my mind. But I doubt it.
@Lillindy:I'm actually a SAHW, and i follow the chore schedule my Mom had laid out YEARS ago. It's:
Monday: Laundry
Tuesday: Write all Birthday Cards, Deep clean the bathroom, Wash the sheets on the bed
Wednesday: Deep clean the kitchen (this involves cleaning the refridgerator, cleaning the pantry), Clean out the car
Thursday: Clean any area of the house that needs extra help (this is usually my craft table, since, right now, it's exploded onto the kitchen table), dust, wash the dog, do all of my couponing for shopping.
Friday: Run all errands (except grocery store), Mop
Saturday: Nothing special
Sunday: Grocery store in the early AM
Every day I do dishes, vacuum (dog and cat=tons of hair), and any normal picking up.
I don't get it right every week, but most weeks I'm pretty good. Also, in terms of guilt, my husband and I make it work like this: while I don't bring in a salary, I do what I can to SAVE his money. I pay the bills, but if that means negotiating with companies for better rates, I do that. I am an incessant couponer--last Sunday, my bill went from over 300 to less than 50. I make things for our home, instead of just buying them, saving us money.
In the end, it still is a financial contribution, just saving, rather than earning :)
@Lillindy: I am the QUEEN of lists but it took me until last week to come up with a "chore chart" of sorts. Before I made this chart I was doing one HUGE 2 day cleaning streak every couple weeks and it was a lot harder that way.
Chore Chart
Sunday- Vacuum all
Monday-Wood Floors & Kitchen
Tuesday-Wash all Sheets & Rugs
Wednesday-Dust all & Clean Deck, Porch & Grill
Thursday-Clean Master Bath
Friday-Clean 2nd Bath
Saturday-Windows & Mirrors (all)
As Needed:
-Laundry (EVERY day I start a load around 7-8a.m no matter what and work on it throughout the day)
-Trash
-Watering Plats
-General Tidying
*Note: This doesn't include yard work! My husband does the lawn mowing and this year I'll be honest; new house + new baby =hardly any landscaping/plants/flowers ...hopefully next year :X
I'm VERY neat & organized anyway but without a paying job I do find that I am extra concerned about the house being as close to perfect as can be. I am lucky because my husband is a pretty clean guy & a big help but the cleaning is as much for my own sanity as for him.
this is why I would be a FAILURE at being a SAHM! I could never get the hang of being so organized and on top of the housework - plus i do not like tidying/cleaning, I wish I had some of that gene in me somewhere. Kudos to you all for taking care of the baby and the house at the same time!!
@Lillindy: totally...but what we do, taking care of a child and a household is quite a bit more than a full time job. Waking up in the middle of the night, getting up in the early morning, spending hours soothing, feeding, changing diapers, playing AND cleaning? salary.com said the price of a stay at home mom is $138,095 a year...so our husband's should be pretty thankful!
@Sulli301 & @Quietserenity: I LOVE the chore charts, thank you so much!
@Sulli301: My husband is also in charge of all yardwork, that I don't feel guilty about, lol. We did actually do a little bit of landscaping in the front this past week and in two weeks we are starting our HUGE backyard overhaul. We're bringing a bobcat in to take everything out, then we're going to lay down a ton of cement for our patio, retaining wall, fireplace, and fire pit. Can't wait to see how it will all affect the rest of the household.
@realeastcoaster: I do feel guilty, but whenver he's willing to help I usually accept because the help is so nice and very much appreciated.
@Janna19: Thanks!
@Heatherloveskenny: It so is, it's like two jobs in one! Sadly, I feel like some people just don't see it that way, though. I just told hubby that's what my salary should be and he's like that's awesome, I wonder who could pay you that? Haha!
@kate6214: I was just about to post on the Flylady. I think her system is really simple -although I haven't fully implemented it yet ;)
I'm not a mom either (work with no kids) but LOVE flylady! It can be used for any situation, and there are sections about how to adapt things ig you have kids, are a single parent, work out side the home, everything.
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Beekeeper
I'm still getting settled into being a SAHM, but my son is already 2 months old and I want to get into a better chore routine. Do you all have one, or do you just do things around the house as you can get to them? So far I've been doing things here and there, but I feel like I'd be more efficient if I scheduled things better and was wondering if anyone else wanted to share their routine. :)