 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
Forum
-> Household Management
amother
|
 Sun, Nov 16 2014, 9:30 pm
After all the talk about large families, I thought it would be helpful to post hints, tips, short cuts we use to make things easier.
I'll start:
(I read this somewhere don't remember where but find it helpful.) I bought different color bottles of nail polish & assign one color per child. I put a little on their clothing so I know whose clothing is whose. Helps for others to also help put away he laundry.
Crock pot: I spray with Pam, then put recommended water and a Reynolds crock pot liner. So much easier to clean!
Pre bag snacks for lunches and keep them in a basket. Makes lunch making so much faster.
(I'll think of more. Posting anon bec pple know I do these things)
| |
|
| Back to top |
 0
 8
|
amother
|
Sun, Nov 16 2014, 9:46 pm
|
We use different colored hangers for each child. As a working mom I mostly use disposable aluminum pans. The nail polish is a fantastic idea. I do it the hard way of sewing on at the tip a different color thread for each child.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
3
|
rachel6543
|
Sun, Nov 16 2014, 10:12 pm
Extra freezer - when I bake/cook make double or triple and freeze extras.
Make a bunch of sandwichs ahead of time and freeze. Same for muffins...etc. So much faster for making school lunches. Pull out of freezer and throw into lunch boxes.
Make easy, simple meals. We love breakfast for dinner.
Parchment paper. Love for baking and less mess to clean up. Cheaper to buy at Costco.
If you have a dishwasher, use as much as possible. And utilize disposable dishes and bakewear when needed.
As kids get older, have them help out. My 6 yr has age appropriate chores: folds and puts his own laundry away, responsible for cleaning up his own toys, puts silverware from dishwasher away, helps sweeps, helps bring in groceries and put stuff away...etc.
Cleaning help if you can afford it.
Flufff & fold laundry service. When I lived in an apartment when our son was a baby and we didn't own a washer/dryer we found it cost efficient to use a fluff and fold laundry service because we had so much laundry from the baby.
When going to the store (Costco, Walmart, target... Etc) I try to stalk up on items for several weeks/months so I have to make less trips there. Also, when financially fisable I order stuff online so don't have to spend my time to go to the store.
Try not to let clutter pile up and get rid of stuff you dont need. Junk mail goes into recycling daily. Try to put things away as soon as possible. If you don't have room for it or it hasn't been used in a year, give it away, sell or throw out.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
4
|
Shopmiami49
|
Sun, Nov 16 2014, 10:15 pm
wipes wipes and more wipes
disposables when needed
I try to cook double for the freezer
repurposing leftovers
have soups-ready-to-make in the freezer (washed barley, soaked beans, spices, sauteed onions, veggies, etc.)
bribes 
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
4
|
amother
|
Sun, Nov 16 2014, 10:26 pm
|
I use those net laundry bags for each child's socks. They each keep their bag at the end of their bed - and fill it up with their worn socks. When they have 2 or 3 clean pairs left in their drawer, they put it in the laundry basket.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
10
|
kalsee
|
Sun, Nov 16 2014, 10:41 pm
| rachel6543 wrote: |
Parchment paper. Love for baking and less mess to clean up. Cheaper to buy at Costco.
|
Also much healthier than cooking/baking directly in aluminum
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
5
|
Shopmiami49
|
Mon, Nov 17 2014, 3:04 am
| amother wrote: | | I use those net laundry bags for each child's socks. They each keep their bag at the end of their bed - and fill it up with their worn socks. When they have 2 or 3 clean pairs left in their drawer, they put it in the laundry basket. |
I love this idea! What is the youngest age you have done this with?
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
2
|
champion
|
Mon, Nov 17 2014, 5:37 am
|
what do you do about the smell?
| |
|
| Back to top |
1
0
|
naomi2
|
Mon, Nov 17 2014, 5:38 am
|
lysol wipes in the bathroom
| |
|
| Back to top |
1
0
|
PinkFridge
|
Mon, Nov 17 2014, 5:38 am
When my kids were younger each kid had a bin, I pitched laundry straight from the dryer to their bin. Once they were old enough, they put it away. And if I didn't get to putting things away (I think that that was more often than not  ) at least everyone knew where s/he could find clean clothes.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
4
|
zigi
|
Mon, Nov 17 2014, 6:15 am
as soon as my kids take off their socks I gather them and put them in a mesh bag. I preclean with baby wipes. toothpaste comes off easily with them.
each boy has thier own brand or character of underwear, one has toy story the other cars, and then hanes with sports and then regular hanes.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
5
|
sky
|
Mon, Nov 17 2014, 6:27 am
Bake and cook doubles when possible
Mix as much as possible in plastic bags - like salads, cookie dough, bread chicken cutlets, mashed eggs, etc. I find it goes much faster and there is a lot less to clean up after. (the chicken does make more of a mess sometimes so it isn't always worth it).
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
1
|
amother
|
Mon, Nov 17 2014, 7:29 am
|
Similar to nail polish idea - but I use a black permanent marker and put the number of dots corresponding to the number kid they are. So if you have 3 kids, the oldest kid's clothes gets one dot, the second gets two dots and the third gets three dots. So when passing clothing down, you just add a dot to the oldest kids clothing so now it is the seconds clothing.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
37
|
Sherri
|
Mon, Nov 17 2014, 10:22 am
| amother wrote: | | Similar to nail polish idea - but I use a black permanent marker and put the number of dots corresponding to the number kid they are. So if you have 3 kids, the oldest kid's clothes gets one dot, the second gets two dots and the third gets three dots. So when passing clothing down, you just add a dot to the oldest kids clothing so now it is the seconds clothing. | Great idea- I always wondered what people did with hand-me-downs if they color-coded the clothing.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
9
|
Shopmiami49
|
Mon, Nov 17 2014, 10:36 am
| zigi wrote: | as soon as my kids take off their socks I gather them and put them in a mesh bag. I preclean with baby wipes. toothpaste comes off easily with them.
|
why do they have toothpaste on their SOCKS??
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
12
|
sitting
|
Mon, Nov 17 2014, 11:56 am
I cook for freezer all week. For example meatsauce pasta on Monday and then I take the extra meatsauce and put in pastry for meat pastry for shabb lunch. Chicken and mashed potatoes on tues. Make extra mashed potatoes and make potatoe borekas. Even just shnitsel I bread extea and freeze. Sun morn I bake with my little ones it doubles up as an activity and snacks for freezer forskl that wk or desert (cupcakes muffins oat cookies etc) .
at bathtime clothes go out for next morn for little ones.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
2
|
zigi
|
Mon, Nov 17 2014, 12:13 pm
| Shopmiami49 wrote: | | why do they have toothpaste on their SOCKS?? |
ha lol, baby wipes was a new topic there should have been a space
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
3
|
sitting
|
Mon, Nov 17 2014, 12:18 pm
|
Remembered one more. As u unpack the groceries f+v...cut up some stuff. Like pineapple or strawberries to be washed and put in tupperware. Obv if u buy for the wk u cant cut all but u can cut for next 3 days. Same for veg....slice cucumber right away for supper or make carrot sticks. I find it easier to do it then as one less thinf to do as meal prep. Also if fruit is cut kids r more likely to eat it.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
5
|
amother
|
Mon, Nov 17 2014, 1:47 pm
|
When I am doing a bunch of baking or cooking in one shot (Erev Shabbos or Y"T) I line my countertop with a cheap plastic tablecloth. (I buy a box of the smallest size and keep in the kitchen-it costs less than 10 cents each) After I'm done, I just throw the whole thing in the garbage and the counter is clean without having to scrub off all the debris and drippings.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
8
|
amother
|
Mon, Nov 17 2014, 2:43 pm
| Shopmiami49 wrote: | | why do they have toothpaste on their SOCKS?? |
Maybe every time a kid opens his mouth, he puts his foot in it!!!
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
5
|
|
Imamother may earn commission when you use our links to make a purchase.
© 2024 Imamother.com - All rights reserved
|  |
 |
|
 |
|
|
