Another spinoff: What are your short cuts?

greenfire

Mon, Nov 17 2014, 5:54 pm

PinkFridge wrote:

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 embarrassed

) at least everyone knew where s/he could find clean clothes.

we did something similar - only we had a laundry folding party where everyone grabbed what was theirs from the freshly laundered pile and put it into their own basket - as we got older I think half of us stopped the folding and just grab as we go - ah but when they fold they do a perfect job ...

mummiedearest

Mon, Nov 17 2014, 6:49 pm

I've posted this one before, but it's still my favorite:

use an outdoor broom indoors. to clean the living room, sweep everything into the middle of the room. then put toys/items away. then sweep everything else into the dustpan.

I toss the dirty laundry down the stairs (in closed laundry bags) rather than schlep them down.

while I wash dishes, I give my toddler a soapy sponge. she scrubs the counter while I wash dishes.

shanie5

Mon, Nov 17 2014, 9:39 pm

Each child has their own laundry basket. If old enough, they wash their own. If not, no separating sizes necessary-only wash individual baskets of clothing as needed. My 4 year old can fill the washer, transfer from washer to dryer, empty dryer. She also likes to start the machines.

amother

Mon, Nov 17 2014, 9:43 pm

mummiedearest wrote:

I toss the dirty laundry down the stairs (in closed laundry bags) rather than schlep them down.

.

I'm rofl! My washer's in my kitchen but I did this in my mil's house where the machine was in the basement. It's not safe to go down stairs, esp. such steep ones, without holding onto the railing and even more so carrying something so big you can't see where your feet are stepping.

amother

Tue, Nov 18 2014, 3:43 am

Shopmiami49 wrote:

why do they have toothpaste on their SOCKS??

HANDS UP! I know the answer to this one! DS and DD liberally squeeze toothpaste everywhere including the bathroom floor and then tread in it. Wait, is this just in my house? LOL

chani8

Tue, Nov 18 2014, 4:35 am

My shortcut is to delegate. My DH calls me a great manager. Wink

Anyone school age can do their own laundry, even plan and prepare a meal, and clean up a meal.

Everyone has jobs they are good at, that help the family, whether it's housecleaning or child care. We work it out and try to give everyone the rewards they need to stay motivated to help the family.

That said, when my kids were all very young, I just didn't fold laundry, ever.
I dressed my kids at night so they were ready for school the next day.
I used a lot of paperware, and tin pans lined with baking paper.
And we ate cake or cereal for dinner.

curlyhead

Tue, Nov 18 2014, 6:27 am

For socks each kids gets their own color and buy 10-20 pairs of exact same so no matching needed. Comes out cheaper even if is more expensive then buying packs of multicolored socks as you dont need to worry about lost mismatched socks

myself

Tue, Nov 18 2014, 8:36 am

mummiedearest wrote:

Just curious, wouldn't a regular broom work just fine?

OOTBubby

Tue, Nov 18 2014, 9:21 am

When my kids were little (very large family, all close in age), I would lay out all clothes the night before and would set the breakfast table (bowls, spoons, cups, cereal boxes; anything not perishable) the night before.

morningsickness

Tue, Nov 18 2014, 2:04 pm

Wow! You ladies sound like you have gotten the food and meals issue down pat! I haven't gotten there yet...

I bathe kids every night. This way I'm sure that no matter how tired or busy I am, I will get to spend some individual time with each of them. I then dress them in their clothes for the next day. Sometimes this backfires on me, since they are both still in diapers and they sometimes leak, but most times this saves me a lot of time in the morning, and it means that DH can get them out in the mornings while I rush around trying to get myself ready for school..

I change linen once a month- in honor of Mikvah night...Boy, does DH appreciate clean, fresh-smelling linen now! The kids linen I obviously have to change more often, as it gets dirty faster.

Papergoods are expensive, but worth it in the long run. I try to get as much done as possible on Fridays, when I have the day off.

I'm a big believer in 15 min. clean-ups. Even when I'm beat, I usually can manage a quick 15 min. clean-up. I set my alarm for 15 min. and then I zoom around the house cleaning up anything I feel like. The rule is I get to do whatever I want to- not neccessarily what needs to get done urgently. I've been known to polish our kiddush cup during one of these 15 min. sprees.

curlyhead

Tue, Nov 18 2014, 9:14 pm

for cleaning up I have carpet so the broom idea does not work. I have a laundry basket for things to be put away and a plastic bag for rubbish. Put everything which is out of place in laundry basket and walk around putting things away. whatever has no place get rid of it. So much faster then putting things away one by one.

curlyhead

Tue, Nov 18 2014, 9:18 pm

and I have shabbos down pat - basic weekly menu can make in 2h vary occasionally with various salads- no need to menu plan as you buy the same thing weekly. I dont bake challah

dinner make same thing weekly
sun - hotdog or leftover chciken with stirfry or eggs
Mon - meat - spaggeti bolenaise or burgers
Tues - fish, sushi etc
Wed - Pizza and or lasanga
Thursday - varies