How do you work, make good food and keep a clean house....is it possible?

[MrsFabuloso]

How does everyone else do it? Its like there is some secret out there I don't know about! I hate always feeling 'reactive' and never on top of things. But maybe that's life with a child, right??!

I don't some days. Last week I worked 30hrs. I work every day, usually only 3-4 hours but any extra hours I can work are always welcomed (unfortunately we need the money). Come friday night I was buggered and fell asleep shortly after the kids were in bed (about 8pm). We had a frozen pizza for dinner (with added bits and peices to make it a bit more nutritious!). This isn't always, but somedays I just can't do it. I worked more than I slept this week.
This morning DH helped me out and we did a basic clean up of the house, before he went out for the weekend (won't be home til sunday arvo). But he's not home every weekend, often working both weekend days, doing 12+hour shifts. I am lucky in that he knows how hard it can be and helps alot. He understands if he comes home to a sink full of dishes or some sort of hodge podge, quickly thrown together dinner. Though I do always try to make it healthy. But my house is often a pigsty. The things I make sure I do regularly are the dishes, toilets, vacuuming and clothes. That's my aim for every day/week. A load of dishes and clothes a day and toilets and vacuuming at least once a week. That's it. If I'm lucky, the rest gets done on a weekend.
I feel torn between all facets of my life and can't get anything done to my own satisfaction. I rarely get to sit and relax and I am never happy iwth how the house looks, or the amount of time I spend (or don't) with my kids and DH. At the moment I am resigned to the fact that I won't get the house clean like I used to, and sadly that DH's and my relationship has to take a bit of a back seat to spending time with the kids. I want happy kids, and I want to spend as much time with them as I can. House work will not go anywhere, unfortunately!
As it is, I sit here looking at the mess and think that I *should* clean, but I just want to enjoy this very rare occaision that my kids are presenting me with- they're BOTH asleep at the same time!!!

[bon]

I am a SAHM so I do have more time to do things, and still I feel like I can't get it together. The house is in a constant state of disarray. Some days I feel like all I do is run around picking up toys and rubbish, wiping up spills, putting clothes away, cleaning up after they have eaten something...sometimes all I get done is some washing and dishes.

In the last week or so I have started obsessing about keeping the house tidy at least for when I have the baby, but all that happens is I end the day tired and frustrated because I will get things into some kind of order and within a few hours my little hurricanes have come through and undone it all.

The only way it would be possible for me to have a spotless house would be if I had a cleaner 7 days a week and no children!

[Mak]

Be kind to yourself!!! I try to do the big cook ups on the weekend but also do easy stuff for dinner on the work days. So soup and rolls, eggs/beans on toast - and do plan ahead.
I stash all the toys away each night whilst the kids are in the bath - they are not sorted or cleaned up but out of sight!!! I also try to give myself a day off housework at the weekend - it inevitably gets trashed anyway!!!

xx

[danniellabella]

I have worked full-time since my now 18 month old DD was 4.5 months old. It's tough!

I actually had a meltdown infront of my boss the other day because I'm struggling to do housework and work fulltime.

Even harder at the moment because we moved house last month so the place is very disorganised, but slowly getting there.

I try to do 1-3 loads of washing every day or every second day and hang it out before I go to bed. I'm also trying to make sure I do a min of 15 mins flat out housework each night. Might be tidying the lounge while watching TV. I'm also trying to cut back on TV and computer time.

once we have the place somewhat tidy and organised, we'll probably be employing my cousin to clean for us once a week. She'll do dusting, clean kitchen, toilet, bathroom, vacuum & mop floors and possibly fold some washing.

I'm also trying to do multiple things when I'm in a room, like when I'm giving DD a bath, I might clean the bathroom, or tidy her room ( I can see her in the bath while I'm in her room). Or when I'm cooking dinner, I'll tidy up the kitchen a bit, or tidy the lounge (which is next to the kitchen).

I'm really lucky to work in a flexible environment with a great boss who has told me that if I need to leave early now and then to get some housework done, or if I need a friday or monday off for a long weekend to get things done that as long as I give him a few days notice its fine.

[cheekyfrog]

If only we didn't have to sleep... lol. No answers here but lots of I-know-how-you-feel hugs. I'm feeling quite out of control as far as housekeeping goes. I'm working full time, single parenting and my closest family member is in another State. What I do do, thanks to some advice I read posted by Satya, is get DS's things ready for the following day as soon as we get home so that at least his bag is packed and all I have to do is grab a few things out of the fridge in the morning for him. I also lay out my clothes before I go to bed. And I also do washing at night and hang on drying racks in the loungeroom. It's a real grind most days - a major triumph to stay fed, clean and clothed!