Getting everything done...help!

[loads'o'kids]

I need some more advice from all of you wonderful seasoned daycare ladies! I opened my home daycare in June. I have 4 kids of my own too. I am wondering how you manage to get everything done! During the week I am so busy, and on the weekend I am equally as busy with my kids' activities etc. that I just can't seem to keep on top of house cleaning, tidying, laundry, grocery shopping etc. Any ideas? In the evening I am so tired but then the little time I have on the weekend is spent doing chores. I feel like I am always stressed on the weekend and am not getting any down time or time to actually enjoy my own family. I was thinking about getting a cleaning lady but when would she come when I work from home? Anyway, any ideas from you all would be much appreciated! Thanks for letting me vent!

[Crayola kiddies]

I have a cleaning service that comes in biweekly. My daycare is separate (basement) and only the main floor is cleaned ... I look after cleaning the daycare myself and yes the cleaning occurs during daycare hours . I insisted that the person have a police check .. Both criminal and for the vunerable sector.
I have 5 kids and I do one load of laundry Wednesday night and one on Thursday night and the rest on Sunday and for grocery shopping i do a pre shop on thursday nights and then just go buy bread and deli meat fresh fruit and other lunch supplies that you want really fresh on Sunday afternoons.

[Play and Learn]

I just do the cleaning (my own chores) when the kids are busy playing or when they first go down for nap. Now mind you, all the dckids that I have are 2-3 years of age, and can play on their own. The other chores are taken care of by my hubby. God, I love him! :)

Laundry gets done on weekends or evenings (if something is needed). I teach dancing (my other business) on Wednesday evenings from 6-9, and Saturday mornings from 9-12, so nothing really gets done during those times.

I guess one of the reasons I love my home, is because it's a nice sized bungalow, and not very many places to have nick-naks (sp). :) So that equals less cleaning!

[fruitloop]

I have a cleaning lady that comes in once every 2 weeks. I get her to come on the Friday mornings so I can enjoy my weekend. In between the times she's here, I do light cleaning and I do laundry during quiet time or on weekends.Sometimes my husbands helps with the cleaning but he can sometimes be pretty useless...hence getting a cleaner so I get a bit of a break.

[dodge__driver11]

`I too have someone that comes and does "a deep clean" of my house once a month.... My son goes to church group with a lady every Sunday, and is with them most of the day so my husband and I get things done in the evening, and while he is away playing and jazz

[kidlove]

I get a vast majority of my housework done through nap time. Do you have a "down time" in your day, when kids are sleeping or "resting"? IF NOT? Get one....there is NO way you can keep up on things if you are not getting any down time. I am down in numbers right now, therefor actually have enough time in the day to not only chat with you ladies periodically but I also reserve a little time in the day to sit with my feet up as well. (not the case when I have a "full house") Normally in a day, I average 2-3 loads of laundry, wash the dishes at least 5 times (no dishwasher:() sweep the floors and vacuum house at least once, and dust (glass tables and black furniture make for a "dusters" paridise!) along with the weekly junk such as, deeper cleaning like washing toys, windows, cleaning bathroom top to bottom and really mopping all floors. Sure I am missing some things, but the point is....busy busy busy all day long, between play with the kids, I will do housework throughout the day, all day long. If not? I too get behind...and thats no fun for anyone. Cuz if Mamma ain't Happy....:) I do my best to have the house DONE by friday when I close, that way my focus is one family ONLY, no cleaning besides, the daily stuff, like a few loads of laundry and making and cleaning after meals and the usual "pick-up" after the family. :) It can def be done, you are new to the "juggle", but being a Mom of four?....you'll get the flow REAL soon! ;)

[playfelt]

You also have to balance the appearance of a house that doesn't have people in it all day to one that does and learn to live with the mess to a certain extent. Think about how your house was different before you had your kids or only had 1 baby vice now 4 and then double the mess because now you have twice that number. I do laundry first thing in the morning when I get up so it washes from 6:30 then into the dryer and comes out during freeplay so I fold it then and leave it near the stairs to carry up when I go up to get the baby up from nap as in don't make an extra trip. Second tub goes in when I start lunch and then to the dryer while they eat lunch and then comes out just as they are down for nap so again folded and left to carry up to bedroom level when I go to get baby up from afternoon nap. I spread it out this way as I still have wet clothes/bedding to deal with from my special needs daughter so there is always a tub going in it seems. I try to do one thing in the evening so again it is spread out so if I dust on Thursday and it is messy again by Monday I might do it again but then again maybe not, I no longer care to be quite honest. My health just isn't worth a spotless house. My daughter taught me that - I need to be there for her and as that poem says the dust can wait cause I am cuddling my baby.

[Cocoon]

I hoover once mid week after my dck are gone and once at the weekends. I can't do any house work during the day as I live in an apartment and I will wake all the kids up and I don't want to do that beside I need to rest whilst they are asleep. But I can't compare your daily life with mine as I have no kids on my own and my apartment isn't that big. Having said that, I do have a messy husband :) but thank God he is useful and he does help me when I ask ( I don't want him to do any house work, I know I'm spoiling him :) )

I try to do our shopping on Sunday afternoons so I will have fresh veggies and fruits and I don't have to go the supermarket twice.
Another thing I do is I clean as I go. For example, when I'm on the phone with friends I start dusting or arrange my kitchen cabinet.

What I would suggest is that get a cleaner if you can or ask your husband to help you or if your kids aren't small you can ask them to tidy up toys and fold their laundry. Every little helps :)

[Lou]

Is anyone ever really on top of everything? LOL
I, too have a cleaning lady come deep clean once a month and in between we do what we can to keep our heads above water! Laundry is done in the evenings after the kids go to bed and I'm one of those lucky ladies who has a 'neat freak' husband who loves being productive and is always on the move getting stuff done around the house.

[sunnydays]

I know how you feel! I feel sometimes like all I do on the weekends is clean, clean, clean, run errands, and clean some more! And Sunday evening comes and I still haven't finished everything...nor have I had time to do anything enjoyable. I think I need to start doing more at naptime during the week as well and get back some free time on weekends. I guess that means I need to get off this computer ;)

[Toregone]

I live by the philosophy that not everything has to be clean at the same time. By this I mean bathrooms are Sunday, floors are Monday, Vacuuming is Tuesday etc.. If it's needed inbetween I do it (bathrooms get a daily wipe down with a lysol cloth), but generally I stick to a chores particular day. That way my house is always passably clean and I am never overwhelmed. As for picking up I do it throughout the day and one final walk through before bed with the hubbs.