Multitasking & Streamlining - Tips and suggestions!

[gravy_train]

I thought for a fun friday activity maybe we could share the ways that we multitask and streamline our activities to make our days go smoother!
Here are some of the things I do:
-I have a huge stockpot and make chili, spaghetti sauce and soups in bulk, portion and freeze it to serve for lunch at daycare.
-I increase what I make for dinner for my family and serve it to the kids for lunch
-I use my slowcooker often and freeze what we haven't eaten.
-I use the last 1/2 hour of my day to tidy the daycare, and get as much of the cleaning done as I can so that my morning is easier.
-I wash and fold my laundry during daycare hours.
-I put the dirty daycare dishes in a bin and run them through the dishwasher once a day - usually when the kids are napping.
-I use naptime as 'me' time (I usually have a cup of tea, chat with friends on facebook or on here, catch up on current events, etc.)
-I pay my bills and do my banking online during freeplay.
-I do most of my baking during daycare and get the kids involved in some way.

Will post more as I think of it! Would love to hear how you streamline your day so your evenings are free for you to be with your family!

[Wonderwiper]

Wow....you are super organized, great job!!!!

Not streamlined or multitasking but......I do absolutely nothing during nap time!! I plunk down on my sofa and watch 2 hours of tv, ha ha! All my kids are under 4 (including my own 2) and I have found this really helps with my sanity!

[5 Little Monkeys]

I do a lot of daycare work during daycare hours. Once I come upstairs I don't see it till the next morning and I never go down there on the weekends lol. This is what I can think of for now..

-the week's laundry is done on Thursdays after nap and Friday morning I put it all away and make the playpens
-I do my toy rotation/clean during free play
-I do all my baking during the day as well. The kids love to help out or sometimes just watch
-I also pay my bills online but do that whenever they come in
-I do dishes 3x a day so I don't have a pile waiting for me at the end of the day
-After lunch they read books while I tidy the kitchen so that I can have naptime to do what I want
-My fiance works evenings so he will watch the kids during naptime or free play so that I can run out to any appointments or to the bank to deposit my cheques.
-I do our laundry during the week too. If my fiance doesn't bring it down for me though (back issues) than he has to do it on the weekend lol
-The only thing I really do during non work hours is I cook for the week on Sundays so I can just reheat lunches to make my day easier.
-I do my cleaning during the day with or without the kids. They love to help but when I bring the vacuum out they just run from it screaming (it's a game to them, not fearful screaming!! lol)

[Sassygirl]

Love this!

Some great tips!

I try and get as much as I can done during free play - folding, throwing on loads of laundry, getting meals/snacks prepped, answering emails, coming on here :-)

Naptime... well to be honest at this point in my pregnancy (34 weeks) After I have cleaned up the playroom and eaten my lunch I have a little rest on the couch :-)

My last hour of the day I play music or have the tv going while I clean up or prep dinner. All my kiddos except 1 are gone by 4:15, last one is 5:00 along with my own 22 month old son.

Summertime is a different story, we are outside at the end of the day and soon as the hubby gets home from work and last kiddo goes we start up the bbq.

[AmandaKDT]

I have hanging cloth pocket organizers at my entrance for hats and mitts and hooks on the back wall of my coat closet so that all outdoor clothing and backpacks stay organized, nothing ever goes missing and the older kids can access all their stuff to get dressed independently. This really helps with drop off and pick up.

All of my toy bins have picture labels that I made. I took photos of the contents and then laminated It and stuck it to the front of the bins. This makes clean up easy and everything gets put back where it is supposed to.

I do as much cleaning up, laundry and dishes during the day that I can so that I have my evenings just for my myself and my family.

I don't provide the daycare kids with food, but I make a weekly lunch and dinner plan for my family. This has also saved alot of time and money, we look in the freezer and cupboards for what we have to work with and I this has saved us a good chunk of money every month. I make do with what we have and don't buy more food unless we really need it.

This morning I had the kids colour the pictures that I want to make into flannel board stories. I am not worrying about whether they looked "good" or not, so I combined them getting to colour with me getting some tedious daycare stuff finished. That is some for sure some multitasking!

[Dreamalittledream]

Friday is my laid back day:). Pj day every Friday, no dishes...they make placemats and I serve finger foods on Friday that they eat on their placemats. It's also free play Friday. Last night I rearranged the daycare; today it's like it's a whole new world for them;)

[gravy_train]

Wow....you are super organized, great job!!!!

Not streamlined or multitasking but......I do absolutely nothing during nap time!! I plunk down on my sofa and watch 2 hours of tv, ha ha! All my kids are under 4 (including my own 2) and I have found this really helps with my sanity!

I agree wonderwiper - I really need naptime just for me - doing the thigs that need to be done while working really helps me be able to relax in the afternoon and after work.