Is anyone else's laundry piling up? How do I manage planning and housework?

[Snow Orange]

Lucky for me the DH is gone during most of the week because my kids don't seem to notice I'm not getting as much housework done. As long as they get food all seems to be ok.

How much time on average is spent planning a trip? I can't even add up the research hours.

 

[bumbershoot]

The nice thing about laundry specifically is that you aren't doing all that much. Pop in the wash, go plan. Pop the wet clothes into the dryer, go do some work. If you really insist on folding the newly dried clothes I suppose you can do that, and it will give you a nice stretch. Then put in another wash, do more research.

And feed the kids, interact with them, etc.

The benefit of doing one load at a time is that it takes longer, which gives you more research time and less to do when the machines are done, and also it lowers your power bill (at least here...I checked the bills compared to doing wash and dry at the same time vs separately, and wowza there was a difference!) too.

I have this planning while doing the at-home stuff down. I'm even going to work on a scrapbook here in a short while...computer on one side, scrap stuff in front of me, etc. Like your kids, as long as I make sure DS is fed he's pretty good! And always lets me know when he needs more from me.


Now, you just have to get your post count up!

 

[MommyWithDreams]

You think it's bad now, wait till you get back and you're having Disneyland withdrawls and you can't pull yourself away from the computer to do your laundry from the trip. That's the situation I'm in now...I'd rather edit my photopass pictures, work on my trip report, read the boards...it never ends. Oh and I HAVE to start working on the plan for our December trip. It's a vicious cycle, welcome to it

 

[pixiewings71]

You think it's bad now, wait till you get back and you're having Disneyland withdrawls and you can't pull yourself away from the computer to do your laundry from the trip. That's the situation I'm in now...I'd rather edit my photopass pictures, work on my trip report, read the boards...it never ends. Oh and I HAVE to start working on the plan for our December trip. It's a vicious cycle, welcome to it

This is so me.....and you'd think that since we go so much it wouldn't be like this but nope, it still is.

 

[kkmcan]

I like to clean out the dishwasher and start a load of laundry every morning. That way dishes get put in dishwasher throughout the day ( never are there dirty dishes in my sink) and the laundry doesn't pile up. There's always laundry to do but not a huge mountain of it at least. I fold whatever is in the dryer in the evening while watching my primetime shows.

Then I may run the vaccuum, or dust or clean a bathroom and I'm done by 9am. Do one of those chores plus my usual dishes and load of laundry and I've got the whole rest of the day to be on the DIS boards researching away! And my house doesn't seem that dirty or overwhelming.

 

[bumbershoot]

I want to be kkmcan when I grow up!

Haven't started on the scrapbook. Need to put clothes in dryer. I haven't reached the end of the internet yet, but I'm trying! Getting up....now.

 

[MommyWithDreams]

I want to be kkmcan when I grow up!

Haven't started on the scrapbook. Need to put clothes in dryer. I haven't reached the end of the internet yet, but I'm trying! Getting up....now.

You mean there's an end to the internet? What shall I do when I reach the end?

Sounds like kkmcan has had a date with flylady.com. I really got on a good routine when I was a SAHM with flylady.

 

[bumbershoot]

Flylady has always been a good idea. Alas, I get stuck on the "dress including shoes" part. We don't wear shoes in the house. 1: Korean husband. 2: live near the old "arsenic plume" from the Asarco plant, and NO ONE in Tacoma is really urged to wear shoes into the house b/c the soil still contains the nasties.

So I get stuck on that and can't move past it!

Silly really.

BUT I did put clothes in the dryer AND folded E's clothing, which isn't even my job (though I'm trying to take it over b/c hubby works his booty off and even though I don't like folding clothes and he does, I really ought to do it), so i'm feeling good.

 

[toni1227]

LOL! You sound EXACTLY like me!!! My DH is gone during the week too. I could care less about housework and I have even missed some of my favorite TV shows (all to plan disney and hang out on these boards every night)! My laundry has indeed piled up and I need to jump on it b/c we leave in 3 days!
It is good to know I am not the only one all wrapped up in this Disney craziness and I think that is why I love these boards so much. My DH has never been to Disney so he does not get it (YET that is).
I have spent so many hours...It took us 3 hours to get a rental car that we cancelled in the end and decided to take the shuttle. Many hours!!!!

 

[avalon451]

I did Flylady a few years ago, too, and while I don't do all the stuff, a lot of it stuck. What really helps me balance the computer stuff is the "microwave moments" and "15 minutes" . It's amazing how much stuff you can get done in the 3 minutes your dish of whatever is in the microwave. I can get most of the dishwasher unloaded! And if I'm just dreading a job, I just set a timer for 15 minutes and get a start on it. I'm always amazed how much gets done. I can clear a path through a trashed room in that amount of time. Then I quit and go back to my bliss for awhle.

The other thing that helps is that I have older kids-- 13 and 11, and 6, and they all have daily jobs. DD13 starts one load of laundry for me every day before school-- she collects clothes from the hamper in each bedroom, sorts them by color, and starts a load of whatever has the most. When I come home from school at 1 (I teach morning kindergarten) I switch the laundry from the washer to the dryer, and maybe put in another load of towels if needed... and then it's DD11's job to fold it and put it away when she gets home from school. DD6 empties the small trash bins and sets the table. They all pack their own school lunches, put their dishes in the dishwasher, and make their own beds. (well... that last one, only if I nag!)

 

[kkmcan]

WOW avalon, you've got your kids trained! Now that's what I need. I have never done flylady although I took a peek at the website a number of years ago. I've just kind of established a rountine after many years of doing this same thing over and over again. On the rare occasion that I don't throw the laundry in or get the bed made or clean out the dishwasher, the whole day is messed up and I'm having to clean out the dishwasher right before dinner and doing laundry in the afternoon when I'm totally tired.

So, I know this works for me and everything goes along smoothly when I make sure I get at least those 3 things done every morning.

After school is a total rush of homework, dinner, football practice and showers so no time there to do anything.

 

[mechurchlady]

Ribs from Lucilles and $20 gets laundry, dishes and kitchen cleaned by Calvin, lol. Like a brother but more annoying but sweet and loving and doting and devoted and kind and a bit too close to spectrum and like a brother not a lover so not going there, lol.

Calvin solves the problems around my house and he does not live there. Go adopt a baby brother like him and your problems will be solved.

 

[pixiewings71]

Well we can't all have a Calvin.

My girls do fold and put away their own laundry, clean their rooms, do the dishes and take care of the pets in addition to doing their homework after school but I do all the laundry washing and I fold and put away mine and fold DBFs. I don't put his away tho, that's his job.

Avalon, you've got a good system in place. WTG!

 

[PinkBudgie]

I will often leave the Dis boards up on the monitor, then run off and do stuff, then come back and check and so on. The other day I had to get to the postoffice but new interesting threads kept coming up so I couldn't leave! I wanted to yell "Stop posting such interesting things, I have to go!" It was important stuff like beignets!
Sometimes I'll walk past the computer and this board just sucks me in like a black hole!

If you really have to get some serious research done set aside a few hours a day that you spend just doing that. Then go off and do what ever else you need to.

I did Flylady too. My sink is still clean!

Bumbershoot- the idea behind the shoes was they give you energy and you don't slip around while you work. They do that for me anyway. If you wanted to try it you could always have a pair of inside only shoes. However, I think the clean sink thing was more important, so skip the shoes if you want and just keep the sink clean.

 

[bumbershoot]

It was important stuff like beignets!


Bumbershoot- the idea behind the shoes was they give you energy and you don't slip around while you work. They do that for me anyway. If you wanted to try it you could always have a pair of inside only shoes. However, I think the clean sink thing was more important, so skip the shoes if you want and just keep the sink clean.

I want you to get that as a tag.

I also want the sink clean. Hubby's main job (other than folding clothes, which I'm trying ot take from him) at home is to do the dishes, but he never empties it entirely, and doesn't seem to care about the prettiness of the sink. Men. (I kid...he's actually MUCH neater than I am) But I might have to take over the sink too!

Oh gosh and then I'll be doing it all and I'll have to ask Robert for a raise. (which for us means a Premium AP bwa ha ha)

 

[pixiewings71]

I will often leave the Dis boards up on the monitor, then run off and do stuff, then come back and check and so on. The other day I had to get to the postoffice but new interesting threads kept coming up so I couldn't leave! I wanted to yell "Stop posting such interesting things, I have to go!" It was important stuff like beignets!
Sometimes I'll walk past the computer and this board just sucks me in like a black hole!

If you really have to get some serious research done set aside a few hours a day that you spend just doing that. Then go off and do what ever else you need to.

I did Flylady too. My sink is still clean!

Bumbershoot- the idea behind the shoes was they give you energy and you don't slip around while you work. They do that for me anyway. If you wanted to try it you could always have a pair of inside only shoes. However, I think the clean sink thing was more important, so skip the shoes if you want and just keep the sink clean.

OK that was hilarious!!!!! Like Molly said, that needs to be your new tag!

 

[mechurchlady]

It was important stuff like beignets!
Sometimes I'll walk past the computer and this board just sucks me in like a black hole!

Sorry but I am known on other sites as bloodhound and am good are researching. New stuff is baby carriers, beignets testing field trips, where to find booze in the parks, best food in parks, corn dogs, and worst burgers have to be in DL. I love food and bring my bloodhound skills and love of food so you better get you a Calvin and hold on tight as we are now going to research more on where to eat in parks.

 

[Snow Orange]

You are all so funny and helpful. Still having two pre-schoolers in the house leaves my day fairly unpredictable. My DD10 has at least 2 -3 hours of homework a night, she also is not a morning person. She has been helping a lot with the "babies" as we call them. I don't ask her to do much beyond those two things. Except keep her room together. Oh and we have 113 boxes of Girl Scout cookies sitting on my kitchen table to be sorted and delivered. She's got that job.

I think part of it is we are typical Americans. We have too much stuff. Hence the stuff gets all over the house. Kids toys in my kitchen, laundry all over the place, jackets left on chairs (still cold here in the East), and I live with 4 pack rats who save EVERYTHING. I mean everything. I sneak around putting stuff in giveaway bags and run them to the goodwill or thrift store on Saturdays.

Do you dream about Disney every night? I seem to do that now too.

 

[PinkBudgie]

Oh gosh and then I'll be doing it all and I'll have to ask Robert for a raise. (which for us means a Premium AP bwa ha ha)

Yes, clean the sink and get a premium! Sounds like a deal to me!

I wish I could go often enough to do "field research" at DLR! Like those people who test the touring plans for guide books! Or which corndog or beignet is best. My to do list for our week at DLR in June is getting pretty long. Hope I can get it all done in a week!

 

[fairykin]

How old are your children? Maybe you could do a little chore list and give them money for each one done so they have spending money at disneyland.

Perhaps picking up toys.. helping fold laundry.. i remember when my grandmother taught me to help fold laundry and put it away...i loved it and felt like a big girl. Now i'm a big girl and want a monkey butler to do my laundry.

Have fun on your trip and make the happiest of memories!