Well, it has been a while since I wrote a proper blog post. I have been busy in the real world as things seem to speed up towards the end of the year. At least some of it was of our own making as we chose to go to Adelaide for 3 nights about a week ago.
I managed to have the housework pretty well up do date before we left last Saturday but I have not had any free time since arriving home on Tuesday evening to an almost empty refrigerator and the prospect of long days at work for the remaining 3 days of the working week.
It would have been easy to say that I had no time but it really was a matter of making time. Have you ever considered how little time it actually takes to do some of your regular household tasks? It only takes me about 6 minutes to hang out a load of washing and about 2 – 3 minutes to get a load of washing off the line.
So, during the past 5 days I have managed to unpack a suitcase, do a couple of loads of washing, including hanging, bringing it in and folding, plan and prepare meals as well as getting myself to work each day.
Things I do to create time where there does not appear to be any include preparing at least part of the evening meal for the following night while dinner is cooking, putting a load of washing on before I go to work, wiping over the mirror and vanity when I get out of the shower.
Housework does does not need to be an enormous undertaking. By doing a little bit often you can keep things humming along with very little time. Other jobs that take a couple of minutes are unloading the dishwasher, wiping down the sink, cleaning a single shelf in the refrigerator, dusting a polishing a table and so on. Every small task that you can slip into your routine is one that does not build into an overwhelming project.
Did you notice the one thing I have not mentioned? Ironing! I need at least an hour of clear time to get stuck into a pile of ironing and make it worthwhile.
How do you arrange your housework into the time available?
I totally agree that so many tasks are quick and simple, so I try to do one before work most days (hang out washing, unpack dishwasher etc). Weirdly, other tasks weigh on my mind in their possible duration (like washing up). Ironing is something I put off til a weekend or a night with nothing on, and reward myself with a TV show as I iron.