Making life easier in the home- tips and ideas.....

Someone advised me to make dinners which could be cooked earlier in the day (when baby was sleeping) and re-heat at dinner time, which was great advice.

I use my crock pot often, or make big meals a couple days a week and then we eat leftovers a couple days. Soups and stews are easy meals.

I have one of those booster/high chair deals (from Fisher price, it turns into a suitcase?). I keep on my kitchen counter at all times with the back of it to the wall (so baby wont fall off of the counter). I can do dishes, cook meals, eat meals, clean the kitchen, feed the cats, ect. All I have to do is dump some food on her tray or some toys (she likes to play with the bubbles from the dishes) and she'll stay happy there for a long time. It's been working for over eight months now.

It might seem kind of obvious, but my other trick is to use a sling for baby. I can wear one and vacuum, take out the trash, go get the laundry, get the mail, pick up things around the house. Works great.

I've made a laundry and cleaning schedule. Everyday I have a specific load of laundry to do (darks, towels, sheets, etc), and every evening DH and I spend 10-15 minutes on a room (or several) in the house. This way the laundry never piles up, and we don't have to spend hours or days cleaning the house.

I also cook a double or triple batch of food, and put most of it in the freezer to reheat in the future. Last time I made spaghetti sauce, I had enough for 14 meals for DH and I just from doubling the recipe.

My mom taught me a good tip - only handle things ONCE. Like, when laundry comes out of the dryer, take it directly upstairs and fold it and put away - rather than put in a basket, take basket upstars later, then basket sits full of wrinkled clothes for 2 days, etc.. And when mail comes, sort, open and file at once, and dont leave a stack of unopened mail on the table. that way, things get done, rather than the mess just being moved around the house (the toy going from sofa cushion to stairs to hallway to kids room to closet). That has really helped me minimize mess while our house is being sold!

I have always really found a key rack right next to the door to be really helpful. I have used this since college. The second I come in the door i hang up my keys, so I never have to search for them.

Good thread!
Lisa