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Easier is Better When It Comes to Home Management

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bright kitchen with wooden counters and floors, plant

Do you have a to-do list that's gotten way too long? Is there just too much stuff you want to do, and not enough time to get it all done? Sometimes, easier is better.

bright kitchen with wooden counters and floors, plant

Sometimes, in an effort to be more organized and productive, we just make things too complicated.

Last week I was feeling like there was just WAY too much stuff going on, and I knew I was never going to get it all done. My to-do list had become a productivity wish list, and I was totally expecting to complete everything on it.

Something had to give. Either I needed to hire a full-time staff, or I needed to re-adjust my expectations.

For financial and practical reasons, I opted to re-adjust my expectations.

After examining the list, I realized that some of my to-do items were just plain crazy. I decided to get rid of them, and replace them with simpler, easier alternatives.

Times When Easier is Better

Stop the sock matching! Easier is better. Here's a simple solution to the sock matching and folding time suck.

  1. Too Difficult: Matching and folding socks. This was on my to-do list. I was going to watch a show and match socks (what fun!), then I'd bring them to everyone's sock bins in their bedrooms. Talk about a bummer and a total waste of time.Solution: Sock basket. Last fall I bought a bunch of the same types of socks for my kids so I wouldn't have to spend so much time matching. I decided to finally donate the old socks, and stick to my original plan of only having one type of black socks, and one type of white socks. I chucked them all in a basket, and put it in the laundry room. When I'm taking laundry out of the dryer, I put socks directly into the basket. Now when the kids need socks, they can go in the laundry room and grab what they need.Time Saved: 45 minutes each week + loads of aggravation.
  2. Too Difficult: Elaborate Meal Plans. You guys, I've been cooking like I'm a culinary school wannabe without much success for way too long. It's gotten way too complicated, and we were wasting a lot of food because of my lack of cooking skills.Solution: Embrace the sandwich. Sometimes, dinner is going to be a turkey sandwich and some applesauce. I still like to meal plan and cook new things, but it had gotten out of hand. It needed to happen once a week instead of every day.Time Saved: 45 minutes per meal. Plus grocery shopping time, and time spent nagging family members who don't want to try out the new dishes.
  3. Too Difficult: Once a Month Cooking. In an effort to give myself a break, I was going to spend a day cooking for the whole month. I know a lot of people have great success with this. Thankfully I remembered that I have NOT had great success with this in the past. When I did Once a Month Cooking, I spent the whole day cooking, away from my family, and I ended up exhausted and bitter. Then, the food was kind of gross because I was cooking random recipes that didn't always freeze well.Solution: Double the batch. When I make something that could be frozen, I make a double batch. We can eat the meal, and I freeze another meal. That way, there's stuff in the freezer that's not disgusting, and I know there's a good chance that my family will actually eat it.Time Saved: A DAY of cooking, plus grocery shopping time, washing dishes time, and time spent planning for the day of cooking.

More Ways to Make Home Management Easier

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5 Comments

  1. I also hate not listening to the podcasts I’ve chosen to listen to. So, I’m going to play them while doing other things too. I don’t need to sit and just listen, especially as I never get that time!

  2. I have also tried freezer cooking. I hate spending all day in the kitchen. It makes me mad, bitter, and exhausted. My solution is to make extra when I am cooking for supper. Honestly, it barely ever makes it into the freezer but it helps for that week.

  3. I LOVE the idea of making a double batch. I’ve been doing that for a while now and cannot believe how much time that save me! Really love the idea of a sock basket, may have to try that one day!!

  4. Great ideas! I have always thought about doing the once a month cooking but it just hasn’t ever seemed realistic for my family of 7. I mean, how can a mom be out of commission for a whole day? And I knew I would peter out and get grumpy when it came time to clean up the mess.
    I NEVER ever ever match socks anymore. color coordinating socks for individual family members is the best way I have found to handle sock stress.
    I always try to dovetail our recipes giving us a second day of the same meal…just with a little flair. For instance, I make a VERY simple spaghetti one day, and the next day we add cottage cheese and mozzarella cheese and viola!! lasagna! i know, i know, sounds ridiculous but you get the idea.
    Anyhoos, i love your blog!!!! even as a mom of 5 I still found some awesome time saving tips…i guess you CAN teach an old mom new tricks 🙂 Thank you for all your encouraging posts!

    1. Thanks Amanda!! Thanks for sharing your ideas too – I love the lasagna trick, and the color coding socks tip. 🙂

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