Time management - cooking, cleaning, and exercise

AkilaMani · Aug 27, 2012

Hi Karanu,

Welcome to this thread and keeping the kitchen counter clean is indeed a great way of having a beautiful kitchen. I too do the same. I put almost everything inside the shelves, drawers, and cupboards. The only things on the counter top are the water kettle, induction stove, coffee filter, and spoon-holder.

@ Manju,

A facial after such a long time must have felt really good try doing it on a regular basis atleast once a month or once in two months

@ Magee,

Hope you have finished unpacking and arranging this weekend

Hi friends,

This weekend was great in terms of cleaning, workouts, relaxing, and studies!!

I met a friend on friday evening and had a lovely long chat over ice cream
We watched a movie - Gods must be crazy -2, together as a family on friday night.

I played badminton for 2 hours on sunday.
Cleaning and organizing - scrubbed the floor, organized wardrobes, cleaned the mixie and grinder and the small table on which the mixie and grinder are kept.

Fixed two adhesive pegs in the kitchen to keep the lunch bags, so that they won't crowd the counter top.

A did a very relaxing facial for myself and applied a hair pack

Helped my DD with her math revisions and read a book as well it was a great weekend

BuviVishal · Aug 27, 2012

Hi All,

On saturday i have taken my first scan. Its quit normal . Due to heavy rain i did not meet my gynec. today eveining planning to go meet her.

I am not able to do more household work. got tired very soon. Did simple work like room/hall cleaning. i didnt do kitchen work. helped MIL to dry the cothes after washing. Was read the books and took rest.

prana · Aug 28, 2012

How are you guys...?

Finally It was over....yeah am talking about white washing...
Done it on friday..and the last three days spent in organizing things at home...
Now the house looks very clean and organized..such a hectic job it was....

on Friday, 75th day vaccination for DS...so counting the days now...

Bhuvana, take care of yourself...

Manju, Akila nice to read ur updates..you girls are on track...good...

Hi to All dearies..

SamidhaRS · Aug 28, 2012

Dear All,
I have read almost all the replies in this thread. And what I want to do is :bowdown:bowdown:bowdown

I need a help from you experts in fixing my weekdays.

We are 3 people in home, me, DH & MIL. I am working & can't take help from my MIL now. I have to do follwing things before 9 am.
1. cooking brkfst & lunch
2. Sweeping & Mopping the house
3. Clean utensils & kitchen counter
4. Laundry
5. Wash bathroom & toilets
6. getting ready for office

I am getting up at 5.30 am, still end up with reaching late to office everyday.
Thanks

AkilaMani · Aug 28, 2012

Hi Samidha,

Welcome to this thread

First a few quick questions:

1. How long does your cooking take?
2. Do you have to mop and clean bathroom and toilets everyday?
3. Do you use a washing machine?

Answering these questions will help us device an effective schedule for you
Now generally, your morning chores is something i can relate to, so my suggestions as of now would be:

1. Chop veggies the previous night, decide ahead what your breakfast and lunch are going to be.
2. Clean utensils and kitchen counter the previous night, so you will have less to do when you finish cooking in the morning.
3. Its only three ppl at home and two of you are working, so the floor is not likely to be very dirty to require a daily mop.... you can mop once in three days or on weekends.
4. Laundry: If you have a washing machine, load it first thing in the morning, so it will be done by the time your cooking gets over, so you can dry it immediately. Again, if its only three ppl at home, i am not sure if you will have a full load everyday.... may be once in three days should be fine. If you handwash, then it is better to do it the previous night itself.

5. Bathrooms: If you really want to have a cleaning of the bathrooms and toilets everyday, you should probably do it at night, rather than crowing it during your mornings alongside your cooking time. Most probably, you can hand wash clothes and then finish up washing the bathroom as well in one go in the night itself.

What time do you get home? since i am suggesting a lot to be done on previous night :hide:

All the best dear

SamidhaRS said: ↑

Dear All,
I have read almost all the replies in this thread. And what I want to do is :bowdown:bowdown:bowdown

I need a help from you experts in fixing my weekdays.

We are 3 people in home, me, DH & MIL. I am working & can't take help from my MIL now. I have to do follwing things before 9 am.
1. cooking brkfst & lunch
2. Sweeping & Mopping the house
3. Clean utensils & kitchen counter
4. Laundry
5. Wash bathroom & toilets
6. getting ready for office

I am getting up at 5.30 am, still end up with reaching late to office everyday.
Thanks
Click to expand...

SamidhaRS · Aug 28, 2012

Akila Mani said: ↑

Hi Samidha,

Welcome to this thread

First a few quick questions:

1. How long does your cooking take?
2. Do you have to mop and clean bathroom and toilets everyday?
3. Do you use a washing machine?

Answering these questions will help us device an effective schedule for you
Now generally, your morning chores is something i can relate to, so my suggestions as of now would be:

1. Chop veggies the previous night, decide ahead what your breakfast and lunch are going to be.
2. Clean utensils and kitchen counter the previous night, so you will have less to do when you finish cooking in the morning.
3. Its only three ppl at home and two of you are working, so the floor is not likely to be very dirty to require a daily mop.... you can mop once in three days or on weekends.
4. Laundry: If you have a washing machine, load it first thing in the morning, so it will be done by the time your cooking gets over, so you can dry it immediately. Again, if its only three ppl at home, i am not sure if you will have a full load everyday.... may be once in three days should be fine. If you handwash, then it is better to do it the previous night itself.

5. Bathrooms: If you really want to have a cleaning of the bathrooms and toilets everyday, you should probably do it at night, rather than crowing it during your mornings alongside your cooking time. Most probably, you can hand wash clothes and then finish up washing the bathroom as well in one go in the night itself.

What time do you get home? since i am suggesting a lot to be done on previous night :hide:

All the best dear
Click to expand...

Hi Akila Mani,

Thanks for quick reply.

It takes one and half hour for cooking. I need to cook proper lunch (Dal, rice, roti & sabji) everyday. plus brkfst. I know my speed in low :-( but I am trying.

Yes I have to mop the house & clean bathroom & toilet everyday. (MIL's order)

I have washing machine & I have to do laundry everyday in morning only (again by order).

I come home by 7.30 max. I cook food then, arrange all dried cloths (washed in morning). Have food, clean utensil (used for evening cooking & eating), mop the house again, clean the kitchen platform, plan the next day food & sleep by 11.30 (completely tired).

Yes planning & preparation of food previous night is helping me to save some time. I strongly feel that I have to improve my speed. Do I need to get up a little more early?

I will share your suggetions with DH, will try to convince MIL for skipping some works in weekdays & do them in weekend.

Thanks once again...

jyotiparab · Aug 28, 2012

good ..keep it up

Akila Mani said: ↑

Hi Samidha,

Welcome to this thread

First a few quick questions:

1. How long does your cooking take?
2. Do you have to mop and clean bathroom and toilets everyday?
3. Do you use a washing machine?

Answering these questions will help us device an effective schedule for you
Now generally, your morning chores is something i can relate to, so my suggestions as of now would be:

1. Chop veggies the previous night, decide ahead what your breakfast and lunch are going to be.
2. Clean utensils and kitchen counter the previous night, so you will have less to do when you finish cooking in the morning.
3. Its only three ppl at home and two of you are working, so the floor is not likely to be very dirty to require a daily mop.... you can mop once in three days or on weekends.
4. Laundry: If you have a washing machine, load it first thing in the morning, so it will be done by the time your cooking gets over, so you can dry it immediately. Again, if its only three ppl at home, i am not sure if you will have a full load everyday.... may be once in three days should be fine. If you handwash, then it is better to do it the previous night itself.

5. Bathrooms: If you really want to have a cleaning of the bathrooms and toilets everyday, you should probably do it at night, rather than crowing it during your mornings alongside your cooking time. Most probably, you can hand wash clothes and then finish up washing the bathroom as well in one go in the night itself.

What time do you get home? since i am suggesting a lot to be done on previous night :hide:

All the best dear
Click to expand...

Shanvy · Aug 28, 2012

SamidhaRS said: ↑

Hi Akila Mani,

Thanks for quick reply.

It takes one and half hour for cooking. I need to cook proper lunch (Dal, rice, roti & sabji) everyday. plus brkfst. I know my speed in low :-( but I am trying.

Yes I have to mop the house & clean bathroom & toilet everyday. (MIL's order)

I have washing machine & I have to do laundry everyday in morning only (again by order).

I come home by 7.30 max. I cook food then, arrange all dried cloths (washed in morning). Have food, clean utensil (used for evening cooking & eating), mop the house again, clean the kitchen platform, plan the next day food & sleep by 11.30 (completely tired).

Yes planning & preparation of food previous night is helping me to save some time. I strongly feel that I have to improve my speed. Do I need to get up a little more early?

I will share your suggetions with DH, will try to convince MIL for skipping some works in weekdays & do them in weekend.

Thanks once again...
Click to expand...

samriddha, akila has given very good suggestions.

see if you can get mil to help you..when she is watching tv, and your husband is also there, take the vegges, and tell her pleaseeeeeeeeee help, so that WE can finish the work soon.. or convince your dh for a maid. get a maid to come in if your mil will supervise..so you can relax a little..it is not necessary that you need to slog the whole day at office and at home.. tell your husband, that you want to spend that time better with him and in future when you have kids, you want to be better organised and manage the time better.

present it in such a way that your husband agrees to it.

coming to speed, you will get it..slowly and until such time, make easy , tasty recipes.. and keep the elaborate ones for the weekends..if they need masalas, make them and freeze them in the weekends.. grate coconut, grind ginger, garlic in the weekend, tomato purree, onion puree (broil onions, raw smell goes off). freeze them.

some vegetables can be cleaned, cut and stored over the weekend..cabbage, carrots, beans, beetroots, yam, parval, chow chow, snake gourd, bittergourd don't spoil if you are careful, wash, clean, pat dry and cut.. and when cooking through the week, use snake gourd first, parval second, chow chow thirds..that way.. the ones that have a tendency to breath finish them first..

cook dal/chawal in containers in the same cooker.

don't spend too much time to clean the toilet everyday. just sweep/swipe it clean before taking bath and go for a thorough cleaning weekend..

SamidhaRS · Aug 28, 2012

Shanvy said: ↑

until such time, make easy , tasty recipes.. and keep the elaborate ones for the weekends..if they need masalas, make them and freeze them in the weekends.. grate coconut, grind ginger, garlic in the weekend, tomato purree, onion puree (broil onions, raw smell goes off). freeze them.

some vegetables can be cleaned, cut and stored over the weekend..cabbage, carrots, beans, beetroots, yam, parval, chow chow, snake gourd, bittergourd don't spoil if you are careful, wash, clean, pat dry and cut.. and when cooking through the week, use snake gourd first, parval second, chow chow thirds..that way.. the ones that have a tendency to breath finish them first..
Click to expand...

Hi Shanvy,

I will definately try this in next week schedule. Very nice tips

Shanvy · Aug 28, 2012

you are welcome dear.

girls great to see so much momentum in the thread..

yaay for the white wash prana..

akila you rock in this thread..

manju how are things..

kamala loved seeing you in the faces thread..

buvi, take it slow, relax no tension, be happy, a happy mom has a very happy cheerful and healthy baby..

I was busy the last 10 days with dh in town, back to back hosting lunches and dinners, and going out. the kids are too busy these days..

i am regular with my cleaning, and other work..got daughter a new swing and have hung it in the balconey.. fil and dd take turns..will post picture soon..

thinking of starting another terrace garden like the old flat one.. with the rainy season setting in i am itching to start one...

will get back soon.. have to walk.. for the day..