Time Saving Quick Fixes

Hi All

I am working with one of the Defence Services. My office timings are from 7 am to 6 pm with a one hour lunch break from 2 pm to 3 pm. Though officially we have weekends off but invariably due to some work or the other I go to office on Saturday too. my daughter and husband prefer home-cooked (read mom/wife - cooked) food only. I have a maid, but the cooking department is still mine. I drew up a schedule which has helped me greatly and I want to share the same with you all too. The schedule comprises of the household chores, personal time, cooking shortcuts and quality time with my daughter.

On All Weekdays
1. Hang out washed clothes to dry.
2. Make breakfast and lunch before leaving for office. Pack the breakfast and keep the lunch inside the fridge.
3. Come home for lunch, heat the prepared food and pick up the clutter while heating is on.
4. Once back at 6 pm, pick up clutter and do dusting.
5. Make coffee and milk for self, spouse and child.
6. Fold clothes while having coffee.
7. Sit with daughter to do her home assignment. Play a game with her on completion.
8. Prepare dinner as per the menu for the week.
9. Cut vegetables for the next day menu.
10. make ready the groceries I need for next day's breakfast and lunch.
11. Iron uniforms for self and spouse and daughter.
12. Get school bag ready, polish shoes and lay out accessories for all three of us.
13. Put all clothes in the washing machine for a wash.
14. Pursue a personal hobby (scrap booking, reading, writing, sewing etc) while daughter plays and husband watches t.v, all in the same room.

Additionally
1. On Mondays- Bake a Cake
2. On Tuesdays - Make a Savory snack
3. On Wednesdays - Bake cookies
4. On Thursdays- Make homemade gifts like cards, etc.
5. On Fridays - Plan the Menu for the next week. Make thee shopping lists, one for vegetables and fruits needed, one for groceries needed and one for any other requirement.

On Weekends
1. Hang out clothes to dry.
2. Make breakfast, lunch, dinner
3. Clean all rooms of the house completely
4. Visit friends.
5. Clean Appliances thoroughly.
6. Change bedsheets.
7. Wash curtains.
8. Watch a movie.
9. Entertain/ eat out.

Saturdays
1. Shop for vegetables and fruits.
2. Take out paneer/ cottage cheese.
3. Make Ghee.
4. Shop for grocery and other items

Sundays
1. Prepare Ginger garlic paste for the week and freeze.
2. Prepare tomato puree and freeze.
3. Prepare Onion paste and freeze.
4. Make any curry paste that is required for the next week.
5. Make spice mixes for the recipes of the next week like sambaar powder, garam masala etc.
6. Cut and freeze vegetables if required.
7. Iron clothes to be worn for the week, except uniform.
8. Make batter for Idly/ Dosa sufficient to last for three days.

The schedule above has been helpful for me. It may appear to be impossible but try it out it works. It includes everything. I am able to cook for my ffamily, make homemade food and keep my house spic and span at the same time not compromising on my work. though I get up between 4.30 am to 5 am, we end up sleeping by 11 pm, so we have sufficient sleep (9 hours almost). My daughter sleeps after lunch and this is the only job which I don't do, the maid puts her to sleep.

Hope you all like my schedule.

 

thanks a lot for liking my schedule...Actually I love to cook and this schedule gives me the flexibility to plan easy menus...In this fast paced life where working has become one of the requirements for women, i just didn't want to miss out on feeling what it is to look after my home. As they say "it is up to a lady to make the place she lives in a house or a home", I just wanted to be able to take care of my family. My inspiration is my mother. I grew up living in a joint family with my paternal grandparents. My mother was working as a Principal in a school. In spite of her work schedule, she used to finish the household chores before going for work. She tended to my grandparents till their end and even today she does everything herself. Thankfully she is retired now, still she gives tuition, not for the sake of money but for her love for teaching.

 

Hi Sabari,

Thanks for liking my schedule. In fact you too can design yours based on your lifestyle. The best part of my schedule is the menu planning. Once the weekly menu is planned, the other jobs are easily done. I am a tamil Brahmin while my husband is a malayali. So, my breakfasts and lunches are mostly south indian, with north indian/ international food as a part of dinner. I make my own spice mixes and curry pastes.

Guess what... when I have to visit somebody and there is no time for purchasing a gift for them, I pick up 3 to 4 different spice mixes that I've made (south indian ones for north indian friends and vice versa), bottle them in small transparent jars with name labels, put them together in a basket or use a transparent talc sheet to hold them together, and tie a ribbon to the basket or talc sheet wrap. Voila...a homemade gift is ready in a jiffy...I am sure you will agree that a homemade gift packed attractively s not only appreciated but it is economical also....