8 Home Management Tips for Busy Parents

by SharkClean
on 30 July 2018

Managing a home is hard work, but it can be doubly difficult when there are children to care for too. Throw in a demanding job or two, and it can seem like there aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything.

But we often don’t make things easy for ourselves. Understandably, we end up reacting to situations, and allow a busy home life to rule our lives. But by planning ahead and being ready for every eventuality, you can make life less stressful — and free up time for the most important things in life.

Here are eight relatively simple tips for managing your family home more effectively.


1. Create a weekly menu

Try not to fall into the trap of cooking several different meals for your children. Every Sunday, plan your menu for the rest of the week. Select a meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and stick to it. This won’t just make your life easier in the kitchen, it should also help you to budget.

Sit down with your family, and by all means ask for their input. But accept that you won’t be able to keep everyone happy all of the time. Once you have your weekly menu in place, you can devise your weekly shopping list.

2. Create a cleaning rota

No one person should be expected to do all of the cleaning jobs in a house. While a parent should be in control of the process, there is no reason why children of full-time school age can’t chip in.

Make a list of all the suitable cleaning jobs in your home, and assign a person to each of them. Bear in mind issues such as safety, heavy lifting and working at height. Once everyone has an equal amount of work, split the tasks across the week.

To get even more organised, schedule cleaning “power hours” every day. Between, say, 5pm and 6pm every day, everyone has to get on with their allotted cleaning tasks. You could, for example, spend an extra hour cleaning on Saturday, and have Sunday off for family time.

3. Schedule laundry

Most people struggle to get all of their laundry done in one day, as there are always other things to do. Work out what works for you. For example, you might find that doing an hour of laundry every morning before the kids get up is the best way to go about it. Or you may prefer to wash every day and leave ironing until the weekend. The important thing is that you’re not leaving laundry to chance, as this is a recipe for empty wardrobes on a Monday morning!

4. Develop a breakfast routine

Most parents say that the mornings before school are the busiest and most hectic times of the week. If you don’t have an organised and structured approach to mornings, the rest of the day can be miserable for everyone.

Create a routine that works for you, including a getting-up time, a breakfast time, teeth-brushing time and a time for packing school bags. If possible, get everyone together to eat breakfast so you can pass on instructions on what still needs to be done.

5. Always have hot, soapy water in the sink

When dirty dishes pile up, a kitchen can begin to look very mess very quickly. Even if you have a dishwasher, being ready to wash dishes as soon as they’re produced will save you a lot of stress in the long run — and keep your kitchen presentable and ready for visitors. Get everyone in your home into the habit of washing their dishes as soon as they’re finished with them… you’ll be amazed how easier it will make your daily routine.

6. Use minimal bedding

The last thing you want to be doing every morning is making beds. Stick to a fitted sheet and a duvet on every bed to minimise your morning workload. This way, your children will be able to make their own bed without too much difficulty.

7. Implement a clean-as-you-go policy

Everyone in your household should be responsible for clearing away their own mess and clutter. When they’re finished with it, tell them to put it away before getting something else out.

It’s also important to ensure everyone is following a clean-as-you-go policy. If one of your children drops their breakfast on the kitchen floor, they should be the ones to clear it up. If someone has a shower, they should be the one to wipe it down afterwards. Eventually, cleaning will become second nature, and it will happen without your intervention — making your week easier.

8. Make time for yourself

Even with these tips implemented, managing your family home is always going to be tiring. You won’t be able to stay on top of things unless you’re well rested and relaxed, so schedule time for yourself. Whether you sit and read for an hour or catch up on your favourite box-set, set aside personal time on your own — and make sure you stick to it.

There will always be lots of stress and hard work involved in managing a family home. But with planning and help from everyone else, you should be able to free up time for quality time with the people you love most.

Posted in: Tips & Advice