Now that you have a kid, you will soon find that life fills up with pediatrician’s appointments, play-dates and everything else quicker than you can squeeze it all into your overwhelmed brain! So here are a few things that have helped me keep it all straight and avoid those annoying brain pains!
1. Keep a calendar. A magnetic dry erase board for the fridge works well or if you’re like me and use gmail, you can create an online calendar and share it with your family too. Put everything on the calendar! Doctors appointments, play dates, classes, local activities that you don’t want to miss, consignment sales that you don’t want to miss… you get the idea. If it’s something you’re not sure you’ll be able to do because you need to get a babysitter or hubby needs to stay home with baby, put a question mark next to the event so you won’t forget to make these arrangements. Look at your calendar everyday! Don’t forget to remind your hubby to do the same.
2. Make lists. How many times have you gotten home from a shopping trip only to remember you still need something. I have shopping lists for different stores sitting on my counter at all times so whenever I think of something it’s right there. Then when I go to the store, I make the most of my time and get everything I need. It’s also useful to keep a notebook handy for jotting down your Big To-Do list. Prioritize and add items to the To-Do list whenever you think of them – this list is for those things that need doing or that you want to do around the house that you just can’t seem to get to. This list is also for seasonal decorating, gardening, hobby, writing and other fun items…so it doesn’t have to all be yucky!
3. Work on your Big To-Do List. Try to do at least one major item or two minor items on this list AFTER chores for the day are done (or at nap time if you know you’ll be able to finish chores later while baby is awake)… just take 15 minutes and start something. Then you can cross it off! Oh so satisfying! Prioritize items that have deadlines, or are seasonal, so that things like “Decorate for Halloween,” aren’t still on the list the day before Pumpkin Day!
4. Think about dinner at lunch and think about lunch at dinner. At lunch-time, assess dinner plans and get out stuff to thaw if needed (don’t forget about it, you may need to put it in the fridge!). At dinner prep time, think about how you can make enough for leftovers… then some of your lunches or future dinners will be covered. If I can see that we won’t be able to finish what we’ve made in a couple days, I’ll put it in a tupperware and freeze the rest. We always have quick, healthy homemade meals stashed in the freezer.
5. Assess the laundry situation in the morning and do one or two loads as needed. If you do this everyday, you will never be overwhelmed with laundry. Only do as much as you have time to put away that day. Piles of clean laundry are just as aggravating as dirty piles!
6. Before you go to bed, make sure you leave the kitchen clean. Nothing is more disheartening than waking up to a dirty kitchen!
7. Think about tomorrow and get ready for it. Get your diaper bag packed and everything you need ready for next day’s plans, especially if you will be leaving after breakfast. Getting stuff done in between naps is hard enough without having to collect your keys, wallet, cell phone, extra diapers, extra food and a change of clothes for baby and everything else you’ll need! This is a huge stress sayonara and time saver! Don’t forget about non-baby items too. If you are planning on going shopping, you can collect your list for that store and your reusable shopping bags and put them with your diaper bag.
