Busy

I am feeling busy. I haven’t managed to do any sewing for a week and a half. My sewing machine looks at me reproachfully every time I go near it. (That’s not true, of course. Sewing machines don’t have eyes). Obviously, not having time to sew is not one of life’s tragedies. And it’s not like I’m not doing fun and useful things. I’ve been climbing. I’ve had my eyes tested. I had coffee with a friend. Today I had a lovely long lunch with Fat Roland. I also spent two hours while Little Girl was trying out nursery doing some essential paperwork which would have been much harder with children around (“Mummy colouring? Big Girl colouring!”).

So I’m not complaining that I never get to do anything fun. I just can’t do everything I want or need to. If I’m climbing, I can’t be sewing. If I’m meeting up with friends I can’t also be having a lovely relaxing bath. And whatever I’m doing, I’m not sleeping. I’d love to, I just don’t have time.

And day-to-day, I feel like I can’t do everything I need to. We go out every day – with a toddler, staying in all day is not a good idea. Once we’ve got up, dressed and had breakfast, gone out and come back, had lunch and cleaned up, done some essential housework (cleaning clothes, cleaning dishes), made and eaten tea, well, it’s time for a bath and bed. If I play with my children we don’t get clean clothes. Or the dishes don’t get washed. My hoover probably also throws me baleful stares but I’m ignoring it.

What I would really like is some sort of elf who lives in my cellar and comes out and cleans up so I can say “Yes, Big Girl, I will come and row your boat with you”. This seems unlikely to happen, so I guess it’s just me. So, somehow, I need to get better at this.  What’s my plan?  First of all, reduce the amount I have to do: if the children can re-use clothes or bibs that reduces the amount of washing I have to put on, hang up and put away.  I can probably make a lot less washing up when I cook if I try. And I could become one of those boring people who put things away when they’ve finished with them, throws away envelopes when opening their post, and generally avoids piles of crap being strewn around the house. It might just be worth it.  And then I need to get better at actually doing the housework.  I’m going to do a meal plan and shopping list so I don’t end up with only one slice of bread in the house because I’ve not managed a Tescos order.  But what else can I do to make housework easier? Any tips?