HOUSEHOLD jobs can quickly become a bore, especially when you've little, or worse, no help. Follow these helpful tips to make light work of everything from laundry cleaning to cooking and ironing!
Very few people can hold their hand up and say they enjoy doing the laundry. The good news is you can make this most mundane of household tasks that little bit more bearable.
First up, get the right products for the job. Take some tips from fellow mums and see what they're recommending on parenting forums. Remove dried-in stains easily by selecting the right products for your garments, be they delicate or otherwise.
Next, stick the radio on or have the telly on in the background, it's surprising how quickly you'll get the washing and ironing done when you've got one eye on Loose Women! If your little ones are old enough to help out, have them folding your ironed clothes or separating the washing into whites and colours and the job will be done in no time.
It's no good taking time and care getting through that huge pile of washing, if you're going to go and spoil all your hard work when it comes to ironing it all.
It's important to clean your iron every now and again to prevent the build up of residue and other household gunk. Search out your iron's manual for guidelines on how to get started.
This job should take little more than 20 minutes and you can complete it with items you'll have stashed away in your cupboard such as vinegar, mild dish soap and baking soda. Do the job properly every so often and you won't be washing your clothes again after you've just realised you've left an unsightly stain on them
When it comes to doing the cooking, there are loads of helpful tips and hints online for busy mums. Healthy children are generally happier children and they'll have much more energy for the school day ahead.
Feeding your kids nutritional meals, however, doesn't have to be costly, or time consuming and there are plenty of free recipes online to try today.
Whip up a quick and tasty salad to accompany meat and vegetables and get your kids involved in making it. You'll find they're much more inclined to try that broccoli if they've helped prepare it, even if all they've done is opened the bag!
Turn the TV off for one night a week and get the whole family involved in a fun board game. A game like Snakes and Ladders or Ludo will get little kids thinking; Snakes and Ladders, especially, is useful for helping young children with their numeracy.
Alternatively, grab a pack of cards and teach them simply games like pontoon, or snap for the very little ones. Staying in and having fun doesn't have to cost a fortune.
If you're on a budget, you can make the most of great money saving tips and advice online, from preparing cheap and healthy meals to where to take the kids on a Saturday afternoon. Check out online forums to take advantage of the best discounts or use these sites to get tips from fellow parents
Stuck for kids' party ideas? There are plenty of fun and unique recommendations online that won't cost too much. Save up old egg cartons and other household cans and tins and throw a 'creative party'. Buy some card, paper and glitter and get the kids involved in making their own party hats. They can even make their own fun music shakers from dried lentils and empty toilet roll tubes.
Think about doing things as a family children will love getting out and about with you and doing fun things. Make time to get out of the house as a family and get some fresh air. Even if all you do is take a walk in the local park, the kids will love it and it'll help them burn some energy in time for a long sleep before school the next day.
Why not pack a healthy picnic and pack some bread to feed the ducks, too? Getting out and about doesn't have to cost the Earth; kids are sometimes happiest when they're charging around in the great outdoors and getting some air in their lungs.
Check out some other local attractions and see what deals and offers you can take advantage of to make your kids' social lives (as well as your own) really fun.
