Tips for Home Management
We all like to have a well-run home, with everything working as it should, allowing us to live our lives with the minimum of inconvenience. In practice, that isn’t as easy as it sounds, with a multitude of tasks to be completed, even in a small dwelling. You will be happy to know that with some careful planning, your household can run efficiently, with the minimum of disruptions. Here are a few tips to help your home to run like a well-oiled machine.
Teamwork
This is especially true if it is a large family. First, you should call a family meeting and explain your reasoning behind the change of routine. If your family sees the big picture, they will be happy to play a role in having a well-managed home. Delegate daily duties, and put up a wall chart with each person’s tasks clearly marked. Most people do not see home management as something to plan, so we muddle through without much thought about how efficient we are being. Communication is the secret to a well-managed home, so plan a weekly family meeting where people can discuss the previous week, andplanning for the coming week.
Be organised
Important contact names and numbers should be clearly posted in the kitchen. Things like the doctor’s surgery, plumbing, and other essential services you might need, should be clearly displayed. If there are up and coming service calls, make a note on the board, in case you forget and no one is at home when they arrive. There could be a ruptured water pipe, and you desperately need Melbourne plumbers, so make sure you have their number handy.
Delegate the work
People often make the mistake of thinking that children cannot be trusted to do jobs around the house. Actually, they can do manytasks, such as making their own beds, and keeping their rooms clean. Taking out the rubbish is also a time saver for a busy housewife, so let the kids have some responsibility, which is character building, and gives them a sense of contributing to the family.
Provide adequate storage space
Laundry baskets and plastic toy tubs really help when cleaning up. Make sure everything has its place, and that all family members are familiar with that. With careful planning, you can finish the chores in half the time, leaving you to do more enjoyable things like feeding the cat. Wall mounted units provide extra bedroom space, and don’t forget the attic.
Plan the meals and shopping
This should be a part of the duty schedule, and all should agree on the menu choices, with the menial tasks like washing up, rotated on a weekly, or bi-weekly basis. The kids can help prepare the food when they get home from school, and most people learn how to manage their time more efficiently. So, make your family happy by calling a meeting, and start to organise the household management in a systematic way. Many families have found that regular communication improves their relationships, and a well-managed house makes everyone feel so much better.