The couple of hours between dinner and bedtime is my busiest time of the day.
The best way I have found to help with this hectic time is to get as much cleaning done in the kitchen as I can BEFORE dinner.
As I cook, I gather the dishes that are used. During longest cooking time, when the food is baking or simmering and doesn’t require my immediate attention, I turn my attention towards waching the dishes and cleaning the counters.
My goal each night is to have the kitchen cleaned before dinner is placed on the table.
That way, after dinner the kids are asked to clean up their toys from the living room and their bedroom while Mommy finished the kitchen by cleaning our personal dishes. Then we’re all ready for baths, stories, prayers, and bed.
Now, it is probably also helpful to know that I basically only cook every other day. While my husband is not here, the kids and I just cannot eat an entire meal in one sitting, so leftovers are saved for the next day. I’m sure this will change when Keith comes home and the children get older.
But for now, cooking every other day and cleaning the kitchen before we sit down to eat greatly reduces the harriedness and stress of the after dinner and bedtime routine. It works for me and has worked for me to help us survive throughout this L-O-N-G deployement.
**Note this tip is being reposted for Works for Me Wednesday’s special cleaning edition. Some things have changed since I posted this. My husband is home from his deployment to Iraq, so I’m not always cooking every other day because we don’t have the leftovers we did when he was away…that’s okay because I’d much rather have him home.
But I do still try my best to have the kitchen cleaned before dinner is on the table…it is a huge help!**
To see some helpful hints from other moms, visit Works for Me Wednesday at We Are THAT Family.
LifeAtTheCircus says
Great tips Monica! You impress me with your organization!
LifeAtTheCircus’s last blog post..Barefoot Princess
Lisa says
This organization idea makes for a peaceful home! So thanks for sharing. 🙂
Lisa’s last blog post..Panini Sandwiches for Summer! *Works for me Wednesday*
Kirsty says
I am going to try this method tonight-thank you! You have my admiration, I hope the deployment ends very soon!
Kirsty’s last blog post..Making Procrastination Work For You
Sara says
Great tips. That is our busiest time of the night too. Plus, by this time I am totally drained!
Sara’s last blog post..My Weekly Shopping Trip
Erin @ Closing Time says
Sometimes I manage to get the kitchen clean before we eat, and sometimes I don’t. When I do it makes ALL the difference in the world! I am going to try to do this more often!!
Erin @ Closing Time’s last blog post..WFMW: What Floats?
Kelly says
I try to clean the kitchen before I cook and keep it clean during cooking, but I still wind up spending too much time in the kitchen afterward. I’ll try harder tomorrow!
.-= Kelly´s last blog ..My favorite book =-.
Angie @ Many Little Blessings says
What a great idea! That would certainly get rid of a lot of after dinner clean up stress.
.-= Angie @ Many Little Blessings´s last blog ..Many Little Blessings: September 2009 Recap =-.
niki says
Wow I am SO glad you posted this! I am struggling in this area since I returned to work as a teacher. My nights are just too short!
🙂
Excellent post!
Stop by and visit me sometime over at Free 2 Be Frugal!
Courtney says
I use to clean up after dinner but like you said, it kind of gets misplaced with getting my daughter to bed so now I clean as I cook and make sure once dinner is on the table the only thing left to clean are the plates we are using!! Great Tip, it has kept my kitchen clean for a while now!
.-= Courtney´s last blog ..Addicting Maple Iced Pumpkin Cookies! =-.
Kaye says
I too wash dishes as I go with the exception of those that need to soak. Great tip! It works for me too! =)
.-= Kaye´s last blog ..WFMW – Pharmacy Tracking =-.
Liz@HoosierHomemade says
You had me a little confused for a bit, until I read the update 🙂
Great tip! Thanks for sharing!
~Liz
.-= Liz@HoosierHomemade´s last blog ..Antique Furniture =-.
'Becca says
Great tip! I do some of this too, and it helps so much!
Don’t be all apologetic about cooking every other day! It’s a great strategy. With more people home (praise the Lord for your husband’s safe return!!), why not just make larger batches? My family is only 3 people, but we typically cook 6-10 servings of most things and save leftovers for lunches or future dinners; it’s just more efficient.
.-= ‘Becca´s last blog ..Explaining the G-20 Protests to a Preschooler =-.
Eliza Welch says
Such excellent information!
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