Running a household can get stressful, from the cleaning to the cooking and everything in between.
Our Woman’s Day survey found that 60 per cent of Kiwi women feel mostly or completely responsible for doing the grocery shopping, cleaning and cooking around their home – and all of that can definitely cut down on your free time!
If you’re feeling the pressure to keep the house running smoothly, here are a few handy tips and tricks to help you get back to your well-deserved ‘me time’ much faster!
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To save time at the grocery store, keep a running list pinned to your fridge at home. Every time you run out of something in the kitchen, make a note on the list so it’s all ready to go once you hit the supermarket.
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For busy mums, it helps to have a whole week’s worth of meals planned out in advance – you can even use a handy planner to get it all organised! Pictured: Kikki. K Meal Planner
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Here’s a handy egg tip: To check whether it’s fresh, place it in a bowl of water. If it sinks and lies on its side, it’s good to eat. If it stands large-end up, it needs to be eaten within a few days. If it floats, it’s gone!
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If you want to make fresh herbs last longer, freeze them! Rinse thoroughly first, chop off any long stems and then spoon the leaves into an ice cube tray, packing in tightly. Top it off with some water and then pop it into the freezer for at least 24 hours.
Keep it in a freezer bag for optimal freshness and just drop it into soups, stews etc when needed!
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If you know you’re not going to use all your meat at once, portion it up separately and wrap in plastic. Store each portion in the freezer, taking out only as much as you need for a meal.
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If your closet is overflowing with clothes, make a little extra space by investing in vacuum-sealed storage bags. You can pop all your out-of-season clothes into them and compress it, freeing up more storage room in your wardrobe.
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Tired of cleaning the house by yourself? Get the kids involved by giving them small chores to do, like tidying their room at the end of the day. You can even set up a reward system to motivate your little ones, making it fun for the whole family.
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Keep all your household bills up to date and in one place with a handy organiser, like this one from Kikki. K.
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Have separate baskets out for coloured, white and black clothes in the laundry room. That way you know exactly what needs to be washed and how, and it saves you having to sort through a big jumble of clothes.
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As you cook, keep the sink full of warm soapy water so the dirtiest dishes can have plenty of time to soak by the time the washing-up needs to be done.
