Sunday, March 20, 2011

Five Things I Learned From My Helper

I never took Home-Ec (I don't know how to spell it). I never learned how to iron, or clean. I have actually ironed wrinkles into my clothes, which, by the way, used to be in two piles - 1) dirty, 2) clean. My saving grace is I can cook. So I've pretty much been wingin' it since I became a stay-at-home mum.

I can't tell you how relieved I was when we hired Jojo Poppins. She is a domestic goddess. I have not actually done a load of wash in a year. I have relied on her for housekeeping and cooking so that I can play with the girls without being interrupted. But I have been watching and learning from her. So now she is away for 2-weeks. And I have to do everything. So what have I learned in the past year?

1) Laundry - Monday and Thursday. Strip and make the beds, collect dirty clothes, wash everything. Do ironing that evening.

2) Cooking - Cook in advance and cook things that can be frozen and reheated for mains and rely on fresh fruit and veg for sides.

3) Keep it clean - So the biggest motivator here is that if there is the littlest bit of food brings ants. So everything has to be clean. Really clean. Like being on hands and knees wiping down the kitchen floor clean.

4) Don't stop moving - There is never any time to stop moving. Ever.

5) A place for everything - It is so much easier to find something if you know where you put it. I never used to be good at putting things away. I always knew the general vicinity where things were, but I never really knew "exactly" where things were. Jojo Poppins always knows exactly where everything is.