It’s After 10pm: the Kids Are in Bed; The Shocking Truth of What Happens Now

Amazingly there is more work to do once the kids are in bed than there is time to relax.

When my kids were little I made sure that they had a routine and that I stuck to it. Initially this was to give myself some me time. As the years went on and the kids got a bit older the chores got more intense and my "ME" time got less and less. Still today, I am glad that I did set up routines from the beginning because I still had time to do chores and relax-I can't imagine the chaos if I had not initiated routines from the very beginning.

Before your quiet cup of tea and a tasty little pastry with your favorite tv show, the kids gotta get to bed and the household chores have to be done. There really never seems to be enough time in a day. Still, the most important part of the day should begin now. Wash a load, make lunches, straighten up the living room and then... relax.

Some tips to make life more relaxing after the kids are in bed:

• While cooking dinner, clean as you go. Load the dishwasher... wash pans as you are done with them... wipe the counters and stove while your dinner simmers... get the kids to set the table while you are putting on the finishing touches to your dinner... And when everyone is done, they can load their own plate into the dishwasher.
• Designate laundry nights... Tuesday and Thursdays are great days of the week to set aside for  a couple loads of laundry... pre-sorted clothes help a ton, so invest in multiple bins and the sorting is already done and ready for laundry day. Added bonus tip: Kids are great sock folders and underwear don't need folding.
• Make school lunches while dinner is simmering and remember to individually bag lunch items when you get home from the grocery store so making lunches is a quick effort.
• Menu plan for a couple days at a time so that your meat is thawed and you don't have the stress each night starring blankly into the fridge and cupboards.
• Don't cook meals 100% from scratch each night, utilize the pre-made items at the store and incorporate them with your homemade dishes.
• Get the kids to unload the dishwasher in the morning or see if that's a task that your partner will take on.
• Have your favorite cup with a tea bag in it sitting on the counter as a reminder that your time is waiting-when you relax, don't over think the day or the evening or plan tomorrow, just relax. (morning will come soon enough)

If you have any time saving tips to pass along, please feel free to scroll down to the comment section and by all means let us know! :)