What do you like to do to be ready for the weekend?

[Carrie75]

It seems for us that the weekend is when all heck breaks loose around here. The weekend always ends up feeling very chaotic. There is so much to be done around the house, sports/games, social obligations, ect. DH is home so there is an added (adorable) person making a mess. As far as the sports go, I really like us to go as a family, rather then use the divide and conquer approach.

 

Anyone else feel like the weekend is busier then the weekdays? What do you do to prepare for the weekends to make them feel more fun and less hectic? Anyway to help organize the bigger weekend chores would also be appreciated.

[AK_Mom4]

I try to make sure all of the laundry is caught up by Friday night.

 

That lets me wash sheets and stuff on Saturday and also makes it possible to clean my laundry room thoroughly.

[Ellie]

I make sure the house is clean and all the laundry is done on Friday, and that there's food in the house. I also put gas in the car. After that, it's Hobson's choice, lol.

[lllll]

....:)

Edited November 5, 2012 by ksva

[Melinda S in TX]

Weekends are the only time dh is available to help around the farm, so planning for it is serious business. Saturday is the busiest day of the week here. Sunday we still work, but I try and make it less busy and end the work early so we can get ready for Monday.

 

Planning for the weekend starts on Tuesday. I ask dh what he wants to do for "date night in". Usually he wants me to cook us something special, but sometimes we get takeout. Occasionally he asks me to pick up a special treat (aka ice cream). I also ask if he has any special projects that we need to do. With these two things in mind, I plan our weekend.

 

Weekend time is precious, so we try and maximize it. No errand running unless absolutely necessary. Wednesday the children make the feedstore list and I keep it. Thursday or Friday dh will go by the feedstore on his way home from work. When he is on his way to the feedstore, he calls me and I email him the list (Dh is notorious for losing lists). I also decide the main focus of our weekend on Wednesday. I talk with everyone involved and make a supply list. If dh needs to get the supplies I keep the list and email it to him when he is ready. If I need to shop for the supplies, I go on Thursday night before I buy groceries. Sometime during the day Thursday I will make the grocery list. Thursday night after dh comes home, I run an errand and buy groceries. With the exception of the feedstore and groceries, we hit most other stores one or two times a month. This is like Hobby Lobby, Target, or the fabric store.

 

Our weekend starts with Friday night date night. The children are in bed by eight at the latest, seven if I can manage it. The big ones read until nine. The little ones listen to a special cd. Dh and I have the living room to ourselves. Dh gets a movie ready while I cook our meal. We eat and watch our movie, then do internet for a bit and go to bed by ten at the latest.

 

Saturday, we sleep in (7am instead of 6am). We get up, get ready and do normal chores like making breakfast, milking goats and feeding the animals. Then 17dd and a helper get lunch and supper prep going while the rest of us start on whatever our project is. We take a short quiet time after lunch, but other than that, we work continually. All of us from 5dd to dh are helping. Saturday night the children may be in bed a bit late (by 9) but dh and I try and go to bed on time.

 

Sunday we sleep in until 7am again. If we need to, we continue to work on our project. For sure, by mid-afternoon we start slowing down. After supper, I am excused from doing dishes and I get the homeschooling prep done for the week. By bedtime, I have any remaining grading done and the assignment sheets printed and put in the notebook. I also have dh's lunchbox out and things ready for the next day. I look over the calendar and remind dh of anything going on the next week.

 

We keep the laundry running on the weekend, but the folding and putting away of it is low priority until Monday. Meals are hot, but easy and we use the crockpot a lot. No errands unless it is an absolute emergency (in the middle of fixing the kitchen sink and you have the wrong whatever). Other than the kitchen and taking out the trash, no normal housecleaning is done on the weekends. Occasionally we have the project for the weekend to be cleaning and emptying all the kitchen cupboards, but that is the only way housework gets done on the weekends.

 

Monday is our recovery day. Laundry is folded and put away. House is straightened up. Any loose ends from the weekend are dealt with. Then, I start over again on Tuesday planning our next weekend.