How do you get everything done in a day?
A reader asked me that question, and this post is the answer!
As a real foodie, you know that staying on top of everything in the kitchen and out of the kitchen can take more time. Today I'll share some real food sanity savers and tips on busy lives in general — I'll tell you which things I am able to pull off and what just doesn't happen.
Keep in mind that while some of the extra steps that I’ve added since my “food conversion” do take more time, many of them can be streamlined pretty easily and aren’t that time consuming. It’s all up to you as far as how many new routines you’re ready and willing to implement into your life. If you're overwhelmed, take it slow!
Here are my 8 basic tips and real food sanity savers:
1. Appreciate a Helpful Husband – I’ve said it many times… I’m so thankful to Kent’s Dad & Mom for raising such a good guy. One who isn’t afraid to cook, clean and everything in between. He’s my toilet-cleaning, weekend-cooking, laundry-folding, do-what-has-to-be-done kind of guy, and I couldn’t keep on top of any of this without him. (Plus he does pretty much all of the lawn and garden stuff.) My Mom did it with very little help from my Dad (although he did the outside stuff too) and they had five kids, plus she worked a separate full time job! So I know it can be done, but it surely wouldn’t be easy, and running my own business would be even trickier. Also keep in mind that Kent works regular hours, not all husbands do, so they may not be able to help as much. If your husband isn’t as quick to jump in or can't for whatever reason, don’t give up, just ask for help here and there and be sure to say thank you… be creative. Wink, wink. 🙂
2. Find a network of neighbors and friends and help each other – we’re blessed to know many people who are growing with us in our knowledge and commitment to a healthier lifestyle. Here are some ideas for how to implement this with your friends:
- These days we have meat delivered to us from our local farmer (for real!) or we pick it up when we get our milk. But in the past, we'd take turns with friends and alternate going out to the farm for our pastured meats. (Go here for healthy meat delivered if you don't have a good local option.)
- It's all about saving trips and therefore time. So if one of us is going to Costco or to a health food store across town, or even just to the nearby grocery store, we often call to see what the others might need.
- My friend Sonia used to get our eggs from a farmer near her Mom and drop them off here.
- Once my friend Sue was picking up maple syrup from a guy who lived far out of town, so she grabbed 15 gallons of syrup for various friends while she was there.
- We used to have a raw milk cowpool set up so nobody made the 40 minute drive out to the farm more than once a month. Now our pick up is much closer, but I still take turns driving with one other friend right in our neighborhood.
You get the picture, find like-minded friends! –> Don’t know where to look?
Start going to your local Weston A. Price Foundation chapter meetings! Or at least call the chapter leader for help or suggestions. Also, make an effort to get to know your neighbors, start by taking them a plate of your favorite Nourishing Traditions treats! Have you had the almond cookies? Or the rosemary walnuts? Strike up a conversation and if they're not a real foodie already, maybe they will be soon!
3. Working from home really helps – as I said above, if you work full time outside the home, it doesn’t mean you can’t cook healthy meals for your family (my Mom still did), but you'll need to be on your game for sure and plan ahead.
(Have you seen these ideas for be-your-own-boss jobs?)
4. Stay organized! First it was my little paper calendar and my favorite pen (<– did anyone else have one of those?!), then it was my palm pilot–ha! Then in late 2009 (early 2010?) I got my first iPhone and between that and my laptop, I couldn't function without the notes, calendar, and all the little tools that help me stay on top of things. Whether it’s my favorite meal planner, keeping track of kids' schedules, or just a note (with an alarm!) to get meat out of the freezer, it’s the main reason I stay somewhat sane.
5. Keep a few lists handy:
- My fast-food-at-home list is invaluable for nights I just didn’t get supper going when I should have, or for crazy afternoons when I don’t have time to cook. There are some days that I’m in the kitchen ALL afternoon, but not many. I’m not a fancy cook, and I just can’t spare a whole afternoon very often. (But when I do, that's when I turn on one of my favorite podcasts or a Pureflix movie!) Today was busy, so dinner was pastured bacon and French toast–it's fast, nourishing, and everyone loves it! (Get my fast-food-at-home list here by signing up for my free newsletter. If you're already signed up and don't know how to access it, email me and I'll help you: [email protected]. If I don't reply it may have gone to my spam, so try messaging me on Facebook or Instagram.)
- See these 10 BEST ways to use a pressure cooker for fast healthy meals!
- Crock pot recipes–right now it's soccer season and since games and practices start late afternoon, often some of us will eat early. If you use a crock pot, or the crock pot feature on your pressure cooker, the rest who are eating later still have a hot meal.
- I use my family favorite meals list a lot too–it's a list of meals everyone likes that I always have the ingredients for on hand. It's nice having a list of ideas that I know I can make and no one will complain!
- Also, when I cook I usually make extras so I have meals to pull out of the freezer on extra busy nights! Here are two of my favorite gadgets to help me cook big batches:
- My Bosch kitchen mixer has a HUGE bowl, so whether I'm making cookies to take somewhere, homemade bread, muffins or whatever, I always can make extra in this workhorse then keep the extra dough in the freezer. Later I can pull it out to bake and it smells and tastes great, but didn't take any time at all.
- Then there's my beloved stainless steel 16″ electric frying pan — it cooks a lot of food at once and cleans up easily too!
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- Again, here's my favorite meal planning program, it's affordable and easy!
6. Multi-tasking is a must. There is rarely time to dawdle. (Although I purposely don’t plan as much on the weekends so I can have the luxury of moving at a slower pace.) If I’m folding, loading the dishwasher, or chopping for a recipe, I’ll also make a phone call to catch up with a friend, quiz the kids for a test, or listen to another one read to me. More on multi-tasking below…
7. Get the kids to help! God gave us kids so we could work ‘em, right?! (Joking…sort of.) If there’s something that requires a lot of chopping or busy work, get the kids involved. I have them do things like unload the dishwasher, fold clothes, empty trashes, water plants, and even clean bathrooms, because that’s stuff they can do, while I’m doing all the other stuff they can’t do. (And I want to give our kids' spouses the same gift my mother-in-law gave me, she taught her boys to help with everything!) These days the kids cook a lot too which helps a ton–want your kids to cook but need help teaching them how? Check out these affordable classes where my friend Katie will teach them!
8. Take Sundays off. I'm not always perfect at this, but God is smart and when He asks us to chill one day a week it's because we need that so we don't lose our minds. I love to cook, so often I'll spend more time in the kitchen on Sundays while watching a Pureflix movie, or I'll take a nap on our deck swing, go for a walk, do something fun with the kids, or listen to podcasts as mentioned above. It's not easy when the to-do list is looming, but I'm always grateful when I take the day off, and somehow the world doesn't crash just because I didn't get one more thing done… I love this quote:
It is surely not easy to keep up on things, but somehow it works and I only pull my hair out occasionally.
Yet something always has to give–3 things I've had to let go…
As much as I try, I can’t do it all. Here are 3 things that I have let go in my life for now in order to give priority to other things, like growing in my faith, being a wife and mom, feeding my family well, running my own business, staying connected with friends and extended family, homeschooling, and of course my own health: sleeping and walking used to go by the wayside, but not anymore!
- Reading. I absolutely LOVE a good book or magazine/journal, but often my stack just sits there. (However, a little update, lately I've been feeding my multi-tasking addiction and I'll sneak audio books in here and there while I'm out for a walk, folding laundry, or cooking! Another hint: walking is also a great time to pray or make phone calls.)
- Volunteering. I used to volunteer a lot more than I can now and was always in charge of 1 (or 5) things at church. I was also WAPF co-chapter leader for a few years, and before we homeschooled I was in the kids' classes weekly too. But I can only do what I can do, and for now I know that adding more to my plate would only make me a stressed out, ornery wife and mom. Someday I'll be able to do more again, but these days I really stop and think and pray before I say yes to anything. If I can pull it off without a lot of stress and I feel like it's God's will after praying about it, then I'll do it. If not, I don’t, and I don’t feel bad about it either. It gets easier to say no when you remember what Jen Fulwiler says: “To say no is to protect what you’ve said yes to.”
- Cleaning! Not that I’ve ever been great about this. Keeping things picked up is a priority for both Kent and I, but keeping things dust-free…not so much. We do it when we have to before company and that's about it. Sorry Mom, but that's one that didn't stick! Someday soon I plan to hire housecleaning help! (Update: 2020 wasn't ALL bad, I got a cleaning lady!)
That's my list, what are YOUR tips and real food sanity savers? What do you keep up on and what do you let go?
More you might like:
- Find pastured meats here. (Also here’s where you can find beef tallow for guilt-free homemade French fries and onion rings!)
- Video Blog: 15 Minute Meal
- Your Time-Saving Kitchen Tips
- Still feeling overwhelmed? You’re not alone!
- My favorite Kitchen Gadgets
Jeff Young says
I loved this post!
I am not a wife or mother. Actually, I am a husband and father (hopefully a helpful husband!). But I can implement these tips too. Of course, I would need to tailor them to my particular situation.
I forwarded this post to my wife. She already does some of these things. But, it is great to be affirmed in your efforts, and we can always improve.
I think this post will generate a great discussion. Thanks for writing it!
Jeff Young
L says
Kelly,
I have REALLY enjoyed reading all of the different replies to this. THANK YOU so much for tackling this topic! 🙂
Ann Marie says
I LOVE Sean Croxton’s Underground Wellness on podcast. I just downloaded them all and I am ADDICTED. He has the BEST information. And yeah, Kel, just use it when you go to the gym! Or how about when you’re cooking? If you get a little portable one, you can put one bud in your ear and stick it in your pocket.
Here’s an interesting thing I heard on one of Sean’s shows (paraphrase):
Read one book a month and you will be an expert in your field in five years. Read one book a week and you will be a LEADING expert in your field in five years.
I LOVE that idea! And it’s true — all the really successful people I know read.
I’m going to sign up for Audible. I have a Kindle and I get my podcasts but I’d love to get more books on audio.
Ann Marie
Kelly says
Ellie, the problem is, I’m never alone in the car, or anywhere else! Oh wait, I used to download stuff onto my mp3 for when I run…I should do that again…
LN, get another one, FAST! You can get them pretty cheap now, a basic one will do, GO!
Kara, here’s how I look at it: “for everything there is a season” – when our oldest was our only, we were able to be involved in everything at church. It was fun to feel like we were making a difference for God and His people. But as much as I love being a Mom most of the time, often it doesn’t bring a lot of “job satisfaction”, especially for me lately with my teen who gripes a lot, our toddler who is at that demanding, “I want it NOW” stage, and our 2 school-aged kids in between who we’re always helping with homework, or repeating ourselves over and over for them to make their lunches, etc., etc., you get the picture. But yet this is the “time and season” for this stage of our lives. When we can do more again, we will. Saying yes to a bunch of stuff at church, school, or wherever, only makes me more overwhelmed than I already am at times, and that’s not how I want to be for my husband or kids. I can only do what I can do!
If you have anymore specific questions about that, let me know. I can ramble on and on about practically anything. 🙂
Kara says
Kelly, I would be interested to hear more about how you see your vocation and giving of your time and talent to God right now in your life. As a Catholic, I would love to be more involved in my parish but feel that since God has called me to be a wife and mom, those are my priorities before my parish community. But I still struggle in feeling I’m not active in more ministry specific activities. I’d love to hear your thoughts as well!
Ann Marie says
Eleanor –
Good tip! I use my iPhone as an mp3 player. I LOVE listening to books and podcasts! It really helps me get reading in when I’m cooking, doing dishes, driving, working out, etc.
Ann Marie
Ann Marie says
Neat post, Kel!
I will quickly share with you my secret for getting it all done:
My secret: I don’t.
🙂 😛
I do what I can, and I let a lot of stuff slide.
1. I buy my milk in bulk. I go every 3 weeks to pick it up and store all the milk, cheese and butter in the fridge. I am getting a second freezer so I will only have to go every 6 weeks.
2. I am going to start buying all my meat in bulk and store in the freezer.
3. I have lots of easy meal ideas I do that don’t take much effort — hummus with bread and a salad, rice pasta and meat sauce, etc.
3. My favorite productivity tool is made for a MAC 🙂 It’s called OmniFocus.
https://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omnifocus/
It’s a very visual way to organize your tasks based on Dave Allen’s GTD (Getting Things Done) system: https://www.davidco.com/
There is an iPhone app for OmniFocus I think — I just haven’t downloaded it yet. But I do schedule tasks in my calendar and sync them with my phone.
4. I don’t have a husband who has time to help like you do (he works as much as I do — usually 12+ hours per day, weekends too), nor do I know any of my neighbors very well. We don’t have that network built yet.
So we have a housekeeper who comes twice a week and a gardener who comes once a week. We can’t live without them. Katie also goes to daycare. This is working for us now — although when my work slows down some I hope to be able to have her home a couple days a week.
But for now we need all this help — we work too much. But we are grateful to have work and be so busy in this down economy. (And I don’t really like doing laundry anyway. 😉 )
Ann Marie
Local Nourishment says
I miss my palm!! Oh, man, my life was so much easier and better organized with it! When it died (from exhaustion, hubby claims) I resorted to a three-ring binder system, but I don’t keep that up nearly enough to be helpful.
Local Nourishment
Stacey says
“To say no is to protect what you’ve said yes to.”
That is some very timely advice for me, and I thank you for it. I’m going to remember that quote in the future — I’m not very good at saying no, and subsequently I’m not the only one who suffers for it.
Stacey
Jendeis says
Thank you so much for this. I’ve been feeling overwhelmed lately and it helps to hear the “Baby Steps” message. 🙂
Jendeis
Eleanor K. Sommer says
Yes, I do go by Ellie. I’d like to mention something about finding time to read. I love to read, and I found that as life has gotten more complicated and full with the property and “semi-homestead” lifestyle, that I have less time for reading as well. I finally bought a small MP3 player (an inexpensive Sansa from Radio Shack) and have discovered Audible. I can exercise the crazy yellow Lab and myself and listen to a book. I can do my part of the house chores, rake leaves, or plant seedlings, all while enjoying a book of fiction or even nonfiction like Romantic Poets or Einstein’s Theory of Relativity (although that one took a bit more concentration!). I also use CDs from The Teaching Company. You choose course that is divided up into 30 minute lectures. You can listen to easily while running errands and some of those courses area available for download on MP3 players as well. And the Teaching Company CDs are often available at public libraries for FREE!
Eleanor K. Sommer
Kelly says
Jill, I’ll have to check that out!
Eleanor (do you go by Ellie as I saw on your site?), you know what I dream about? An “Alice” like on the Brady Bunch! When things are crazy nutty at my house, I’d yell, “Aaaaaliiiiiice!” and she’ll come running to help me with everything!
Shannon, I feel very blessed that I’ve been able to be home, but I know some Mom’s really, truly, just can’t do it, as much as they might want to. My solution worked great for me: opening a home day care. I think more should consider that if at all possible, it enabled me to stay home with my own kids, and also provide them with fun little playmates, too!
Jill says
If you’re interested in a fast and easy (and fun!) way to add at least *some* dusting back to your list – try an ostrich-feather duster! I can dust my whole house in about 15 minutes, which I usually do while on the phone, because it’s quiet. You can buy a very good quality one on the flylady.net website – if you can only buy one, buy the larger one!
Blessings – J
Eleanor K. Sommer says
Thanks for the great tips for “getting it all done”! And I don’t even have children! But the full-time job, sometimes at home, but sometimes in the office as well, does make it “tricky,” as you said.
Space is also an issue. Countertop space, space to keep the fermenting foods and all the pots, pans, cooler, etc. for making the good foods.
I like the idea of shared errands, especially to get the best nourishing foods. The problem for me is the friends I have who enjoy and want to follow nourishing traditions are spread out geographically around this part of Florida, so coordinating our efforts in an efficient way will take a little more thought and planning.
While I may not share the same religious inclination, I do believe that a homemaker, regardless of whether it is the man or woman in the relationship, is imperative. Running a household is no different than running a company. It takes management skills and being on-site — so important when children are involved. My husband and I would love to have our own “nanny” and come home to good meals and a clean house!
Eleanor K. Sommer
Shannon says
I think that #3 of your “what you do” list is crucial. I believe that much of the problems with the way our society eat stem from mothers not staying home to care for their families. There is a reason God told us to be “keepers at home.”
Shannon