With the busiest season of the Jewish year upon us, how can we balance all of our responsibilities while still nurturing our homes, our children, our husbands, and our spirituality?
Putting the Tension Down on Paper
Yael Wiesner, home management consultant and author of “How Does SHE Manage?” (Feldheim Publishers):
The morning after Purim, I like to make myself a detailed schedule for the next month that includes cleaning, shopping, and meal planning. This puts all the tension on the paper and gets it out of my head. Even though I probably won’t end up sticking to my schedule (do we ever?), I have what to work with. It also prevents that feeling of Hmm, what should I do today? If I see I can’t do it all, I know I either need to cut back or get help.
In the weeks after Purim, I start the jobs that don’t interfere with day-to-day living. I’ll separate the chometz in the pantry from the non-chometz; defrost my freezer; take my kids shopping for Yom Tov clothing; and clean a few of the easily washed toys, like Clics, putting them away so they’ll be fresh for Pesach.
I’ll start cleaning the bedrooms, the upper kitchen cabinets, and the bathrooms, but nothing that interferes with my family’s normal functioning. To clear up time for Pesach cleaning, I’ll hire a babysitter in the afternoons, or I’ll eliminate fancy dinners and company for Shabbos. Also, when I cook for Shabbos, I cook double and put half in the freezer for the week before I turn over my kitchen.
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