chores

Hello and happy Wednesday!

Well, January is chugging right along.

It’s already the second Wednesday of the month, so I’m linking up with Shay and Erika for the first Let’s Look of 2026.

The first topic of the year is …things we outsource without regret.

Groceries:

I immediately thought about how helpful it is that I do grocery pick up and delivery.

The number one thing I outsource is groceries. I’ve done grocery pick up for probably twelve years now, and I can’t even remember what it’s like to be at the store for hours. Of course, it still takes me time to meal plan, make a list, and order, but it’s so nice pulling up and having my order placed in my car. Trav or myself still end up going to Kroger at some point in the week for a few things, so oftentimes, that’s when I pick up produce that I’m picky about or anything we’ve forgotten. I find that now I enjoy shopping a bit more when I do have to go into the store. I also enjoy shopping other stores like Trader Joe’s and Aldi because I don’t really have a list or a plan when I go there.

Also, I’m now going on my second year subscription of Kroger delivery, and it’s been so helpful. I typically use it two to three times a month if I need to have a few things to start the week or make Sunday dinner. Other times, I schedule a mid-week delivery to get us to the weekend.

House cleaning:

Another thing we outsource is having the house cleaned. We have someone clean the house every other week which is such a treat. While it does take some effort to pick up to prep the house to be cleaned, there’s no better feeling than coming home to a clean house.

Yard work:

We used to have someone mow the grass, but now we have Hayden. haha!

Homer:

Trav (& sometimes the rest of us) walk him, but if he needs a bath and a trim, we take him to a groomer.

Teens:

I’m currently outsourcing my teen drivers to run a few errands for me, including Kroger and Target pick ups. Hadley is really good at this, and Hayden has been helpful going to pick up food we’ve ordered for lunch or dinner.

School work…mostly math:

Speaking of teens, we’re thankful to have a few hands on deck to help with math if/when needed. It’s the one subject I literally haven’t been able to help the kids with since 4th grade…& Trav knows when to step away too. Haha

Christmas cards:

One thing I don’t outsource but think of doing every year is when I order Christmas cards, it would be nice if they could be addressed and sent straight from the source. It just seems like an added expense that I don’t feel like paying in the already expensive month of December. If you have any tips/tricks for cutting down on the time it takes to address envelopes, please let me know!

Well, today is my birthday, and I’m off to school to spend it with a hundred teens! haha

I know it will be a great day.

Hello and happy Monday!

Well, our three week break (two planned, one thanks to Mother Nature!) apparently continues. Due to many neighborhood roads not being plowed and other conditions, school has been called off again. This time, we are having an NTI day which means students will have assignments online.

It’s already the second Monday of the month, so I’m co-hosting the first Share Our Lives link up of 2025 with some of my favorite bloggers.

We’re starting the year off fresh talking about..saving time on chores.

Well, let me tell you ….it’s not asking your teens to help! haha

Cleaning and picking up are ongoing chores in our house. I have to admit that Trav is the cleaner, and I’m the tidier. Cleaning has never been my skill set, but the one chore, if I had to do it, would be dusting. I don’t mind doing that.

We are blessed to have a wonderful house cleaner who comes twice a month, so honestly, we don’t do a lot of cleaning in between. We do have Homer hair to keep up with, and Trav loves to use the Swiffer for that.

I always go to bed with a tidy house. I’ve always done that, but that especially became a priority when the kids were little. They had lots of toys in our living room and of course would get them out as soon as they got up. I still always put the toys in the corner, in baskets, etc. just to have a fresh start to the morning.

I typically do laundry only on the weekend, and we don’t do many loads. Travis takes care of himself. Hayden usually has the most clothes to wash due to his running. I tend to not have as much, and I usually toss my things in with Hadley’s dirty clothes. When the clothes are finished, I take them out of the basket and lay them flat/in piles on the kids’ beds and they put them away. I’ve been doing the kids’ laundry separately for years…even when they didn’t have as much. I still have to to lay the clothes out for them to put away, but I don’t have to sort them between family members.

I make sure the bathrooms have cleaning supplies to “clean as we go” for daily needs. I’d like the think the kids would wipe our their bathroom sink if there’s too much toothpaste if I leave a tub of Clorox wipes under their sink!

On Sundays, we “reset.” I let the kids have clothes on their floor, for example, but on Sunday, their rooms get picked up. Papers get thrown away, desks get tidied up, Chromebooks get charged for school and so on.

In the summer, a big chore is mowing the lawn. For years, we had a service mow, but for the past couple of summers, Trav and Hayden have split the duties. I’m in charge of watering the flowers in the spring and summer. Hadley helps with that as well.

I usually unload the dishwasher just out of convenience. I’m often in the kitchen getting ready to cook dinner and will unload our dishwasher. Of course, Trav does that too and the kids help occasionally.

Not chores, but we shared cleaning hacks in a Not Just a Mom post in 2023.

I’d love to have any ideas you have for saving time on chores.

Next month, our topic is tips for falling asleep. I have quite the formula for sleep…but I will save those thoughts for next month.