I read your lament with interest. It is an ongoing problem for all of us. I had the added stress of continual relocation in those early years. In a matter of 3 years and 3 weeks I gave birth to 3 children in 3 different continents (Budapest, Nairobi and Sydney). Go figure! Work life went out the window but that wasn't the answer. Not now when I look back at it. What I didn't do was delegate enough of the mundane stuff because I felt that, as a stay at home mum, I should be able to do all this. Well I did, and did it well, but I suffered and was exhausted. And the marriage didn't last as we were no longer on equal footing -so I am all for professional working motherhood. You just have to be really organised...
It could be useful to get a Professional Organiser to review your work/home flow and systems to see what could be improved or even cut out. How did you process the outgrown baby clothes? Pregnancy clothes? 'Used to fit into this' clothes... How are you handling the paperwork - once, twice, not at all? Is the home filing system suitable for the growing home office or are the bank statements stacked beside swimming lesson timetable and work expenses? Where do all the kids Picasso's go so that in 10 years you will have a memory box that is full of joy, not nursery newsletters? Have you inherited stuff that is still in boxes? How many of your boxes are still lying around unopened since the last move?? Nagging stuff that we think we can ignore but it runs a constant negative dialogue in our heads all day, every day. If you are thinking " I should..." then do it. Or get help.
Too much of everything is simply overwhelming. Simplifying and streamlining your new lifestyle is the key. You'd be amazed how much better you feel when the backlog gets sorted and the current stuff streamlined. Getting a Professional Organiser on board is like getting a Personal Trainer - you will meet your goals, take the weight off your mind, in ridiculously fast time and with far less stress. That could make huge difference to your enjoyment of these busy years.
These days I am a very busy PO and member of the Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers UK - yes there is one!
http://www.apdo-uk.co.uk Have a look at their website for a PO in your area - I am based in South West London.
) things slide. One thing that made a vast difference to us once I had my second child was hiring an amazing nanny who kept the home fires burning when I wasn't around- my hours aren't compatible with a nursery so that wasn't an option for us. I appreciate that financially, not everyone has the luxury of opting for a nanny over a nursery though.
