I recently have gone back to working part time after having Lana. I can't believe I have been off for almost 18 months now. I originally intended to take the year off however because of Covid this then got extended with schools being closed or the kids constantly having to isolate. I decided I needed to be home to home school and take care of them. But as things have began to calm down I thought it was the perfect time to go back. However it hasn't been easy, as you can imagine having to work, whilst getting the kids ready , making sure dinner is on the table and all the house chores are done is not a small task. The good news is that it is possible to have a good balance of work and home life, even if things feel a little chaotic at times. From simple hacks to getting things in place, to building regular routines, it can be done. So here are some tips that have really helped me to make the home more manageable.

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1. Plan your meals

So this is something we have been doing for a while anyway, but planning our meals before we go shopping has really helped to get things in order and also helped us to spend less when shopping. We have a schedule up on the fridge and stick to this rigidly. This means no wondering what to eat when we get home, no temptation to get take-out, it's there and written down so we get straight to it when we get home. We also have certain days when we know we will be home late therefore for these days we will plan a quick meal rather than something more complicated.

2. Prepare your meals

Carrying on from planning your meals, another great trick is preparing meals beforehand in bulk that can be frozen and defrosting when you are ready to eat. This is perfect for those days where you know you are not going to have any energy to cook. It saves so much time and stops you from picking up your phone and ordering take away food!

3. Have a big clear out

Busy family life can mean cleaning can fall down the priorities list. How do people manage to keep their homes clean and organised while juggling work and family life? I barely able to stay on track even when I wasn't woking. Therefore a cleaning routine and schedule is a necessity for helping you stay on top of things, allowing you tackle different cleaning jobs each day so that it doesn’t build up to needing one big clean on the weekend. I think weekends should be completely free of any chores as this is when you get to spend quality time as a family so if possible I try to get it all done on the weekdays. You can create your own weekly cleaning schedule to help you stay on top of things.

5. Plan in advance

I know this sounds quite general but mentally tell yourself to be organised. If you usually feel like you’re rushing around or you’re not getting things done when you need to, you might need to step the organisation up a bit. From meal planning to making sure your changing bag essentials are well stocked, you can save yourself a lot of hassle by planning in advance. A calendar can also help you stay on top of what everyone has going on that week to make sure you don’t miss any appointments or key dates.

Sundays are a great day for planning ahead, so if you can spend a couple of hours doing some meal prep or getting ahead of the week or even more, you’ll feel much more in control and ready to start the week fresh. I find planning as far in advance as possible is even better as then you don't have to set aside time each week to do so.

Family life is unpredictable, but that’s all part of the fun. But for the things you can control, there are ways you can make life a little easier. Make your home easier to manage by getting organised and creating routines that will make it easy to juggle family responsibilities. With things becoming a little more manageable, you’ll have more time to spend making memories with the family. For me this is so important as my babies are all growing so fast an I never want to feel as though I am having to prioritise house hold jobs instead of spending quality time with them. If you have any other tips I would love to hear them below!

Amina xx

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Life, in my eyes, comes in two chapters. Pre-children and post-children. So, you've waited nine months to meet this little bundle of joy and then the realisation hits you that life as you know it will never be the same. I remember that feeling well. This is one of many overwhelming emotions that comes with being a mum. Guilt is another. There are also nice emotions too. But either way, most of them will make you cry.

Expect the unexpected. Expect to feel emotions you have never felt. Expect to be a different person. Expect to be the mother you didn't think you would be. Don't expect to have time to eat, sleep or poo; or even to remember that you need to do these things. No matter how much advice someone can give you, you will never be ready for what's about to hit you. But, here I am, a little over two years later from my first experience, and I now have another! So, it can't be all that bad, can it?

The girls are asleep. Why is it that I want to hold them most when they are asleep? I suppose it is at this time I can appreciate them most, as now that I have two there is definitely not enough time in the day to reflect on my feelings. I have waited all day for a break and yet I find myself here talking about them. I am obsessed, what can I say? Don't get me wrong, sometimes (a lot of the time) I can just switch off, but occasionally all I can think about is them. I have two beautiful little girls and this feeling of not being able to switch off from them has gradually started to lessen, but once in a blue moon I have a day of thinking: Are they ok? Did they eat enough? Are they too cold? Am I a good enough mum? So annoying.

I can't remember what life was like before I had them. Well, actually I can: no responsibility, the world revolved around me, spontaneity, sleep; the list goes on. I miss the spontaneity and making last minute plans. Now everything has to be planned at least 24 hours in advance. My oldest is only two, yet it seems like a lifetime ago.

My babies have given me meaning to life. That's not to say I didn't have meaning before I had them. But, I feel as though everything has fallen into place since having them. Things seem to make sense. I understand what all those experiences, prior to having them, were for. Now the good, and all I've learnt from the bad, can be passed on. Gosh this is getting serious. How have I ended up at the meaning of life? WOW.

How has motherhood affected you? I love hearing about experiences of motherhood, so please feel free to leave a comment.

Amina xx