Mummy Zen

As a regular reader of Gretchen Rubin’s inspirational blog The Happiness Project, I couldn’t wait to read her book which was published at the end of last year.  It finally arrived a couple of weeks ago and I just finished reading it. It was a great read and one I think many of you would also enjoy.

The book details her year-long pursuit of seeking to increase her personal sense of happiness through focusing on different areas of her life and following a set of resolutions.  She read a lot on the philosophy of happiness and her resolutions involved a variety of techniques based on what she felt might be worth trying. It’s a very engaging read and the strategies Gretchen employs are things that we can all try out ourselves.

These are the subject areas Gretchen chose to focus on for the project (one for each month of the year, with December as the final month to try all of them at the same time!):

• Vitality (Boosting energy)
• Marriage
• Work
• Parenthood
• Leisure
• Friendship
• Money
• Eternity
• Passion (Pursuing a passion)
• Mindfullness
• Attitude

There were many helpful and insightful resolutions in the book but I’ll highlight three in this post, each from a different subject area:

Vitality (boost energy)

Going to sleep earlier: Only the other night my husband said to me, ‘Every morning I tell myself that I will go to bed earlier, but every evening I stay up late finishing something and then in the morning I regret it!’. This is a great correlation to Gretchen’s task of going to bed as soon as she felt sleepy. Many of us mums can relate to her point that evenings are valuable to us because the children are in bed, our partner is home, we have some free time….all these things make it hard for us to go to bed. We stay up watching TV, reading, browsing the internet, sending emails and go to bed later than we intend. Yet, as her resolution proved to her, Gretchen felt the benefits of getting a full eight hours sleep at night. More sleep really does equate to more energy.

Parenthood

Acknowledge the reality of people’s feelings: This might not sound like something concerning parenting but Gretchen discovered the importance of acknowledging her children’s feelings. She realised that she frequently said things to her children like, “You can’t possibly want more Legos, you never play with the ones you have” or “You’re not hungry, you just ate”. When she instead repeated her child’s assertions back to them, it was surprisingly effective as a means to diffuse their frustration. Instead of saying “Don’t whine, you love to take a bath!”, she said, “You’re having fun playing. You don’t want to take a bath now, even though it’s time”. Gretchen wondered if they felt reassured that their thoughts had been recognised and acknowledged, instead of feeling like they were being ignored. In addition to this technique, Gretchen lists five other ways to acknowledge her children’s feelings that she tried out. In all cases, Gretchen demonstrates that responding in a caring way rather than jumping to be dismissive of something your child says works best for both parent and child.

Attitude

Give positive reviews: Gretchen’s aim here was to tone down her critical side and to show more warmth and enthusiasm towards others. Finding the positive side to a situation isn’t always easy but it makes a big difference on those around you. Gretchen gave one example of going to see a movie with her husband and when her mother-in-law asked her about it afterwards, she resisted the urge to say, “Well, not bad” and instead told her, “It was such a treat to go see a movie in the afternoon”. Being surrounded by happy, positive, cheery people usually tends to reflect back on us, making us feel the same way. We can all probably aspire to be a bit less critical in our interactions with others. Whilst it’s a lot easier to snap at someone, trying to override that inclination and saying something positive will make you and those around you feel happier.

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Have any of you read the book or plan on doing so? Are there any areas of your life that you think could benefit from a resolution or two?

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There are lots of little things associated with our children that we want to hold onto….a first babygrow, some toys, examples of their artwork. Even when they are quite little you find yourself wanting to keep things of theirs that you think they’ll appreciate seeing when they are grown adults and when they have children of their own. This can involve storing items for quite a period of time so it’s important to consider what’s really worth saving.

Over at the Small Notebook blog, mother of two, Rachel, offers some good advice on the topic of keepsakes. Rachel suggests we ask ourselves three simple questions:

How much was it loved?

How big is it?

How well will it keep?

It’s easy to form sentimental attachment to things which are not practical to keep long-term. By asking yourself these three questions you eliminate holding onto items that can become tiresome to keep because they take up a lot of space or are prone to damage.

We have all probably been asked by our parents what they should do with boxes of our own childhood keepsakes. We might not want them at the time they ask us, we might not have the storage space to take them off their hands but Rachel rightly advises tackling the boxes together to sort through and decide what you really want to keep. For those of us living far away from our parents, Rachel suggests the process can be done via email, with pictures sent and the simple question, ‘Do you want this?’. I haven’t done this yet with my parents but I can immediately think of things they have stored away that could be cleared out.

I think keepsakes are an important part of treasuring childhood memories for both parent and child. They are a touching reminder of the past and of joyful moments. They can also serve as a kind of fun historical insight for grandchildren or great-grandchildren, if a toy or object no longer exists. The key is in striking a balance between keeping a few things of significance and not letting our sentimental side get the better of us.

How do you decide what keepsakes of your children to hold onto? Are you very sentimental or quite ruthless when it comes to keeping stuff?

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“People who say they sleep like a baby usually don’t have one”.

Leo J. Burke

We’re back after a great week away. The 10 hour flight (18 hour total journey time) to the middle of Colorado went well and we were again impressed by the travel resilience of our one-year old. The return flight, as is usual when flying from the US back to the UK, was overnight and crossed a 7 hour time zone difference. My husband and I had been pretty confident that this return leg of the journey would be a breeze because our son would sleep the whole way. How wrong we were! Probably due to the fact he’d only had a 25 minute nap that day, he was overtired and we had a complete melt-down, something we’ve never experienced before with our generally chilled-out little guy. Anyway, we all survived but were exhausted and sleep-starved by the time we were back home mid-morning. We all had a good two-hour nap after lunch and then that night we had the luxury of a 12-hour night’s sleep (just over 14 hours for our son)! That was the best night’s sleep I have had in a long time and did us all the world of good.

It made me think back to those first couple of months of motherhood when a regular night’s sleep isn’t even an option. No matter how tired you are, there’s just never that opportunity to have an extra-long sleep to catch up. Even napping when they nap, as everyone righty advises, doesn’t help that much and is more difficult than it sounds.

Chris Lopez, dad to four girls, writes a blog for busy dads to help them keep a healthy active lifestyle. He wrote a post towards the end of last year, listing his tips for managing your energy levels during the tough time of sleepless nights. Whilst his site is aimed at dads, his tips apply to anyone and I think he has some good advice for anyone struggling to keep going on little sleep. His six tips are as follows:

1. Stay on Schedule (even though every ounce of your being is telling you not to)
2. Drink lots of water
3. The 20-minute nap
4. Avoid sugary foods
5. Caffeine management
6. Get outside

I have to agree with all of these but especially drinking lots of water and getting outside. Keeping hydrated is really important when your body’s deprived of something (sleep in this case). Going out for some fresh air is something I feel like I’m always going on about but it simply makes you feel much better, both physically and mentally.

For any new mums or mums to children who still have sleep issues, these are helpful suggestions to hold you over until the stage when you can go back to enjoying a full uninterrupted night’s sleep. It feels like you’ll never get back to that stage but you will! I don’t think you ever appreciate sleep as much as when you are a parent, it’s a real luxury to me these days!

Do you have any other tips to add for surviving on very little sleep?

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Having a baby can be expensive. Some sources estimate the cost to be between £3,000 and £4,000 during the first year. In addition, having a baby often raises your awareness about ‘green issues’. Suddenly you realise you need to keep the planet safe and healthy for your precious children. But what about green goods – they seem so expensive don’t they? Solar panels, hybrid cars, organic food – it all costs so much. I have some tips to help you go green AND save money! Read on for how to raise a baby the green and frugal way…..

(1) Breastfeed
Only 1-3% of women truly can’t nurse. So breastfeed your baby for as long as possible; it’s healthy, free, plus there is no landfill waste!
Money wise, using formula feed means you need to buy formula, bottles, teats and some way to sterilise your equipment. Breastfeeding costs nothing, means you don’t have to carry anything around with you, provides all the nutrients your baby needs and doesn’t produce any waste!

(2) Nappies
The cost of using disposable nappies for 2 1/2 years is around £800 to £1000
According to Plush pants , using washable nappies rather than disposables can save you money, even taking into account the cost of using your washing machine and tumble drier. The savings will increase if you have another child and reuse the same nappies!
In addition, disposable nappies take hundreds of years to decompose. Put another way, if King Henry VIII had worn disposables, they would still be in a landfill now.
To avoid making a costly mistake, take advise from the Nappy Lady – you’ll find exactly the right nappies for you and your baby

(3) Weaning
Give your baby the best start in life by making your own food. You don’t need shop bought baby food which is expensive and creates waste, just blend a little of the food you are eating yourself. This means your baby can really take part in family meals and enjoy a wide range of foods, tastes and textures.
If you’re pushed for time, store puréed baby food in ice cube trays in the freezer and take out the amount you need – it’s still ‘convenient’ but healthier, greener and doesn’t create packaging waste.

(4) Buy secondhand
Forget ideas of grubby babygrows from a charity shop – there are some great bargains to be found!
Try a local NCT nearly new sale for everything from toys to clothes to baby equipment.
Try Freecycle, eBay or local sales for goods. Friends will be begging you to take things off their hands and you can feel smug that you’re saving money and not using up precious resources to make new items for your baby.

(5) Green clean
Recent studies show that some of these antibacterial wipes, sprays and lotions are doing us no good at all. In fact, babies and children NEED to be exposed to a bit of dirt and some germs in order to strengthen their immune system. In addition, the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) say that some pollutants are 2 to 5 times higher inside homes than outside.
Ditch the toxic chemicals and do a little kitchen chemistry:

• Bicarbonate of soda is a brilliant all purpose cleaner – use it on sinks, taps and the bath to bring a shine and sparkle.
• Mix 50/50 white vinegar and water in a spray bottle to get rid of limescale and keep your glass and mirrors smear free.
• Add 5 drops each of pure lavender essential oil, tea tree essential oil and lemon essential oil to a full plant mister of water. This is a safe and effective antibacterial spray for using on highchairs, light switches, the toilet flush and even safe enough to spray onto your baby’s hands!

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The following is a guest post from Sherri Kruger who writes at Zen Family Habits, a blog celebrating all things family. She’s a stay at home mom of two and also writes at her personal development blog dedicated to sharing simple tips to enjoy life.

Where there are kids, there are toys. Where there are a lot of toys there is usually clutter. In fact, it wouldn’t be too bad if all we had to deal with were toys. But there is also all the stuff that comes along with back-to-school, birthday parties, holidays and other events we participate in throughout the year.

Kids clutter can get out of control if you let it. So if you’re feeling a tad overwhelmed right now relax, I’ll share with you a few ideas on how to get kids clutter under control.

1. Take stock of what you have. Pull it all out. I mean all of it. You can’t get a handle on something you don’t know the full extent of. Once all the toys, winter parkas, spring jackets etc … have been dragged out into the center of their room begin sorting. There is a number of different ways you can do this, so choose one that makes sense for you, your family and your storage abilities. For clothes you can sort by season, size, type (pants, shirts, socks) and for toys sort by recommended age, type or size.

2. Purge. One sure way to reduce clutter is to get rid of it. Take a good hard look at all the toys and clothes in front of you. If things no longer fit, are out of style, badly stained or no longer played with, it’s time to part ways. Donate or sell toys and clothes that are still in good shape. Everything else that is broken or beyond repair throw it out. Most important thing here is to get it out of your house as quickly as possible and don’t negotiate to bring it back in.

3. Choose a sub-set. Before you start planning how to organize the keepers choose a sub-set of toys for your kids to play with for the day/week/month. From my own experience kids become overwhelmed when they have so many toys to choose from. When they have fewer choices they learn to master the ones they currently have access to and they actually become more creative with them. The number of toys you choose to keep out is up to you. But once you’ve decided it’s time to put the other toys away and out of reach.

4. Organize. There are a number of organizing techniques but I always say choose the one that suits you the best. There is nothing worse than going with a system that you have to fight with. For toys, books and art supplies that will be readily accessible for your kids, consider creating a system that is kid friendly. Use baskets, tubs or bins and stick a laminated photo to the front of the bin to indicate what goes in it. If your kids are old enough to read then use a label maker to label drawers, bins or shelves.

5. Switch them out. So you’ve chosen a few toys for you kids to play with and the rest are safely out of sight. Every week or once a month rotate the toys. Put away the toys they’ve been playing with and replace them with a few from the storage bin. This works wonders in terms of get your kids interested in and excited for an old toy again.

Other ideas to consider:

• Over the door pocket organizer – not just for shoes anymore. Use it to hold dolls, papers, crayons, toy cars, small books or toiletries.
• Cubby system – each kid can have their own set of shelves or you can label each one to corral specific items.
• Art work – put an end to fridge clutter by framing your kids art work and hanging it in their room, the family room or play area. Alternatively, stick art work to their bedroom door or on a family bulletin board. Take pictures of their art work so you have a memory of it without having to hold on to the physical item.
• Get kids involved in clean up – at the end of the day take a few minutes to walk around the house and put all of their stuff away. Toys, shoes, boots, jackets, clothing etc … get your kids involved so they know what’s expected of them.

Controlling clutter is easiest when there’s little to control. Start small, focus on doing one thing at a time and just get started.

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I came across a great list of tips to encourage more cooking at home over at a blog called ‘Organizing Your Way’. Written by Mandi Ehman, mother to four girls, the tips are aimed at both those who love to cook and those for whom it’s a bit of a chore. There are six really helpful ideas for being more organised with your cooking, perfect for busy mums! I’ve chosen to highlight three from the list and have provided the link to the post below.

2. Create an idea file and a favorites list. Sometimes you just can’t think what to cook but if you’ve collated those ripped-out recipes from magazines, or stored links from online cookery sites, you can refer back to them for inspiration. Creating a physical file makes it easy to go to and search for something yummy to cook.

3. Throw in some easy options. We all have days when we either can’t be bothered to cook after a tiring day or we’ve been out and are in a hurry to throw something together. My fall-back is usually pasta with an easy-to-make sauce but things like eggs or a stir-fry are other fast but fairly healthy options. As Mandi puts it, ‘these nights are usually about survival’!

4. Keep extra meals in your freezer. ‘Whether you double a recipe or set aside a once-a-month cooking day, having meals in your freezer is a great way to have home-cooked meals more often’. This is probably my favourite point on the list and Mandi gives two do-able options for keeping food in the freezer.

If you’re looking for ideas of what to cook, I have a couple of suggestions. Use your cookbooks! How many of us have lovely cookbooks that sit on our shelves gathering dust and don’t get used enough? Take five minutes here and there to look through and reacquaint yourself with your cookbooks. Maybe you want to mark pages where you see a recipe you’d like to try out for easy referral at a later date. I also think eating seasonally helps you seek culinary inspiration. As regular readers will know, I have organic seasonal vegetables delivered each week and I find it really helps encourage me to look around for a new way to cook with a particular vegetable when I receive it several weeks in a row.

We all know home-cooked meals are best for us and our families but so often a lack of time or inspiration can result in us turning to the quick, but not usually so healthy options of ready-made convenience foods or take-aways. With a little bit of planning and thought however, we can make it easier for ourselves to cook at home and enjoy a varied diet.

You can read Mandi’s full list of tips here.

Are you a keen or reluctant cook? Are there any other tips you have to share that keep you cooking at home?

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The first month of a new year should have a sense of optimism about it but for some people, January can seem like a long hard slog of a month to get through. I have offered some tips at the end of this post to try to help you get through the rest of the month without feeling like you have the January blues.

The buzz and excitement from Christmas and New Year celebrations have died down. We’re still in the midst of winter so there’s cold weather, it gets dark in the early afternoon and going out can be more of an effort. It’s too far from the beginning of spring to be thinking of brighter, lighter days. Some of us who enjoyed a festive period surrounded by family and friends may suddenly feel lonely once everyone has gone back to their own homes or returned to work. 31 days in the month can seem a long time to those people who over-spent at Christmas and are counting down to pay day….. Now let’s start thinking about how to brighten up the dark days and lift our spirits at this time of year!

All the things that would make us feel better (exercise, fresh air, healthy food) are too often not what people turn to. You hear excuses that it’s too cold to go out and exercise, too dark for a walk, and a chocolate bar is just what we need to cheer us up. We all know of course that staying inside, feeling miserable and eating chocolate won’t lift our spirits. Here are some things to try:

1. Go out in the morning for some fresh air and to get out of the house again before it does get dark. Get well wrapped up if it’s really cold out there, pull on an anorak and wellies if it’s raining.
2. Eat warming healthy comfort food that’s tasty and filling – hearty soups & stews,  cooked fruit etc.
3. Have some fresh flowers around the house for a burst of pretty colour.
4. Wear something colourful or an item of clothing that makes you feel good (so many people in London wear black clothing, it’s nice to see a change)
5. Do some exercise or vigorous cleaning to keep you warm and get your heartbeat raised. If exercising, try to enlist a friend for company and help with motivation during the winter months.
6. Use the extra time you are spending at home to work on something you’ve been putting off, for even just 5-10 mins a day (adding photos in an album, updating your baby book….).
7. Listen to upbeat, lively music to keep you in an upbeat mood.
8. Make the most of the dark evenings and surprise your loved one with a cosy candle-lit dinner or snuggle up together under a blanket to watch a movie.
9. Enjoy your Christmas gifts. If you got some nice new books, CDs, DVDs, pampering products, set time aside in an evening to relax and enjoy them.
10. Plan fun activities. These need not be costly. Invite friends over for dinner or for a movie night, have a girly clothes-swap party, go to a late-night exhibition view at a gallery…It’s nice to have things to look forward to.

Do you ever feel a bit of the January blues? Do you have some other suggestions to add to the list above?

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This is a guest post by Jacqui Porjes, Personal Trainer, BuggyFit and Yoga Instructor.

Photo by Adria Richards

As 2010 beckons, many of us will be aiming for a healthy start to the year. One way to begin as you mean to go on is to make some fitness resolutions.

On average only about 20% of us keep our New Year’s resolutions. Unfortunately, some of the biggest failures are found in fitness resolutions. No need to let the statistics get you down though. By following the tips below you’ll be better equipped to fall into the successful 20% category.

Choose an attainable goal. Resolving to look like a model is not realistic for most of us, but promising to include daily physical activity in our lives is very possible.

Avoid choosing a resolution that you’ve been unsuccessful at achieving year after year. This will only set you up for failure, frustration and disappointment. If you are still tempted to make a promise that you’ve made before, then try altering it. For example, instead of stating that you are going to lose 30 pounds, try promising to eat healthier and increase your weekly exercise.

Create a game plan. At the beginning of January, write a comprehensive plan. All successful businesses start with a business plan that describes their mission and specifics on how they will achieve it. Write your own personal plan and you’ll be more likely to succeed as well.

Break it down and make it less intimidating. Rather than one big end goal, dissect it into smaller pieces. Set several smaller goals to achieve throughout the year that will help you to reach the ultimate goal. Then, even if you aren’t able to reach your final goal, you will have many smaller, but still significant, achievements along the way. For example, if your goal is to complete a 10K race, your smaller goals could be running a 5K in less than 30 minutes, adding upper and lower body strength training to increase your muscular endurance, and running 2 miles with a personal best completion time.

Make contingency plans: don’t assume sticking to your plan will be smooth sailing. Plan on hitting bumps along the resolution road and be prepared with specific ways to overcome them. What will keep you from skipping your workout or stop you from having a cigarette? This may mean seeking help from family or a professional, writing in a journal, etc.

Give it time: most experts agree that it takes about 21 days to create a habit and six months for it to actually become a part of your daily life.

Reward yourself with each milestone. If you’ve stuck with your resolution for 2 months, treat yourself to something special. But, be careful of your reward type. If you’ve lost 5 pounds, don’t give yourself a piece of cake as a reward. Instead, treat yourself to something non-food related, like a professional massage.

Ask friends and family members to help you. It’s good to have someone to be accountable to. Just be sure to set limits so that this doesn’t backfire and become more irritating than helpful. For example, if you resolve to be more positive ask them to gently remind you when you start talking negatively.

Don’t go it alone! Get professional assistance. Everyone needs help and sometimes a friend just isn’t enough. Sometimes you need the help of a trained professional. Don’t feel that seeking help is a way of copping out. Especially when it comes to fitness, research studies have shown that assistance from a fitness professional greatly improves people’s success rate.

Limit your number of promises. You’ll spread yourself too thin trying to make multiple changes in your life. This will just lead to failure of all of the resolutions.

Test your flexibility: realize that things change frequently. Your goals and needs may be very different in April then they were when you made your resolution in January. Embrace change, even if that means that your resolution is altered.

Keep a journal. A journal helps you recognize your positive steps and makes it harder to go back to the same old habits.

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Jacqui Porjes | 07947 568890 | Jacqui@porjes.com |www.buggyfit.co.uk

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Mummy Zen: You’ll find you can apply these same tips to many other types of new year’s resolutions, not just those related to fitness.

Do you have any other tips to share? What has worked for you in the past, enabling you to stick to your goals?

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Photo by Eriwst

We all have times when we get flustered, stressed or anxious about something. Going into panic mode only makes matters worse and what we really need to do is take a moment to calm ourselves down so we can then deal with the situation appropriately. I’ve put together a list of techniques below.

Anything from being with a crying baby who can’t seem to be consoled to dealing with a demanding boss or a stressful social occasion can result in us feeling overwhelmed. By calming ourselves down we can feel a bit more in control of what’s going on and act accordingly. If you are calm, those around you will tend to also be calm and that can only be a good thing. Next time you are tearing your hair out, try a couple of these techniques and hopefully you will feel the benefit:

Take some deep breaths (count in for 4 and out for 4). Even better if you can close your eyes whilst doing so.

Actively relax your body. Try scrunching your shoulders up towards your ears, hold for a couple of seconds and then drop them purposefully. Head rolls and stretching exercises can also help.

Have a hug from a loved one or friend.

Get some fresh air. Always a good way to clear your head. A brisk walk around the block or even in your garden if you have one can work wonders. You can take a screaming baby or toddler along and it might just help them calm down too!

Do something else (if possible). Anything to distract you from what’s making you tense and anxious. Clean something, call a friend…

Walk away from the situation for a couple of minutes (if possible). If you’re dealing with a toddler tantrum in the middle of a supermarket, this isn’t really an option but if you’re having an disagreement at home, go into another room for a breather.

What techniques do you use to calm yourself down in a stressful or difficult situation?

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This is a guest post by Caroline Harris, author of ‘Ms Harris’s Book of Green Household Management: The Essential Thrift Bible’. I asked Caroline to share her story about how she came to write the book, and for some of her top tips.

It’s all down to my son, really. I decided to try and be greener as I contemplated what state the planet might be in when his generation inherit it, and what kind of possibly harmful cocktail might be brewing in his infant body from the 100,000 chemicals that make their way into our households. We started to buy more organic and fairtrade, we attempted the reusable nappy route, we changed to more eco-friendly cleaning brands.

But it wasn’t until one summer holiday in Cornwall that I came upon the idea for a book of green household management. We were staying at a cosily lovely holiday cottage near a family-friendly cove of beach, but beneath the sink, instead of my usual eco cleaners, was a gaggle of brightly coloured big-manufacturer potions. It started me thinking that I wished I knew how to really go back to practical, thrifty basics, and clean with the likes of baking soda and vinegar.

I began researching. The British Library, for household manuals from centuries gone by; the internet, for up-to-date advice; friends, parents, experts at green organisations. I turned our home into something of a laboratory, as I monitored our energy use, measured our greywater, composted, sowed (and sewed), tested recipes and tried out the likes of eco washing balls and soap nuts.

As I say in the book, I’m far from perfect in my greenness, and our Victorian mid-terrace is still a work in progress. But the book has taken me on a journey that I’m still exploring. From rediscovering crafts such as sewing, knitting, and making my own lip balm, to helping organise a Zero Energy Day with candle-lit story time and camp-fire cooking at my son’s school. From taking my part in local food days and workshops with our Transition Larkhall group (www.transitionlarkhall.org.uk) to the pride I feel that we are self-sufficient in jams and chutneys.

TIPS FROM MS HARRIS
Green household management is smart household management. It’s about making your home welcoming, people-friendly and environmentally friendly, saving carbon emissions and cash – and enjoying challenging ingrained old habits.

1. Last-minute Christmas presents
If you’re stuck for presents you could try some homemade ideas, such as clementine marmalade (the recipe is in the book, and pictures going up on my blog at www.ms-harris.com). Fabric circles, or brown paper tied with preloved ribbon (in other words, the stuff you saved from last year) will liven up the lids. Or how about kilner jars filled with biscuits or simple sweets, such as fruit-and-nut-strewn chocolate bark, which I’ve just made with my son for his teachers.

2. Visit your local charity shop
They’re great for raw materials, such as fabrics for sewing and teacups to hold soya candles, as well as fashion finds. I’ve discovered Susie Cooper ceramics, a Fenn Wright Manson jumper, and a number of good TopShop items. You can park the children in the toy section while you browse.

3. Easy bathroom cleaning
You might be surprised, given that I’ve written a household management book, but I like to do the minimum cleaning I can get away with. You don’t need headache-inducing bleaches for bathrooms. Spritz toilet bowls regularly with a distilled white vinegar spray, and tackle stubborn limescale with a couple of tablespoons of citric acid left overnight. A few drops of lavender oil on a damp sponge makes a fragrant wipe for the seat.

4. Put lids on pans
It’s amazing how much you can turn down the heat – though watch they don’t boil over. Try to double-use an oven, so you cook more than one thing at a time, and prepare double quantities of meals: heating up takes less energy than cooking from scratch, and will save your time too.

5. Plant a fruit tree
Apple trees are a lovely addition to the garden, and winter is the time to plant these and other fruit trees and bushes. You can buy a few raspberry canes or a blackcurrant for about the priced of a punnet of soft fruits, and they take very little looking after. You can even grow them in pots on a patio

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Mummy Zen: This is a really enjoyable book and provides a wealth of great tips covering everything from general cleaning to eating, shopping, gardening, clothing, as well as some lovely creative (and green) ideas for special occasions. Click on the book image to get your copy or order one for a friend (it would make an excellent gift). Today is Amazon’s last day to order for Christmas with their free super-saver delivery.

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