I have a husband working full time and two teenagers working full time aswell as a daughter at school. Gone are the days of monday morning and the three men are searching the house for the mysterious lost socks and where did I leave my boots saga. On sunday night

I make sure they have enough clothes ready for the working week all ironed for hubby and daughter and folded for the boys ready to go. I have a table set up in the laundry all clothes are folded and put into their own piles complete with socks and jocks for the week.

I found this so much easier than putting them in their draws. As the boys have 5 o'clock starts there is nothing worse than searching for items this time of the morning half asleep and then getting stressed out because they think they are going to be late for work as it slows them down. They have to however make sure all their clothes are put in laundry ready for me to wash. If there not then they have to wash them their selves.

When I do the grocery shopping I plan out the whole week so I know what I am going to cook for meals aswell as there work and school lunches. Sunday nights I might bake 2 chooks so if I make curried chicken with one for tea and the other chook is for lunches for 2 days for sandwhiches and then I will make chicken and pasta for the second day.

Also buy a large roast enough for a meal for tea and the leftovers get used for sandwhiches or a meal with salad for the next 2 days.

Then the last day of the week I will send to work with ham and cheese sandwhiches and they toast them at work.

I always bake a large batch of biscuits and a 2 cakes through the week and that does them for the week aswell. Sometimes I make scones or pikelets for something different.

I Always buy plenty of fruit on sunday enough for the whole working and school week. I have found if you do these things the whole week runs alot more smoothly and they are also not wasting their money on takeaway food.

An organised house is much easier then everyone getting frustrated because they can't find their clothes or the stress of what am I going to have for lunch because I don't have enough money. As my sons are both apprentices they don't earn alot and they have car payments and insurance so they usually don't have alot of money to spare and to buy a meal for lunch these days is around $8.00 and some times more and that soon adds up after a week at work.

Also would like to say I am not one of those mothers that does everything for my children they are not waited on hand and foot this is just my plan for the working week  mainly because the boys work 12 hour shifts they are up at 5.00am leave home at 5.30 am and are home at 6.30pm so it is a very tiring week. On the weekends they help out by mowing lawns, washing cars,mustering cattle,ironing their own clothes if they are going out ,the boys drive their sister to and from friends houses,get the groceries when I don't have time,cook their own meals,arrange their own baking affairs they are very capable young people who will manage very well when they leave home.