Five steps to a great bank holiday weekend
Can you believe it’s nearly back-to-school time already? Us neither. If you’re a working mum you’ll especially be looking forward to spending the August bank holiday with the kids before it’s back to doing the school run.
With this in mind, you want to ensure you can enjoy every minute of your precious family time during the long weekend, so it’s worth doing some planning ahead of time with these five steps.
1. Keep everyone well
Make sure your household isn’t going to spend your valuable break on the sofa sniffling with a box of tissues. To keep your family happy and healthy all year round, try Swisse multivitamins to keep their energy levels up and their immune system fully functioning.
If you think your child could be poorly as a reaction to something they’ve eaten, find out how to spot a food allergy.
2. Get ahead on groceries
You don’t want to be hitting the supermarket over the bank holiday weekend. Not only will the world and his wife be there, but the stock will probably be limited too, due to the shorter working hours.
Instead, create a meal plan for the long weekend and either order online, or head to the supermarket on a weekday or night to stock up. Before you go, be sure to check out our savvy shopping tips to help save you time and money.
3. Cook in batches
Make two or three meals in advance, then put these in the freezer so you’re not spending the bank holiday weekend peeling and chopping.
Read our article on healthy meals the kids will love for inspiration.
Alternatively, if you’re up for bucking tradition and having your roast dinner on a Saturday, you can use the leftovers for Sunday and Monday with this three-in-one supper idea.
4. Save time on chores
The last thing you want to be doing on your bank holiday is cleaning – particularly as the kids will probably leave a mess for you to have to clean all over again once the week starts.
But rather than letting the house turn into a pigsty, just make sure you do the necessary chores quickly and efficiently. For example, use Fairy Premium Dishwasher Tablets so you don’t have to pre-rinse your dirty dishes and they will come out of the dishwasher sparkly clean first time.
Also, spritz your furniture with Febreze Fabric Refresher and spray the air with Febreze Air Effects to leave your house smelling clean and fresh, even if that isn’t quite the case!
For more tips on blasting through the chores, see our article on cleaning tips and tricks.
5. Stock up on activity ideas
You can fill the bulk of the time with play dates and visits to local events or attractions, but what about those moments when you’re kicking back at home and hear the dreaded words: “I’m bored.”
Instead of resorting to sticking them in front of the TV or letting them spend hours glued to the computer, write out a bunch of ideas for games and activities to do at home and in the garden if weather permits. Cut them out and put them in a bowl. Then when your kids complain of boredom, get them to pick one out, lucky-dip style.
If the sun is shining, make sure you get outside for some fresh air and family time. And be sure to use Olay SPF30 to help guard against the sun’s harmful rays. For activity inspiration, see our articles on Five old-fashioned games your kids will love and Get the kids outdoors whatever the weather.
How will you be spending your bank holiday? Let us know in the comments section below.