Leaving the Dirty Dishes Out...

So I'm a stay-at-home parent taking care of two kids under five. It's tough keeping up with everything sometimes. Yesterday was one of those days where it all just piled up, grocery shopping, bath time, play dates, and by dinnertime, I felt like I could barely breathe, let alone do dishes. So here we are, the kitchen looks like a scene from a disaster movie and there's food sitting out on every counter... Is this normal for anyone else? How do you handle these days where everything just piles up to this point? Should I try setting an alarm or something as a reminder when things get hectic? Any advice would be appreciated...