Sometimes it’s hard to remember that fitting in a little time for ourselves is just as important as everything else we do. We need the time to re-charge. Here are a few of the best tips out there that will help you save time, and hopefully reward you with a little more time for yourself.
5 Tips for Saving Time at HOME
Turn your hangers backward! As you wear the clothes, turn them around the right way. At the end of the season, it will be obvious what needs to be donated.
Keep a pair of scissors in every room of the house so you won’t have to walk to the kitchen every time you need them.
Dedicate one drawer or cabinet to packing lunches. Put storage bags, snacks, juice boxes and lunch bags all in one place. It will keep lunch items from getting eaten and it will make packing lunches a snap!
Keep your sponges clean and germ-free by putting them in the dishwasher every time you run it.
Keep an ongoing shopping list. Use dry erase boards on the fridge and an upstairs bathroom to write things down as you run out. This will save time and money by making your shopping trips more efficient and help you save money by not buying duplicates.
5 Tips for Saving Time in the KITCHEN
Set the breakfast table the night before! When you’re cleaning up the dinner dishes, go ahead and set out everything you need for breakfast. You’ll be surprised how much time it will save you in the morning.
Chop all your vegetables for the entire week’s meals at one time and store them in storage bags. It will save time during the weekly cooking.
Choose meals that can be used more than once. For example, baked chicken can be used on another night in quesadillas or chicken salad. Leftover pork tenderloin makes great sandwiches. Even beans can go in salads and soups.
Simmer and Prep. Cooking is one of the chores that allows for safe multi-tasking. While dinner is cooking, pack lunches for tomorrow, unload the dishwasher or check homework. And cleaning as you go will speed up the after-dinner routine too.
Keep your sponges smelling good and germ-free by dampening them and put them in the microwave for 2 minutes to kill bacteria, germs and odors.
5 Tips for Saving Time with KIDS
Schedule all doctor appointments first thing in the morning. Doctors get behind schedule as the day goes on. Going in the morning, you won’t waste any time in the waiting room.
Use time spent in the carpool lane or picking up your kids to clean out your car, write birthday and thank you cards and plan your menu for the week. Keep these supplies in a basket in your car so you’ll be prepared. It’s also a great time to dust off the dashboard with baby wipes.
When you find a great toy on sale, buy several and keep them on hand for your child to give to friends as birthday gifts throughout the year.
Don’t rely on your memory. Keep one datebook and write everything in it – the kids’ homework deadlines and long-term assignments, passwords, bill due dates, weekly menu plans, and everything else you have to remember. It also elicits a sense of accomplishment as you cross things off your list.
Run all your errands for the week on the same day. Work from a list and plan ahead so you won’t have to run errands daily.This practice is a huge saver of time, money and sanity.
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Stephanie Triplett is the author of The Must-Have Mom Manual (Random House 2009). Ingenuity™ products are all designed with a focus on making mom and dad’s day easier. If you appreciate clever features that make a helpful, significant difference in your day – Ingenuity is the answer. To learn more, visit ingenuitybaby.com.
The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog contributor’s. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Writers may have conflicts of interest, and their opinions are their own.