Time Savers
 

What we need instead of a 28-hour day is a live-in maid and a nap... but we're not likely to get either. Let's use this thread to help each other save a little time here and there.

Bullet points, please - they're easier to read.

What I do:

- Pin my socks together - no more matching, no more laundry orphans
- Make a big pot if oatmeal on Sunday and portion it out into containers for breakfasts for the rest of the week.
- Pack leftovers directly into lunch-sized containers
- Shop bulk when I can
- Put my foot down on how many times I'll run a certain errand per week/month
- Keep my pump parts in the fridge at work during the day. I have two sets, so I only have to wash parts every second day
- Take my mail with me to work and sort it when I have a few seconds. Important stuff goes home in my lunchbox. Everything else goes in the shred bin or recycle bin there

-Two words: crock pot

My other things are already listed. :)

Also: pressure cooker

Re: Time Savers
 

I try to keep a couple of meals "ready to go" in the pantry or freezer... for nights when we don't think ahead - example: I always have a pound of frozen hamburg meat to throw with some sauce and noodles... or keep frozen ravioli's and sauce with a bag of frozen veggies.

I make a big batch of something breakfasty on the weekends and freeze it... sometimes it'll be banana bread, or another quick bread. Sometimes granola bars or something....

I get our mail on the way home and sort it before I get out of the car... the important stuff goes inside, the junk goes to the trash bag (which we burn - no need to shred).

Socks - I try to buy all the same for each person... so it's easy to match up. I have some magnetic clips on the wall by the washing machine that when something comes out of the dryer without a match, it just gets pinned up there to wait for the other one to show up.

Re: Time Savers
 

nice list - thank you for the ideas!

Here are some of mine:
- weekly meal planning, so you only have to shop once (or worst case twice if not everything is available in the same store)
- fill up with gas on the weekends
- I bought pyrex tupperware and spoon out the oatmeal into serving-size boxes, so I just microwave the individual serving in the morning
- clean when you can, even if it's just a spot. I'm notorious for cleaning one sink, or one toilet because I have an extra couple of minutes.

Oh, I almost forgot. I'm a clean freak, and it about kills me that I hardly have time for cleaning. So, I do one cleaning thing per day to get it all gone. This is way less cleaning than I'd actually like to do, but I'm learning to just deal with they. 15-20 min is all it takes (except vacuum/mop day sometimes takes longer). Here's my schedule:

Monday- floors (vac/mop)
Tuesday- upstairs bath
Wednesday- kitchen
Thursday- downstairs bath
Friday- day of rest :)
Saturday- dust/organize
Sunday- rest, and/or catch up on things I missed during the week

Things get picked up/put away as we go each day to keep clutter and mess under control.

If I miss a day, I just don't worry about it til the next week (read: I internally freak out but realize I can't help it til the next week).

I do one load of laundry every day as I prep dinner (usually), just to stay on top of it. Every other day that load is diapers.

Re: Time Savers
 

Hmmm, I don't do enough, but here are a few things.

-Have kids help more around the house. (Mine are 6 & 9)

-Have low prep meals ready for busy nights.

-Toss laundry in wash before work so I can dry when I get home.

Re: Time Savers
 

Mine that hasn't already been mentioned is a roomba vacuum! It's awesome. Set it before I leave, and come home to it charged and ready to do a second room in the evening.

*Roomba Vacuum

Re: Time Savers
 

When I do cook (only 3-4x a week), I cook in big batches and freeze for future meals and lunches.

Peeling garlic and chopping takes up too much of my cooking time. I buy it diced from Costco and pureed from Trader Joes, with no preservatives.

Before going to work, I put laundry in the washing machine on a time delay so that it finishes just as I get home. I don't like wet laundry mildewing in the washer all day.

Re: Time Savers
 

- I use a silver paint pen to label power cables with the little black boxes for plugs so that I don't have to spend time trying to figure out what goes with what.