Sometimes I feel like my life is complete chaos. I’m constantly looking for ways to better organize my workplace, my household and my mind so I can be more efficient and get more done. I’ve found many things that work and bring a lot of peace to my daily routine, and I want to share them with you to pass on the peace.
- Get Organized – Reduce as much clutter in your home as possible. It’s easier (and less stressful) accomplishing tasks when everything has its own place and you can grab, pack, and get things done without having to search or organize as you go.
- Lists, lists, lists! Maintain a central list or two of tasks, along with their priorities. Whether you use paper, computer, phone or any other electronic device, it must be effortless for you to add and mark off tasks and must be accessible 24/7. You’ll be amazed at how much more efficient you can be when you have a prioritized reference list of what to do!
- Enlist Children. If you have children who are over the age of say…4, put them to work! Sock matching, loading the washer and dryer, and putting away toys are ideal for younger children. Older children can unload the dishwasher (or fave!), fold clothes, clean room, and make beds. Consider an incentive program for completing chores–gets the kids motivated!
- Double Up! When you cook dinner, cook big batches and freeze extras. There are many DELICIOUS recipes that lend themselves well to freezing and take about the same amount of time to prepare as making a single batch. Preparing a meal plan is also very helpful, since knowing what to cook is half the battle and it allows you to prep foods and freeze correct amounts for future meals.
- Set up autopay for all bills if possible – Obvious time saver here.
- Keep a gift cabinet stocked. Take advantage of sales on gifts for family members, friends, and children (for birthday parties). Also keep greeting cards, thank you cards, and gift bags handy in the same area.
- Prepare things the night before. Develop an evening routine that includes anything you can do the night before to save you time in the morning. Having your clothes laid out is an obvious “to-do”, but if you have children, be sure theirs are, as well, and that backpacks are packed, lunches made, etc.
- Consider hiring someone. If your time is worth more than you can pay someone to do the same thing. For example, if it will take you 5 hours to shampoo your carpet, it may make more sense to hire someone to do that while you spend your time working and earning more than the cost of the service. The same principal goes for lawn care, handyman services, housekeeping, or even laundry (you can find housekeepers willing to do just laundry on our website, GoNannies.com).
- Limit your own TV, social media & internet time. These things can take on a life of their own if you let them. Force yourself away after a designated amount of time (e.g., one hour) on these time-consumers.
What are your time-saving tips? Feel free to chime in!
I live by to-do lists. I have a list of tasks I want to accomplish each day, a list of things I want to get done for the week and then a list where I can jot down reminders of things that need to get done eventually, though not necessarily right away. It’s SO helpful and keeps me much more organized than I’d be on my own.
I’m with you on this one! Lists are what make my world go ’round!
My Google calendar and reminders on my phone are my two best friends when it comes to getting things done. Seriously, I don’t know how I survived prior to owning a smart phone.
I cook up a big batch of breakfast foods on Sunday that way my kids and I can just grab and go in the mornings instead of preparing meals. I also chop up all my veggies right when I get home from the store and I try to group different foods together that I know I’ll be making specific meals with. This way I can streamline my evenings and spend more time with the kids instead of in the kitchen.
Love this idea!
We live and swear by crockpot meals when it comes to saving time in the evenings during the week. There’s really nothing better than coming home to dinner that’s ready to eat and the clean up is minimal.
Having a stocked gift cabinet is a great idea! My mom does this, so I shouldn’t be surprised that you’re mentioning it, but I really should get one going of my own.
I work really hard to keep our home as clutter-free as possible. Even though I sometimes think my husband is out to get me because he can’t ever seem to remember to put things in their place, haha! But really, knowing that everything has it’s own place has made things much easier to find, grab and go.