8 Things to Know to Save Time Every Day

Guest Post- Angie Generose

The guest post this week is from Angie who has a cute blog called Easy Living Mom that you should check out.  I love being efficient and this is what this post is about.  Sharing other tips with Mom's is a great way for life to stay smooth.  I hope you learn a tip or two like I did.  

It’s my ultimate goal in life to find the easiest method for every day-to-day task. As parents, we are hard-pressed for time. We'd rather spend time with our kids than making sure the house is always perfect. Here are some of my favorite tips that have saved me hours of time over the years. I hope they’re helpful for you! Please leave a comment to let me know about your best time-saving trick. Cleaning: Keep the bare essential cleaning supplies in each room so you can squeeze in quick cleanings. I keep glass cleaner, bathroom cleaner, and paper towels in a bathroom cabinet, so I can quickly clean the sink or bathroom floor while my kids are in the bathtub. I also keep a DustBuster on each floor so I can quickly take care of the sides and corners of my carpeted hallway.

1.  Traveling: 

Check in online the night before your flight on your airline’s website. If you can, only take carry-ons. Pack all of your hygiene items in the front of your suitcase (be sure to put anything that might spill in a freezer bag!) so that you can easily take them out and put them in a bathroom at your destination. If you travel frequently, keep items such as an extra phone charger and an extra toothbrush in your suitcase.   Get a picture print: If you just need a few prints and are short on time, you can use the Walgreens app or website. Just upload your picture, enter your location, and it will be ready to be picked up within an hour. This is also a great alternative to mailing pictures to loved ones who live faraway – just enter the Walgreens location that is closest to them, and tell them that they’re waiting there.   To ship a package: First you need to wrap the package so it’s ready to send. Then go to www.fedex.com. You can pay for the shipping, create and print a shipping label, and schedule a pick up at your house. Tape the label on your wrapped package and leave it out to be picked up. No more waiting in long lines at the postoffice!    

2. Meal Planning: 

Keep all of your recipes in one place, separated by categories. I like to keep my recipes on index cards and keep them in an index file so that you can separate them by type. These resources save a lot of time when you meal plan, which then saves a lot of time when you go grocery shopping. You can also easily go through the file or binder and choose four or five meals for the week. Or, you can designate a type of meal each night. For instance, Monday is always slow cooker night, and Tuesday is always breakfast for dinner.   

3. Groceries: 

Plan your complete grocery list before you go (see Meal Planning, above!). Then organize your grocery list by aisle so you are not wandering back and forth all over the store. Stock up on non-perishable items to shorten your grocery trips. Consider a grocery-delivery service – they are less expensive than you may think, and many people actually end up saving money because this eliminates impulse purchases. You can also hire a college student to do your grocery shopping, which will save you time, and help someone pay the bills! Also, purchase non-perishable items, such as paper towels and laundry detergent, in bulk so that you don’t have to buy them frequently and your grocery list will be shorter.   

4. Morning Preparation: 

Do as much as you possibly can in the morning, even down to filling the blender with the ingredients for your morning shake, or setting out the cereal. You can even do your hair the night before by sleeping in a bun or braids so that you wake up to curly hair. Put everything that you will need for the day into your car. My three year-old eats yogurt for breakfast every morning, so each night, I put it in Tupperware on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. She is able to get it out herself and bring it to her table, so that I can get the baby ready.   

5. Packing Lunches for Yourself and Spouse:

If you can, keep non-perishable items and snacks at work. This will decrease the amount that you will need to prepare each day.   

6. Cleaning the car: 

Keep a car trash can in your car and dump it out regularly. Use rubber floor mats so you can easily clean them off. Keep upholstery cleaner in your car so you can do a quick cleaning while you’re filling your gas tank. Keep “kid kits”in the car so that you don’t have to bring items with you every time you leave the house. My “kid kits” are just small boxes, one for each child, that have a few toys and activities. They come in handy at restaurants or doctor’s appointments. Rent a movie: With the Redbox app, you can reserve a movie and pick it up at a nearby Redbox location. Not only does this save time, it ensures your movie will be there.   

7. Peel garlic: 

Put the open ends of two large metal bowls together (so it creates a sphere), with a garlic bulb inside. Shake it as hard as you can, and the garlic will peel itself. Just be sure to do it outside because the peeling tends to fly out and make a mess.   Remove wrinkles: If you have badly-wrinkled clothing, and wrinkle release spray just won’t do the trick, toss it in the dryer on high for 5 minutes with a damp towel. It’s easier and faster than ironing.   

8.  Laundry: 

Keep hangers in your laundry room so that you can put clothes directly on them after taking them out of the dryer (I can’t believe how many people fold clothes, only to unfold them and hang them up!). When folding clothes, keep piles by where they will be put away. For instance, put short sleeve t-shirts in one pile, and long sleeve t-shirts in another pile. This will save you a lot of time when putting them away. 

 Hello, Charlie the Cavalier readers! I am honored to be guest posting on Charlie the Cavalier today because it’s one of my favorite sites. My name is Angie and I write at the Easy Living Mom website. I write about a little bit of everything: organization, home management, health, recipes, crafts, and much more. Most of my articles provide ideas about making life easier and simpler – this is my expertise. Please pop on over or follow me on Facebook or on Pinterest. I love getting to know new readers! When I’m not working on my site I’m spending time with my hubby and kiddos, traveling, or doing water sports. Thanks for taking the time to read my post!

About Lisa Rusczyk
Lisa is the creator of the blog Charlie-The-Cavalier and His Friends, Family, and Home.  She is also the author of 50 Things to Know Before Having a Baby..  Send Lisa Rusczyk and email at lbrennec@gmail.com.