What are your best timesaving tips around the house?

**baxjul** · 10-28-2007, 02:41 PM

Mine is to get everything ready for the next day, the night before. How about you?

**Royal** · 10-28-2007, 03:10 PM

Making a weekly menu. I always know what we are going to eat that evening and I know I have all the ingredients. I make a menu every Sunday afternoon, do my groceries on Monday morning and am set for the whole week!

**anna021** · 10-28-2007, 03:13 PM

I have found that if I don't decide what I'm having for dinner in the morning, or at least before noon, and get as much prep work done as I can, my day just doesn't run as smoothly as I'd like. Whether it be filling the crockpot, mixing dough to rise, or peeling the veggies. Prep work always makes it easier in the afternoon. It also makes it less likely that I buy pre-made food for the day's meals. It might have to do with my energy level that decreases late in the afternoon(medications), where as if I have lots done, I can actually take a half hour, put my feet up, and get a second wind for finishing up the rest of my day. Works for me.

**brenda67** · 10-28-2007, 04:17 PM

Making 2 to 3 days worth of meals in 1 day..

**Marie78** · 10-28-2007, 06:39 PM

Mine are having a clean sink before bed, making sure I have lunch to take with me to work the next day, picking out an outfit for the next day and having everything together in one place (purse, keys, daily planner, bills/cards to mail etc...), I also plan the night before for dinner the next day and make sure I have everything I need to make it. I clean the bathroom a couple of times throughout the week, so that I don't have a big cleaning job on my hands. I do this with other cleaning too; I vacuum and dust most days for 15-20 minutes so that I don't have a big job on one day. I sweep daily and I keep a running grocery list on the fridge of things we are low or have run out of, if I know we have a coupon for it, I will make sure I put a C in a circle next to the item. I have a morning routine for getting ready for work and I have an evening routine for getting ready for bed. For me I find it's the little things I do that add up to saving me time in the long run.

**LexTysMommy** · 10-28-2007, 06:49 PM

For me it is a number of things. First is getting everyones clothes ready at night so there is no fighting in the morning. We also pack back packs and decide what they want for lunch. I also haev to have the house clean at night. Dishes have to be in dishwasher and laundry downstairs.

Another thing that helps is when cleaning, I pick up in one room at a time, and carry laundry basket to drop off in next room, etc etc. Once all picked up I dust, and wipe tops of things and then vacuum. It is a quick process.

Another thing I do is cook when I have time throughout the day. Somedays I have a couple hours and some days not so much. So if I have at least some food in the fridge I wont go out to eat!

**missyali** · 10-28-2007, 07:51 PM

Marie78 ~ Are you a Flybaby? I have yet to master that since having two kids. I was VERY good at it with just one. Infact, I think some things I may have cleaned too often. My son is in the tub right now & I should be cleaning the bathroom. But I try to follow Flylady, I am like itty-bitty baby stepping it these days.

**pip** · 10-28-2007, 08:59 PM

These days, it's having routines that I do at the same time every day....cat box, make lunches, quick pick up of house before bed....animal cares, unload clean dishes, make bed before breakfast...have dinner figured out day before if possible, etc. Even my shower,makeup, and get dressed have a routine. I've never been this way before, but I ike it. Much more peaceful this way.

**Marie78** · 10-29-2007, 06:43 PM

Hi Missyali, I couldn't keep up with the flybaby routine, she's too good

. I also only have two cats, which makes it easier to keep things clean throughout the week. I adopted my routines, because I was so tired of having big cleaning jobs to tackle each week. I remember I would get tired just thinking about the cleaning and I wouldn't do any because it exhausted me just to think about it.

**mikandmari** · 10-29-2007, 08:47 PM

I keep lists for everything... phone calls to make (I make on my break at work), things to buy at different stores, things to do, etc. This helps me to keep organized, which saves time.

**Libby** · 10-29-2007, 08:54 PM

My time saving tips:

* make lists! things to do, things to buy, upcoming events
* pack my lunch and snacks the night before
* pack my purse, bag etc the night before
* pick out my outfit and lay it out the night before
* put things by the door so I can just go in one fowl swoop

* when I get paid, I plan my follow 2 wks - grocery, gas, spending, etc so I KNOW what I have to spend instead of having to try to guess on the spot later
* gas up the truck while out running errands - no special trips!
* grocery shop on my way home from work
* if running errands I try to map out a simple route so there's no backtracking and I go in with a list!
* always pick up before bed - the last hour before bed I am turning all the lights off, locking the door, picking things off the coffee table and putting them back, prepping for the next day - clothes/lunch etc - then I do dishes and clear off the counter. Its great waking up to a clean kitchen

**Missy** · 10-29-2007, 08:55 PM

1. Lists
2. crockpot dinner
3. OMAC style cook-a-thons help
4. laying out dh's clothes helps too in the mornings, that way he can save that pesky waking up time for coffee consumption instead of looking for clothes.
5. combining trips as much as possible. ie..therapy and library are on the way to each other...so i take books to return with me so i can drop em off on my way to or from.

**SweetPea** · 10-30-2007, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by Royal

Making a weekly menu. I always know what we are going to eat that evening and I know I have all the ingredients. I make a menu every Sunday afternoon, do my groceries on Monday morning and am set for the whole week!

I've just stared doing this the past two weeks, and I can't believe how much the stress level has gone down. After dinner every night, I look at my menu for the next day, and will get meat from the freezer, check ingredients, etc.

I use to never know what was for dinner until time to start cooking, which led to lots of repeats or take out. This is a great time saver and money saver!

**Ceashels** · 10-30-2007, 09:37 AM

I try to keep a one week menu plan and prep the veggies for it early in the week. This way I am only peeling and chopping onions, celery, carrot, etc. once. I try to prep as much as I can and have even premeasured dry ingredients and put in a covered bowl for a recipe that I won't make for another 2-3 days. This has been a great time saver when company is coming.

The crockpot gets used a lot to make extra meals and I freeze the "spare" quart of soup for a quick dinner on my busy days. I have been using my 2 qt crockpot on average 2-3 times a week. This helps me a lot!

I also try to wipe off/clean the tiolets and sinks every 2-3 days. This keeps things from accummulating and cuts down on the time it takes me to "do the whole" bathroom.

My spouse and I also do a walk thru every night before heading upstairs to make sure there are no stray glasses or items left out that shouldn't be. This means the dog toys get put in the basket as well (they know where to find them).

**Neeley** · 10-30-2007, 10:31 AM

1)Assigning chores to each person in the house. Everyone helps out equally.
a)DD - dishes/dishwasher, animal care, pool maintenance
b)DS - trash and recycle take-out, animal care, yard work
c)DH - all laundry, bathroom cleaning, oversee pool maintenance and yard work
*Everyone is resposible for ironing his/her own clothes, keeping clean his/her bedroom and general daily cleaning.

2) A calendar on the fridge with the times of all appointments, ball practices (which are pretty much a daily occurance), volunteer commitments etc....

3) Keeping an ongoing grocery list of what everyone wants or needs from week to week.

4)Making sure everyone is happy and making the most of life. A happy family works great together and can accomplish so much more as a team. Sounds cheesey, but it is so true for us.