Contest!! Ways to Save Time

[SunshineGirl]

Since I'm not going to be home to play games tonight and we didn't have one last night, I figured I would toss a little something out there. Consider it a little token of my appreciation for you all keeping the forum going when I am not logged in. :sunshine:

Rules: Post your favorite time saving tip. It can be ANYTHING that you do to save a few minutes here and there. You must be an SR member before you post. You must only post once, and you must post it in this thread.

Prize: What better way to save time than to grab fast food? The winner will receive their choice of a $10 Wendy's Gift Card or a $10 Burger King Gift Card. The winner will be randomly chosen from all of the posts.

Contest ends Sunday night at 9pm Eastern!

[ItsmeSunnyV]

One way I save time is: Getting my kid's dressed myself. :rotfl: I finally learned my lesson, not to ask DH to get the kids dressed, why you ask? Because then I have to do it all over myself. lol I used to whine and tell him, he needed to help me with the kids so we could get things done faster. HAH! Every single time I would find myself, redoing his work. LOL :rotfl: MEN!!!!! (sorry Bryan!)

[TIAMOMMA]

Maybe not my favorite, but one I'm always glad I do (when I do!) - for lunches I go through the calender at the beginning of the month with my daughter and she tells me the days she doesn't want the school lunch. Then I place the money for either her full lunches, or just for her milk money in envelopes and I date them along with the item chosen for lunch written on the front. Then I mark the calendar for the days that I need to prepare her lunches for my quick reference.

It makes it MUCH more convenient for those hectic mornings. Also, to speed the process up even more I had a stamp made with her full name to add to the envelopes (check out Vista print for this one!).

[lorisnuts]

I dust using a sock sprayed with furniture polish. it's great for getting into all the grooves of tables and woodwork.

[LuvMyBoys]

While loading the dishwasher I sort the silverware into the baskets, all forks together, all knives, etc. It saves a few minutes when unloading it. :sunshine:

[jnorth1007]

I fold clothes and put them into piles by drawer and not person. So for the kids I have 3 piles, undergarments/socks, PJs and shorts/shirts. Then when it is time to put away clothes I can tell them to put their own clothes away and they just pick up a pile and drop it in the correct drawer. Saves me the time of putting everyones clothes away myself and also saves me the time of going back after them and resorting clothes that were sorted when they put them up.

[tink2008]

I use the once a month method for preparing our food. I do all our cooking and preparing on one day and freeze it. Then all I have to do is take it out of the freezer and cook it or warm it up. Makes it much easier.

It also saves on money becuase i buy in bulk and there is less wastage.

[sammielynn]

To save time in the mornings I have everything ready the night before. All clothes are out, shoes found, lunches ready except for things that would get gross over night, keys by the door, backbacks by the door, dishes for cereal and milk on the counter, everything. All we have to do is crawl out of bed and go on auto pilot.

[llgray16]

I've really begun to organize my shopping trips. I now have certain days that I stop at certain stores on my way home from work. It keeps me from running all over the place when I am out shopping. Not only does it save me time but it also saves me money because I'm not just shopping to waste time and I'm spending far less money on gas by just running to the store for no (really) good reason.

[bajam]

My boys love to wear button up shirts to school. I have found if I button all but the top two they can slip them over their head like a t-shirt and can button the last button on their own. Before we started this we were always late for the bus stop because one of them had their shirt buttoned wrong and had to redo it. Sometimes twice. Sometimes three times.:) We don't make any mad dashes out the door anymore because of this.

[ItsmeSunnyV]

I fold clothes and put them into piles by drawer and not person. So for the kids I have 3 piles, undergarments/socks, PJs and shorts/shirts. Then when it is time to put away clothes I can tell them to put their own clothes away and they just pick up a pile and drop it in the correct drawer. Saves me the time of putting everyones clothes away myself and also saves me the time of going back after them and resorting clothes that were sorted when they put them up.

I do this one too, Yup your right, it works and helps alot!!:)

[kimkarli]

I downloaded roboform to fill in the forms for offers. It automatically fills in all of your information- name, address, email, phone, ect... It saves a lot of typing!:)

[ligrumpygirl]

My Crockpot and my Foodsaver are my best friends when I return to work in September. I set up my dinner in the morning and put it in the crockpot. I try to make enough to have a leftover serving or two. After we eat, I put the extras in a Foodsaver bag and seal it up. Into the freezer it goes.

That way I save time cooking that night AND we can have a potluck Foodsaver meal another night with all the l-overs!


_________________

I know Tricia said 1 tip but here is another in the same thread. I put together a homework box for DD to do her homework with. It has pencils, crayons, glue, tape, scissors etc. It goes in a special place and can only be used for homework - no crafts or play. This way it is there when homework time comes and no searching for items!

[StitchandPooh'smom]

Clorox wipes! I wipe down the bathroom counters and fixtures, and it is like my kids never even went in there! :rotfl: Gets rid of toothpaste in the sink, soap on the counter, who knows what on the toilets. Great for when I know my MIL is stopping by!

[bs4free]

my best time savings tip is utlitze DVR and timeshifting of TV! Why sit down and watch tv at 8:00PM for an hour show, keep cleaning, or family activities, then start the show at 8:15 you will end the show almost right on time of 9:00pm when you skip all the commercials, and the repeted info and credits of the show....

I know shiping ads on an ad supported site not the best tip, but still saves time, and i do stop to watch a commercial if it catches my eye in FF!

[Kycha]

I have a makeup bag that is already packed with all our toiletries(makeup, shower stuff, q-tips, bandaids, etc). I can just toss it into the luggage and go. We go on vacation often enough that I don't need to worry that things will go bad. I just replenish if needed on our return.

[tghamilton]

The one thing that I do that helps me the most is lay out the children's clothing the night before and get their towels/wash cloths laid out in the morning. That way after dinner I am not running around trying to grab things and can enjoy my children a little more.

:sunshine:

[maggiec]

I do a lot of the things already mentioned. My favorite timesaving technique is paying my bills online! The house, car, and cable bills can go straight in the trash when they arrive because it is automatic.

[MdCaterer]

My son comes home from school, he has a snack and does his homework. We pack it back into his book bag and put that with his shoes by the door. No more running around in the morning looking for homework or shoes.

[sunshinecindy]

I married a man who has my coffee made in the morning, and my coffee cup is sitting there, along with my juice cup and all my daily pills and vitamins. Since hes unfortunately been home from work the past couple weeks, the coffee cup is full (even with the half and half) and juice glass is full too when I leave the bedroom.


Oopppss, i don't think I'm allowed to enter this.

Anyway, I saved time by marrying him. :rotfl:

[mum4jenn]

One of the easiest things we do to get ready in the morning is to get our clothes laid out the night before and to put all our work related or school related things by the door. I work as a school lunchroom manager and my dd attends my school so we both get up early. I get up at 5 am and she gets up about 20 minutes later. We are out the door no later than 6am. If we have our clothes and items ready it saves us lots of time for those mornings we are sleepy and our brains are a little tired!!

[jendon1997]

One time saver for me is to have our swim bag packed at all times. I have a swimsuit and beach towel for all family members in our "family swim bag". Also in the bag I keep suntan lotion and plastic bags for wet stuff. Then when I get a "wanna go swimming" call, I just grab the bag and go.

[RayaniFoxmur]

I know I'm a bit late but here's my tip:

Shop to your menu! Sit down and make a menu for all of your suppers throughout the week. Then figure out what you need for them! Grocery shop for those things specifically! It saves time because you're not walking up and down the aisle and you're never short on the things you need for your meals invoking another trip!

[Lisaj68]

My favorite timesaver is to always make extras for dinner so I can pack the leftovers for my husband's and daughter's lunches, and to pack them while cleaning up the dinner dishes.

We are not big sandwich eaters here...so leftover porkchops or meatloaf with mashed potatoes is a bigger hit than PB&J.

[Pooh's Pal]

I'll give this a shot.....it's a Disney World vacation time saver!! (All you Disney fanatics (like me) probably already know this...but here goes!)

Learn to use the fast pass system efficiently! You'll be amazed how much time you save by NOT standing in line!!! Plan to ride two fast-pass rides that are close together, for example, Rock & Roller Coaster and Tower of Terror. Let's stay it's 10:30am and both rides have a 20 minute wait, and the fast pass return time for both is 11:00am-11:50am. You can actually have TWO fast passes in your possession at once IF YOU GET A FAST PASS FOR A SECOND RIDE 10 MINUTES AFTER THE RETURN TIME FOR THE FIRST! So in this example, you would get a fast-pass for Tower of Terror at 10:30am, then go do something else in the park.(I take this time to shop!!) At 11:10 you return to get a fast-pass for Rock & Roller coaster, with a return time of 12:00-12:50. So you go back to Tower of Terror and use your fast-pass for that ride at around 11:30am, then go to Rock & Roller coaster and use your fast-pass for that ride at Noon WITHOUT STANDING IN LINE. If you overlap your fast-passes in this way, you can avoid lines and maximize your fun at WDW!!

Hope this helps someone that does not know how to use Disney's Fast Pass system!!

[Soccer Princess]

My timesaver is making lists! lol! If it is on my list, then it gets done. If it is not on my list, then I usually forget it and then have to make a seperate trip back out to pick it up/run that errand lol! :)

[Mandi]

Cindy, you do realize we're all jealous of you, right? :rotfl:

My time saver is my countdown for my kids. Each evening, I tell them they have 5 minutes to clean up all the toys they have out. After 5 minutes, if they aren't up they are going in the trash. (ok, not really but the threat works ;) ) They run around like crazy kids cleaning up. I just get to sit back and relax for 5 minutes while they straighten up. :cooldance:

[speechteachri]

I have a few...

-Get any ironing done the night before you need the clothes.
-Become good friends with your crock pot.
-Put leftovers into single serving size containers when you clean up so you can just grab them to put into lunches as you need them.

and last but certainly not least... I LOVE my Pledge multi surface duster. I can get all my light dusting done without having to change cleaning products for different surfaces!:)

[mollyeilis]

I can't think of anything in my daily life that I do to save time.

But for traveling, I start very early writing lists of all the clothes, accessories, and plain old things, that each of us needs to bring. Clothing, shoes, lists of chargers and batteries for any electronics we're bringing, makeup, just EVERYTHING that we might need.

And then I bring that list and make sure that everything from the list is back in our bags, when it's time to leave.

Oh, and I don't pack for DH, I just write out his list and THAT saves time b/c he packs by the list, rather than the way he used to pack his stuff.

[wilsonfamily4]

I cut up our fruit ahead of time and put it into a pampered chef fruit tray so when the kids want a snack I can grab it and give them something healthy. This is good for me too!

[Iteach]

Instead of sitting down to eat breakfast in the morning, I grab a WW bar and eat it in the car on the way to work. I can get out of the house faster and don't have any morning dishes to worry about.

[Mom2aPrincess]

Trying to think of something not already listed....and this is what I've come up with...not sure if it saves time in the long run, but it saves time when the trash can is full....

Someone will probably think I'm crazy, :rotfl: but....

I put multiple trash bags in the trash can...then when one is full, I just pull it out, tye it up and take it out...I don't have to rush in and put another bag in the trash can (and maybe it does save time in the long run because it seems like before I did this, every time I took the trash out, Cameron had something liquid and gross in the trash can before the new bag was in and then I had to scrub the trash can! :rotfl: )

[savedbygrace]

We installed a garbage disposer in the shower, so I can peel veggies while I scrub away. :rotfl:

Sorry, something about this thread reminded me of that Seinfeld episode. :)

For me, one of the biggest time savers I've recently discovered is the "chore chart!" I made up one for each of my girls (3 & 8) and posted it on their doors. I homeschool, so we're all home everyday... all day. lol Most are simple things like helping with the laundry, setting the table, feeding the dog/fish, etc, but my favorite one of all... "tidy bathroom." I made up a half sheet little poster and hung it in the corner of our bathroom mirror. Each night, after the girls brush their teeth, they both have quick and simple bathroom chores that they do. My eldest gets a washcloth, wets it and wipes the counter and sink. My youngest then takes that same cloth and wipes down the top of the toilet. My eldest takes the towel down from the towel bar and dries the counter. My youngest then takes the washcloth, the towel and any dirty laundry (usually left by my 3rd child - my DH!) and tosses them in a laundry basket. Then, they both wash their hands and go to bed. It might not seem like much, but now I rarely have to wipe the counter, sink or toilet. And, no more dirty laundry in the bathroom for me to pick up!

Okay, so yes, I'm putting my kids to work lol, but in reality, they really do enjoy helping and they earn a prize from our prize box each week. Anyway, it certainly helps me out a lot! :)

[lmroyea]

I recently found a timesaver in my household. My DH leaves for work early, and always makes the coffee for us. (Nice for me to wake up to!) However, he always spills the sugar and creamer on the counter and leaves it for me to clean up. I finally put the sugar and creamer in the canisters on the counter that we were just using for decoration. It saves him time because he doesn't have to dig throught the cabinet. And it saves me time because I don't have to clean up after him!

[Anna]

Before running out the door in the morning, I always get our dinner started in the crock pot. But to make this even speedier, I have all the ingredients laid out the night before what doesn't have to be kept cold. I just toss it all in and go.

[stacieps]

We use lots of bags in our house - a bag with all dance shoes and some hair elastics; another with girl scout stuff; another with softball glove, hat, batting glove, hair elastics; another with all Tae Kwon Do gear; etc. We end up with lots of bags in the closet, but saves looking for things needed for each activity - just grab the bag and you know you have everything you need. Each bag is different too (dance bag looks like big ballet slipper) - so you don't have to look too hard to find the right one!

[Karri5775]

About once a month or once every three weeks, I take a whole box of complete pancake mix and make chocolate chip pancakes and sausage for dinner. I cook the whole box of pancakes and let them cool. Whatever is left over after we eat dinner I pack 4 pancakes in quart size freezer bags and stick them in the freezer. When my kids feel like pancakes in the morning they grab a baggie out of the freezer, put the pancakes on a plate and throw them in the microwave. My kids each eat 2 pancakes for breakfast so putting 4 in the bag is perfect for both of them for breakfast with some fruit. So with one box of pancake mix that you just add water, and I add chocolate chips too, we get dinner for the family and probably 10 breakfasts for the month that I don't have to cook.

[linanglab]

I just make the kids do everything....then I have all the time in the world...yeah...right....:rotfl:

My kids cannot match. So I put on hangars shorts/sweats,etc and a shirt/sweatshirt, all together. So all they have to do is grab a hangar and they have their completed outfit. The only time it does not work is if they wear jeans, which is in the drawers.

It saves me the headache of getting upset when they do not match - a BIG pet peeve of mine....


Angela

[ravensdreamer]

Mine is goofy, but it does save me time. I have two teenage slobs in my car at most times and they are all messy. I took this hint from my cousin, I have a small trash (bathroom size) in the mini van with plastic bags I get from the local WM/grocery store etc. It makes it so much easier to unload the trash as I can just pull it out and toss it on my way into a store or work as needed. To keep extra bags I use a old tissue box that I keep l refilled
with extra bags, but my car has gone from a pig sty (back seats) to nice and neat...OH and I keep a small old tupperware container with my favorite candle
remains to keep the car smelling like my favorite burned candles in my house.
They warm and scent the car and few melt but if they do you just dump it and refill...

Lynn

[sunshinecindy]

Okay, so yes, I'm putting my kids to work lol, but in reality, they really do enjoy helping and they earn a prize from our prize box each week. Anyway, it certainly helps me out a lot! :)


Don't feel bad. When I called Tricia on Saturday, Jillian her 6 yr old was running the sweeper and Cassie, her 4 year old was cleaning the sinks.
LOL

[goofy08]

Sacrilege though this may be, I've started placing a timer by the computer and only allowing myself a 1/2 hour to an hour for the internet each day. I can space it however I want -- six ten minute sessions, one long hour, etc. but only one hour max. When the timer goes off, that's it for the day. I was finding too much of my time slipping into the void of the internet. Being self employed at home, this became the way of avoiding the things I needed to do but didn't really want to. So now I have more time for other things and it makes a difference in the day.

[wdwabby]

my main one is making lists, but that's taken, so here's mine:

I line my cat's litter box with the same tall handled garbage bags I use in my regular trash can (just one box to store and cheaper than buying litter liner specific bags) I line her box and tie the ends in a half bow. This not only keeps her from being able to pull the liner off, but one tug on the half bow, i can untie it, pull it off with the litter inside & tie it up. The storage container w/ fresh litter is right next to thte box, so it makes for a super fast change. It takes maybe 2 minutes AND there's no mess!

[sunshinemckenzie]

Since most of my time is spent in the kitchen preparing meals for this crew, I have a few time savers.

After shopping for groceries, I chop all the onions/green peppers/etc in a food processor then put 1/4 cup or so in snack size ziploc bags and pop them in the freezer. Next time a recipe calls for one of the items, that job is done.

Another one is I spray everything with Pam cooking spray before I use it. No matter what it is-mixing something up in a bowl or cooking in a pan. Clean up is simple since nothing sticks in the dish.

When baking potatoes for a meal, I bake twice the amount and the following night, I just peel and fry them for supper.

[disney_girl]

Right now, I guess mine revolve around cooking since I'm trying to work on recipes and ideas for making meals ahead and freezing them to make the weeks surrounding the baby's arrival easier.
My husband likes homemade breakfast burritos to take to work so I make big batches at a time and freeze them. I keep track of how many are left and make sure to make more to restock. I also use my slow cooker a lot and freeze in small portions so there is always a lunch he can grab on the go. Helps save on money too if he has something ready to go!
When I am making dinner, if I have to chop veggies, I go ahead and chop more than I need and put the rest either in the fridge or freezer to save prep time on other meals.

[ruledbymercury]

The thing that immediately comes to mind is that we switched all of our bills to our bank's online bill pay feature. I can pay all the bills all at once from one webpage. We have stopped almost all of our paper bills and get our balance sent to us electronically each month for each account. So not only is it easier, quicker, and more convenient, it's also more earth-friendly!

[lenzs4]

I have a makeup bag that is already packed with all our toiletries(makeup, shower stuff, q-tips, bandaids, etc). I can just toss it into the luggage and go. We go on vacation often enough that I don't need to worry that things will go bad. I just replenish if needed on our return.

That was my tip too!!! I have everything prepacked so that I can drop it and go. I also have a second one for my DH because sometimes he has business and teh family doesn't tag along!!!

On those lines, I keep 7 outfits seperate for vacation so that we coordinate for pictures on vacation. I also do not need to think of clothes to pack. I pull them out of the closest and drop them in the suitcase as well! If some of the items get worn throughout the year with other outfits, I take a picture and leave it in the suitcase so I remember what goes with it. IT is easy to adjust to create new outfits for the next trip.
When I shop, I just keep in mind that I need 7 coordinating outfits and then I put them away for our trip!

[MaineMama]

I made a get ready for school check list on word document on the computer. I saved it to the desk top. Each morning, I open the document and leave the list on the screen. The children read through it and follow the steps. It frees me up to get the little one ready while every one else gets themselves ready. I even have time points next to each item. As long as they complete each step by the time point, we will be out the door on time. I can ask if anyone is running late and they have a definitive way of knowing if they are and need a little extra assistance to get back on track.

[catnapfan]

When getting ready for work in the morning I like to multi task; I plan our dinner menu and shopping list in the shower, tidy up the bathroom while I brush my teeth and apply my makeup while doing a SR survey,

[fanofree]

Use a coffee pot with a timer!! Make the coffee the night before - it is ready when you wake up. I for one, cannot do anything in the morning until I have my coffee, so this saves me time.

We also pre-measure the second pot into a filter so it is ready to go. Pot one is high octane; it goes into a carafe. Then we brew pot two - decaf. Everyone is happy! :coffee: :coffee:

[Kittykat]

I just set all the clocks in the house 20 minutes later than they should be...and don't tell anyone! :rotfl:

I'm not above a little deceit to save some time.

(Of course, once they catch on you've got to come up with something new. :p )

[arob414]

My kids cannot match. So I put on hangars shorts/sweats,etc and a shirt/sweatshirt, all together. So all they have to do is grab a hangar and they have their completed outfit. The only time it does not work is if they wear jeans, which is in the drawers.
Angela

I do something similar, although they have finally learned to match, but it still saves time and insures both pieces of an outfit are ready to wear. When my children were younger, I also would pick out a week's worth of outfits so I always had enough outfits cleaned and ironed plus I didn't have to think, on a nightly basis, about what they would wear. I would just pull out the next outfit. Thinking about this contest reminded me of this routine and that with school, and all their other activities and my job, this would be a big help. Do it once a week and then there would be no more telling them, over and over, to pick something out to wear the next day.

[abcboys]

My biggest time saver if I'm disciplined enough is to just stay off the computer. I spend too much time on sunshine rewards, ebay boards, and disboards my home can be destroyed if i"m not paying attention.

[PSL1013]

We go to Disney twice per year and I keep our small wheeled (used to be my carryon until the airline liquids ban) packed with all liquids, medications, makeup, etc. and everything that we always have to bring. I've bought duplicates of everything so that I never have to pack these types of things each trip, just have to replenish sometimes after we get home, it saves so much time and you never have to wonder if you forgot something again....now all I pack is my clothes and off we go.

[Debbie Jean]

My dentist was always getting on me for not flossing my teeth... something that seemed like a pain in the neck and I would constantly forget.

Now I keep floss next to my chair in the living room and whenever I am watching TV, I floss! Sounds silly, but my dentist says she really sees and improvement in my checkups!

[SunshineGirl]

Get your posts in. The contest is almost over!

[coastalgirl]

Ok, my time saving tip is a very large calendar that any and everything goes on. It is one resource that keeps our house running. Anything and everything is added to this. With 3 kids and such different ages it is super helpful and saves us a lot of time!!


Lydia

[MdCaterer]

I keep all school related info 1/2 days, test days, etc on my desk top calendar so it is easy to find.

[3dog2kidmom]

This is a way to get a somewhat unpleasant job done and at the same time be with your family. After dinner, I really like to get the dishes done and have a clean kitchen but I hate that the family is in watching TV and I feel left out. Well you'd be amazed at the number of dishes you can actually get done on commercial breaks. And I get the exercise of getting up and down on the commercials, get my dishes done, and still get to watch a favorite show or two with the family and don't feel so left out.

[DisneyMa]

^^ arg!! I can't believe you just posted that! That was going to be my tip:p On Sunday's everyone likes to be lazy and watch TV/movies. The house can be destroyed in a day! So, we have commercial clean-ups. I am amazed how much you can do in 2-3 minutes! Throw a load of laundry in, pay a bill online, sweep the kitchen, etc. I love being able to rest on the weekend, but have a clean house on Monday.

Okay, since that was not officially my tip. Here's another:

I shop for groceries once a week. I shop the ads, and buy what I need for the week. I treat myself to a Starbucks and do all my Target/Costco/Safeway shopping in one day. I started planning my route when gas went sky high (I drive a SUV) and I found that not only was I saving gas. I was saving money on extra shopping trips and saving time during the week. I take one of my daughters each week and I am teaching them how to shop, use coupons, pay for items, pick out good fruit, watch for experation dates, etc.

DD10 (middle daughter) has become quite good at finding a deal and her math has become better from using her head instead of a calculator. Win/win.:love:

[Sunni]

Wow What great ideas everyone has!

My time saver is about a job that I don't like too much. Ironing! Sometime it piles up so I get it all together or whatever outfits I need for school (starting back tomorrow). Then I put on a recorded movie/show I need to catch up with and iron away. Sometimes I will make necessary phone calls or lists/menus also. I just leave my reminders or paper and pen on the table where I iron. I just stop for a minute and jot down what I am thinking about. Multitasking somethings and getting a yucky job done!

Have a great night!

[bs4free]

ITS 9pm on Sunday! WOOT!

I wonder who is the lucky Winner??????