At the end of every evening, I’m flooded by thoughts of the things still needing to be done. Sometimes it’s big things like finishing up a project for work. Other times they’re small like the never-ending laundry or the fact that I’m going on day 3 of dry shampoo and should really wake up earlier the following morning to wash my hair.
It seems like all I ever do is add to my plate instead of taking away.
Let 2016 be the year that you actually appear to have it all together! Here are some of my favorite time-saving tricks.
FOR YOU:
Yes, that’s right, let’s put YOU FIRST! If you are like me, you hit that snooze alarm way too many times each morning. Unfortunately this takes away from the time you have to get ready and look like a presentable person.
- I joked earlier about over-using dry shampoo, but if you’ve never tried it – you have to. Hair is healthier when it’s not washed super frequently, plus you save crazy amounts of time if you don’t have to wash and blow-dry in the morning. You don’t have to over-do it, but try using dry shampoo every other day and see what you think! See my favorite brand here.
- I use the following trick on my hair on days I want to add some fullness but don’t have a lot of time. Depending on how much hair you have, this should only take about five minutes.
- Gather all hair near your forehead with a rubber band (note, sometimes I do this in two sets with one at my forehead and another behind it. It will depend on the length and fullness of your hair)
- Take a curling wand or iron and wrap big sections around it
- Most days my husband drops the kids off so I can get to the office by about 6am. I always ensure I get the important stuff done immediately before the day gears up and craziness sets in. This usually allows me to stick with my planned departure time and not add stress as I try to finish up a project in the last few minutes of my day.
- It’s hard enough to find time to paint my nails let alone drying time! I love getting manicures but that’s not always feasible either. Try this trick- paint your nails right before getting into the car driving somewhere. Carefully put on your seatbelt and boom you have built in drying time as you drive!
FOR YOUR FAMILY:
- My husband and I started using Amazon Fresh for our groceries a couple of years ago and have not looked back. The convenience and organic selection is perfect for us since we both work full time and try to eat healthy, all while raising two small kids. Even better, I have done price comparison checks and Amazon fits right in with any local grocery store. Having it delivered to my house means no impulse shopping and we only buy what we actually need each week.
- Food prep immediately. I spray all produce with white wine vinegar (then rinse) as I am unpacking groceries each week. I also cut up all our fruits, bell peppers, celery and other veggies for ease while cooking later in the week. You can also prep for lunches by rationing out crackers, veggies, fruits etc into their bags/containers for the week so they are truly grab and go.
- Start a load of laundry as soon as you walk through the door on Fridays. Wash the daycare sheets and all the other laundry that will otherwise sit there until Sunday evening. Give yourself the gift of time by starting this chore early in the weekend! I use the Speed Wash cycle a lot. Now, maybe someday I will learn my clothes are not clean but for now it works just fine to the best of my knowledge and allows me to get more loads done!
FOR YOUR KIDS:
Anything under this category is really for you but these tricks will also help get those kids out the door quicker!
- Pack lunches for the next day as you make dinner. One mess to clean up and no more waking up early scrambling to do this daunting task. This leads into the next time saver:
- Get ready for the morning the night before. Bowls and spoons out, backpacks in the car, get as much ready as you can so the morning goes a bit smoother without that “I forgot my homework!” scramble.
- Let the kids eat breakfast in the car. Everything is already prepped and grab-and-go, so it’s easy to have my kids eat in the car on the way to school/daycare. This is one less thing to fight about/rush through in the morning craziness
What time-saving tricks and tips do you have to share with other moms?
