Table for Four or More

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The summer is quickly coming to an end and that means only one thing…time to get back on the hamster wheel and begin once again to put in place these time-saving tips. If you don’t already know, I am a teacher with two school-agers. In a few short weeks our lazy days are over and the hectic schedule of working full-time and having two kids in sports resumes. Summer is the reason I am able to return to my job in the Fall. If I didn’t have this time away, I would certainly have to find another career. I’m not going to go into all of the reasons why I need summer other than to say our laid-back, laissez-faire way of doing things will no longer work. Keeping in mind that every minute counts, I have compiled a list of time-saving tips to help minimize the time it takes to get through the “have to’s” of the day so we can all enjoy a bit more down time. Any extra minute that can be used to do something for yourself (or do nothing at all, my personal favorite) is a win.

So here we go, 10 Time-Saving Tips for Busy Families to help save you valuable time and perhaps even a little bit of your sanity throughout the week.

Time-Saving Tip #1

Pack Lunches Ahead of Time

To begin, you’ll need to know who is packing and when. On Sunday afternoon, divide non-perishable food items into individual portions and place them inside zip-lock bags or reusable food containers. Items such as pretzels, dried fruit, crackers, or nuts are popular choices in our house. Place these individual portions in the pantry or anywhere they can be easily accessed when it’s time to put the lunches together. Make sandwiches or prepare containers with left-overs from dinner the night before. If you don’t have room in your frig for everyone’s lunchbox, simply have an area that is dedicated to placing other lunch items such as yogurt, cheese sticks, or cut-up fruit that can be quickly thrown into a lunchbox before heading out the door. Taking time to prepare lunches ahead of time eliminates eating out for parents and packing a pre-packaged not-so-healthy meal for the kids (Lunchable anyone?).

Time-Saving Tip #2

Pick-Out Your Outfits for the Week

This time-saving tip is a must for me. Standing in front of the closet and staring at my clothes has never resulted in an outfit magically appearing – regardless of how much time I spend standing there. To make matters worse, I’m usually in a hurry and wind up settling for an outfit I’ve already worn 100 times rather than trying to find something different. To solve this problem, simply take 10 minutes on Sunday and put together a week’s worth (or more, if you’re someone who can commit to the long haul) of outfits. It takes the stress out of choosing a last-minute outfit AND you will instantly feel more put-together and calm as you walk out the door in the morning.

Time-Saving Tip #3

Iron Your Clothes

I may be the last person on earth to still iron clothes but I’m going to include this as a time-saving tip anyways. After you pick-out your outfits for the week, iron the pieces that need it and hang them in your closet alongside the other items for that outfit. It’s a simple task but one that can take longer than you think, especially if you haven’t picked-out what to wear ahead of time so you wind up ironing multiple pieces and wasting time.

Time-Saving Tip #4

Run Errands

Definitely not my favorite item on my to-do list but running errands is necessary. I try and run errands while I’m already out and about to avoid having to make an extra trip. This is also something my husband helps out with a lot. He doesn’t mind running around on the weekends whereas I would rather stay home and work on the cleaning and laundry. Super nice (and convenient) when you marry someone that prefers to do the things you hate doing.

Time-Saving Tip #5

Meal Prep

It’s not always necessary to meal prep if you have time after work to cook dinner, but with busy practice schedules it becomes an absolute must in our house. I refer to my Weekly Meal Planner (click here to read post and download your FREE copy) in order to determine what needs to be prepared ahead of time. If I’m putting something in the crock-pot, I either need to get up earlier to put the ingredients together or prepare them ahead of time the night before so I all I have to do is put them in the crockpot, set the timer and go. Meal prep occurs two different ways in our house; I either cook all of the ingredients and put dishes together on Sunday or I meal prep the night before one meal at a time. Our weekend schedule determines which method I use but I prefer to prepare as much as I can on Sunday. Need ideas for quick family-friendly meals? Check out my posts here and here where I share my family’s favorites. I just recently purchased this Meal Planning magazine from Better Homes & Garden for some new ideas and recipes. Inside you’ll find valuable tips and tricks to making a week’s worth of dinners, meal kits, grab and go breakfast and so much more. 

Time-Saving Tip #6

Have a Place for Everything

It happens to everyone, it can’t just be me. There seem to be a couple times throughout our year (when we seem to be the busiest) when I can’t find anything. Nothing seems to be where it needs to be. Items get thrown into drawers underneath stacks of papers, keys get placed on a different counter than where they are normally placed, shoes somehow get pushed underneath a bed…see where I’m going here? Despite my best efforts to keep a clean house, things do get lost. To combat this problem, I make sure that everything in our house has a place to land. School papers (check out my post here for a solution to paper clutter), bathroom items, dishes, charging cords…you name it…it now has a home. It not only makes finding things a breeze, it also makes putting things away a lot easier. I am also a stickler for having everything put away before going to bed at night. This way items do not pile up and create unnecessary clutter. Did you know that living in a messy, cluttered house can cause stress? It’s true. Read here to find out more. If you’re interested in learning how to clean your house with minimal time, read my Quick Clean post here.

Time-Saving Tip #7

Place Bags by the Door

Placing bags by the door makes it super easy to grab and go. This time-saving tip works great if you have forgetful (or distracted) children who walk out without their instruments or sports equipment. No excuses for leaving home without needed items. A simple, “Do you have everything?” is usually sufficient to ensure they did in fact grab their belongings by the door. With the exception of their lunch, everything else can be placed in clear sight the night before.

Time-Saving Tip #8

Prepare Coffee Pot

So, so simple but often overlooked. Prepare the pot of coffee for the next morning because it will just make you happier. Just smelling the aroma of coffee in the air helps to get me out of bed. If coffee isn’t your thing, have the ingredients for your smoothie ready to blend or that cup of tea ready to go. Whatever your go-juice is, get it ready for your morning routine.

Time-Saving Tip #9

Go Through School Papers

Have your kids get into the habit of sharing their school day with you. While doing so, have them take out their folders/binders for you to look through. Depending on their age, you can provide as much or as little support as needed with this. I’m trying to teach my kids how to be more responsible by letting me know about big assignments, events, or anything significant happening at school before it’s too late. I don’t enjoy hearing, “Mom, can you sign this paper?” while I’m getting breakfast ready and prepping for the day. I may have time to sign whatever it is, but I don’t have time to actually look at it and have a discussion about it (the most important part).

Time-Saving Tip #10

Anticipate Upcoming Events

What is it you need to be ready for this week that you don’t normally have to prepare for? Perhaps it’s a bake sale at school, your turn to provide snacks after the soccer game, or a school concert that requires your child to wear something they don’t already own, like a white button-down shirt. By anticipating these upcoming events, you won’t have to do anything extra throughout the week, which can sometimes overlap your other commitments and create more stress. Who has time to stop at the store for Gatorade and snacks when you only have 30 minutes to get dinner on the table and kids out the door? I’m sure no one does. By anticipating these events, you can prepare ahead of time and eliminate the stress and perhaps even enjoy what it is you had to prepare for. And that’s really what this post is all about. Eliminating as much stress from your life as possible by giving you more time to be you. You deserve it!

Planner Ideas

Staying on top of your game is easier with a planner. In addition to the calendar on my phone, I also keep a planner to write down important items on my to-do list and make notes of things to remember. If you don’t already have one, visit my Etsy store JustJulieShop and consider purchasing a planner or keeping a binder with a family planner. If you’re interested in something a bit different, check-out the beautiful planners from Erin Condren. Click here

Final Thoughts

So there you have it, 10 Time-Saving Tips for Busy Families. To recap, they are:

• Pack lunches ahead of time
• Pick-out your outfits for the week
• Iron your clothes
• Run errands
• Meal prep
• Have a place for everything
• Place bags by the door
• Prepare coffee the night before
• Go through school papers
• Anticipate upcoming events

I hope you have found these tips helpful, and better yet, I hope they help you save time, reduce stress, and enjoy your week just a little bit more! Thanks for stopping by!