Timesaving tips for busy parents

Lalaladybird

I'm hoping we can make a list of really useful timesaving tips. Here are mine.....

Use supermarket home delivery for groceries

Keep a hairbrush downstairs with lots of hair bobbles on the handle to do little girls hair in the morning (without having to search for brush and bobbles)

Grate cheese and freeze in tubs eg one for cheddar, one for parmesan etc

Have pegs near the front door, one for each member of family for one coat/jacket/bag each

Keep all toys in one room, whatever has been brought out to play with during the day can be quickly gathered up in a laundry basket and returned to the room every night. This takes me no more than 5 minutes and makes a huge difference to how I feel settling down in the living room of an evening.

I am trying to create the perfect timesaving breakfast bar that can be made the night before and will be filling and nutritious. This morning it was a peanut butter flapjack but although delicious too high in sugar for my liking so I'm going to try making it with grated carrot and apple and chopped apricots too and less syrup. Do any of you have a similar idea?

will add more as I remember them....what are yours??:):):)

valk_scot

Don't iron. At all. This one tip has saved me years of my life.

kittiej

I second that valk_scot

msb5262

- If you have different sizes of bedding in your house, use a fine permanent marker to mark sheets with the size...the key is, mark every corner. In our house we have single sheets (S), double (D) and superking size (6FT) and lots of them are white so labelling them makes life much easier.

- Use that same pen to date stuff like 4 pint milk containers in big writing - my children have a habit of using the freshest milk first so we end up with the older milk going sour before it's even opened.

- Provide each member of the family with a hook and a box or part of a shelf near the front door. This way stuff like PE kit, reading folders, bags, keys etc can be kept to hand.

- Keep wet wipes, tissues, hairbrush/bobbles, a small stash of emergency cash and a notebook & pen in the car. That way you can usually provide bus/dinner money and/or notes to the teacher if they are suddenly needed!

- For each child/family member, keep a bulldog clip marked with their name hanging up in the kitchen or main room. ALL letters and forms brought home go into the correct clip. Keep the calendar right next to these, with a plastic pocket containing envelopes and a pen. Any slips to be completed and returned are done at once and pinned on the board...or if not, you know where to find the letter when it's needed. Vital dates go straight on the calendar...or if not, you know where the letters are!

- Meal plan...not necessarily in the sense of Monday x, Tuesday y etc but have a list of at least 5 main meals for the week and keep it to hand.

- Use a timer with a loud ring to set up 5-minute tidy up time for communal areas eg hall, sitting room, kitchen. Get everyone to take part, ideally straight after a meal. You can of course make it 10 minutes or even 15, but the principle of everyone participating is the main thing. It's amazing how much you can get done in a short time with the whole family.

- Keep a shopping list on the fridge/kitchen pinboard and train everyone to write on it whenever they are about to finish off the jam, cereal. This way you can keep most basics in stock.

krustylouise

Get uniform and all clothes ready the night before saves hassle in the morning when trying to get children ready.

Write shopping lists and meal plan so you don't wander round shops wondering what to make for tea, also if you know the layout of the shop write it accordingly all fruit, veg etc then all dairy, all bakery etc.

Like I've heard on another thread when putting away bedding fold it all up and put in one of the matching pillow cases so its all there ready saving you ratching round the cupboard.

Give your basin, bath and toilet a quick wipe round with a cloth every morning that will save time scrubbing at the weekend

Separate people's clothes in the washing basket so you don't have to go back and forth between rooms trying to find its rightful place and pair the socks up straight after they're dried so you don't spend time searching for a match when trying to get dressed in the morning.

mucklebones

Wash up right away.

kingfisherblue

Make double lasagne, cottage pie, etc. We freeze half, but split into individual portions so that they can be eaten after a shift at work.

Use a microwave steamer - again, we freeze veg in individual portions.

Keep the laundry basket under the stairs and train everyone to use it. No more lugging piles of dirty washing downstairs - it's close to the washer instead.

Don't iron unless it is really necessary.

have a basket for each child near the front door - any letters from school, homework, etc to go in there.

Put washer on at night and hang first thing in the morning (or put dryer on first thing). I get up early so that I can take a coffee back to bed. I put the dryer on first, and often it is dry before we go out to school. Fold straight away to avoid ironing.

If you have upstairs and downstairs toilets, buy a pack of loo rolls for each and put away immediately. Otherwise you find yourself running up and down to replace empty rolls.

If you have a baby or young child, keep nappies and wipes upstairs and downstairs. Again, saves time.

When you're waiting for the kids to come out of school, either relax with a book, or do some paperwork. I used to have to get to school early top get a parking space when mine were in primary. I took a book, travel mug of coffee, and a couple of biscuits - an instant afternoon break!

When shopping, pack fridge, freezer, and cupboard stuff separately. Put away fridge and freezer stuff when you get in, but ask the kids to put away the rest when they're hoem from school.

Do your shopping immediately after dropping the kids at school. It's so quiet then!

Keep uniform separate from other clothes. This includes Brownies and Cubs, or any other uniform you have. So much quicker than rooting through all of the drawers!

krustylouise

I like idea of a coffee in bed and putting washing in dryer first thing.

Thanks

kittiej

Like kfb - On the day I collect the boys from school I get there early to both get parked and read my Open Uni books. I've just started taking my little flask as well.

This thread is showing where I'm going wrong lol.

skintchick

I must be super organised as I already do all these! Will come back and add some tips later but my main one is have a place for everything and keep it there.

iwilldoitthistime

Have 5 sets of school uniform for each child - prep them all at the weekend, so there is no urgent need to wash or iron during the week.

When swimming kit is washed, put towel and trunks / bathing costume back in the bag and put it in the bottom of each childs wardrobe for use the following week.

Have a shoe cupboard in the kitchen where each person has a drawer to stop a pile forming near the door.

Have a toilet roll 'pole' in each bathroom to hold 2 or 3 spares - refill at weekend, and refill liquid handsoap at the same time.

Buy toilet rolls / soap powder / conditioner / anything else you use alot in bulk and store in the garage to avoid having to get them in the regular shop. I LOVE Costco for this!

Have a paperwork folder for each type of bill you get, so when one comes in, you can file it straight in the appropriate folder.

Keep them coming - anything that saves us time is definitely worth considering!!