Looking for some help getting more things done around your house? These 11 Simple Time-Saving Tips for Busy Families include smart strategies and clever shortcuts to help you get tons done so you have more time to enjoy the things you love.
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11 Simple Time Saving Tips for Busy Families
11 Simple Time-Saving Tips for Busy Families
Running a household is time-consuming. Cooking, cleaning, shopping and organizing all seek our attention. As a mom, I’m always looking for ways to make life simpler and easier to get all these things done and not lose my mind in the process. With 4 kids and a dog, I’ve gotten close, but haven’t lost it completely yet 🙂
Over the years, I’ve come across some smart strategies and clever shortcuts to help my family have more time to spend together and I want to share them with you.
Read on for some simple changes you can make to be more efficient around the house
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- Get ready for morning the night before – Breakfast, lunch, backpacks, homework, etc. can all be organized and laid out for the next day. Mornings will go so much smoother if you have this system in place.
- Autopay your bills – Once you get reoccurring payments set up, this will save you tons of time on a monthly basis. Opt for email statements when possible, this eliminates more paper coming into the house and the need to sort it.
- Keep your house in a clean state – It sounds impossible, but really isn’t. When we get busy, cleaning is one of the things that slip by the wayside. Don’t let that happen. Staying on top of cleaning your house will make it less overwhelming on a regular basis and is more efficient. I like this article on How to Clean Your House in 15 Minutes or Less.
- Place a mat at each doorway – To make sure less dirt is coming into the house, keep it out! By placing a door mat at each entrance you’ll cut down the need to sweep or vacuum as often.
- Sort Your Silverware – As you fill your dishwasher, place each type of utensil in its own slot. This saves a ton of time when unloading.
- Have kids help with chores and cleanup – There is no way you can do it all. Kids are capable of helping around the house, starting at a young age. Create a chore chart and have them pitch in. Research suggests that kids tend to have higher self-esteem if given responsibilities around the house.
- Designate a spot for “in-use” cups – I know this sounds simple, but it makes a big difference. Don’t fill the dishwasher with cups that have been used once. Designate a spot on the counter or window sill for cups that are in use and you’ll only have to wash them once a day instead of several.
- Avoid clothes that need ironing or dry cleaning – There are so many great options nowadays for clothing that doesn’t need to be ironed or dry cleaned. Read the tag before you buy and make sure it’s machine washable. You’ll save time and money!
- Presort laundry (lights/darks) – Have a laundry bin in your room and kids’ rooms so dirty clothes can be sorted as they are put in. Lights in one. Darks in another. This saves a ton of time when it’s laundry day. Also, make sure your loads are full to save on water and utilities.
- Wash clothes less often – Not all clothes need to be washed every time you wear them. If you have an undershirt on, the top layer could be worn multiple times before it actually needs washing. Jeans don’t need to be washed very often either…some people don’t wash them at all, but that might be taking it a little too far! Keep a lookout for items in your wardrobe that can be re-worn before putting them in the wash.
- Make time for yourself – How is this a time-saver you ask? Well, the more you invest in yourself and don’t get caught up in the “I’m Too Busy” trap, the more at peace you’ll be with life and the responsibilities that come with it. You won’t feel as overwhelmed and you’ll ultimately be more productive.
Check out this video for hacks you can do to make laundry easier.
If you’re looking for more tips, take a look at these Simple Organizational Tips for Busy Families.
If you want a FREE printable with 25 Amazing Time Savers that will help you be more efficient around the house. Enter your email below.
Household chores aren’t my favorite, but being more efficient around the house gives me more time to do the things I really enjoy doing. I hope these simple time-saving tips help you get to the things you enjoy, too!
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neha says
Loved your article! Great tips. We love to travel, and every time before and after the travel there is so much more to do. Packing, unpacking, cleaning, laundry etc. Do you have any tips on how to save time here?
Erin says
Thanks for reading, Neha. Some of these tips can be used for travel too. I make lists for everything, even travel. I write out everything the kids need as well as what I need. That way we don’t forget anything. Another tip is to do all your laundry that’s not packed before you go. This way, you only have your dirty laundry from the trip to do when you get home.
Emily says
I bought a few laundry totes from thirty-one a few years ago and had them labeled for darks and lights – great idea! It saves me so much time doing laundry!Thanks for sharing your tips with Merry Monday!
Erin says
Yes, it totally saves time! I just grab the full load and head down to the laundry room. No sorting involved. I’m teaching my kids the system now. I love the tip in the video about having a little bag on the laundry bin for socks…that way the never get lost! Brilliant!
Holly says
I love #2! That really does save so much time for me.
Erin says
Totally! I feel like life keeps getting busier, so the more I can do to simplify and save time the better.
Nikki Frank-Hamilton says
I love tips like these, simple and practical. We can use almost every single one of these. It seems like things get so busy I just keep doing them, but I don’t think about ways to make things easier!
I love the tip about buying clothes that don’t need ironed or dry cleaned, about 90% of our clothes fit this rule. I hate to iron clothes! And I like soft material, this one definitely saves us a ton of time!
Erin says
I agree, sometimes we just get into a habit and we don’t even realize we could be doing something more efficiently. I hope these tips inspire moms to do things differently so they have more time for themselves.
Nicole says
Great tips thank you! On most days I try to get our stuff ready the night before but I always seem to forget something! Sharing on Facebook.
Erin says
Thanks for stopping by, Nicole. These tips help us do things as efficiently as possible. I forget things all the time…we just do the best we can 🙂
Hannah says
These are awesome tips! I need to come up with a designated spot for in-use cups. My husband is the problem, not my kids! I can’t imagine how bad things will get when my boys get older.
Thanks for linking up with Share the Wealth Sunday!
Lindsey says
I love these tips! Laundry is a constant battle in our house. And that video is literally the greatest thing since sliced bread. So many ideas!!!
Erin says
There’s such great tips in the video! Glad you found them useful! Laundry is always on my to-do list! ugh. Hope the tips help you! Thanks for coming by.
Cathy Lawdanski says
Great suggestions! Setting all my bills up on auto-pay was one of the best things I ever did!