Before I became a mom, I knew that my life would change. And, of course, it did! I talk about some of my feelings on motherhood here, but one of the biggest things to adjust to has been the change in my day-to-day schedule. Let me preface this post by saying how lucky I feel to 1) be able to work from home at the moment, 2) have my husband at home for the moment, and 3) have help from my mother-in-law. But even with help, the days suddenly seem a lot shorter! I’ve really learned to embrace any time-saving opportunity I have. While some of these are definitely parenting-specific, I’ve tried to incorporate general time-saving tips that can apply to whatever stage of life you’re in!
1. Finding a Wash & Fold
Laundry is one of my favorite household chores, but it seems we have a Sisyphean task with more baby laundry every day! We try to get everything done, plus all of our clothes, but it’s so easy to have everything build up. We found a local wash & fold just a short drive away, and I’ve dropped off our laundry several times since I found it. They do a great job with huge loads, and when you think of how many loads of laundry you don’t have to do, it’s worth the quite reasonable price!
2. Bottle Sterilizers
For the past six weeks, I’d been washing bottles, then boiling water on the stove to sterilize the bottles. After forgetting about the water more than once (…whoops), my mother-in-law kindly saved my sanity and lots of time by getting me this bottle sterilizer. I can’t say enough good things about it–you simply fill up the reservoir with water, load up to six bottles in the sterilizer, and press the power switch. It turns off automatically and everything stays sterile for up to 24 hours if you leave the lid on. It’s saved me so much time already, and has probably kept me from burning the house down! (A joke, of course!)
3. Amazon Prime
I don’t know what the world did without Amazon. (I also don’t necessarily want to think about what the world could become if Amazon continues its world domination, but right now I’m embracing what Amazon offers!) Being able to order just about everything on Amazon, from household goods to diapers to books, has made life infinitely easier. I particularly love the Subscribe & Save options–I can subscribe to all my regularly used items (like baby wipes, diapers, and paper towels) and have them delivered every month on the same date. It’s a lifesaver! While Amazon Prime certainly isn’t a new phenomena, I don’t think I’d previously considered what a huge help it would become.
4. Grocery Delivery
When we lived in the city, I would place a huge order from Instacart every week. Not only did it save me from lugging tons of groceries onto the subway and then up to our apartment, it also allowed us to avoid the dreaded lines at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s several times a week! Our local grocery store offers delivery within the town, which is fantastic. I’m also curious to try out a meal subscription box like Blue Apron. For now, though, grocery delivery is the way to go.
5. Make a Weekly To-Do List
I often find myself wasting time trying to remember what exactly it is I need to do on a specific day. Taking a bit of time every Sunday to write down weekly tasks saves me time in the long run because I can simply refer to a list! Plus, crossing things off always gives me a feeling of accomplishment.
What tips and tricks do you use for saving time?
