What clever tip saves huge time?

[Alicia64]

Hi Everyone,

 

For example, (I'm lazy) I love to boil water and spread it over a dirty kitchen counter. Then whatever is crusted or hardened on wipes right off.

 

Another one I love: I put in Story of the World on in the car. My boys want to hear it over and over and over. I don't mind reading aloud and do it at least an hour a day, but for some reason I love SOTW on CD!!

 

Do you have any clever tricks to share that really save time?

 

TIA!!

 

Alicia

[BikeBookBread]

When I bake cookies drop cookies (like chocolate chip or oatmeal), I do a double batch, form the balls and freeze about 2/3 of the balls of dough a cookie sheet, and then transfer them into a ziplock once frozen. Next time we want cookies, I just take a few balls out and put them straight into the oven without even thawing. I think I'll make some cookies tomorrow, in fact.

 

I try not to leave a room empty handed, that is, if I see something out of place, I grab it and drop it into its correct spot if I'm headed that direction. But as a warning, this often can lead me to rabbit-trails syndrome :tongue_smilie: (you know what I mean...unfocused, random cleaning tidying!!)

 

My husband got me a rice cooker for Christmas. You wouldn't believe how handy it has become. Because it has a delay timer, I set up half of the dinner and not think about it again until dinner time comes around.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Whenever I'm baking a cake, I try to remember to throw some potatoes in on the rack to bake. I love baked potatoes, but never remember in time for them to be done with the rest of dinner. This way, I use the oven heat for multiple purposes, and have yummy baked potatoes.

[Stacia]

Use a duvet cover & no top sheet. Making beds is super-easy & quick. It also makes it much easier for kids to make their own beds.

 

I also try to always unload the dishwasher as soon as it's done. That way, dirty dishes go directly in the dishwasher instead of piling up in the sink for later work.

[iwka]

Use a duvet cover & no top sheet. Making beds is super-easy & quick. It also makes it much easier for kids to make their own beds.

 

 

This is very European way. I still can't believe that Americans like the other way (guess what, half of my beds have top sheets...:001_huh:)

[Stacia]

This is very European way.

 

Yep -- that's where I learned it, lol. (My dh is European.) Plus, when we've traveled to Europe, I always find it so refreshing, neat, and clean. The hotels will fluff out your duvet, fold it in half & lay it at the foot of the bed. The bed airs out & you have a nice fluffy duvet for night again. Ahhhhhh.... lovely!

 

I loved the idea & implemented here in our home.

[Ibbygirl]

I buy peppers and onions in bulk and spend one day chopping them up and putting them in ziplock bags to go in the freezer. Then when I am cooking I just take a handful to throw into the pot without having to chop it up every time.

 

I also buy limes and lemons when they are on sale. Sometimes the local latin market has limes 20 for a dollar and I juice them all and put them in ice cube trays to freeze. when they are frozen I transfer them to ziplock bags and just take out one cube at a time as I need them. I use a lot of citrus in marinades for meats and it is also perfect for a quick single glass of lemonade for my husband. He loves lemonade.

 

I also will buy meat when it's on sale and clean all the skin and fat off and wash it well and season it and put it into ziplock bags so that when I have to cook dinner. I just take it out to defrost in the morning and throw it directly into the pan to cook come 4pm. No prep work for dinner. :)

 

I also bought a shark steam cleaner for my tile floors and this saves me so much time. I used to sweep, mop and then dry my floor with towels and now I just have to sweep and use my steam cleaner. It dries almost instantly and doesn't leave any streaks. :)

[eternalknot]

I keep a spray bottle of vinegar in the shower. After every shower, we squirt down the walls (if we had a shower door, we'd do that as well) as we exit the shower. Keeps grime and scum down.

 

When the kids are done with a bath, we sprinkle some baking soda around the tub as it drains. Then baking soda/water mix does a great job of addressing any remaining dirt or ring-around-the-tub; sometimes it's necessary to wipe down the sides of the tub with a washcloth (depending on how dirty the kids were!) but most of the time it's not necessary.

 

I hate cleaning the bathroom. These small, frequent things make it an easier chore to swallow :)

[Oakblossoms]

I keep a small basket in the living room. I toss out of place items in the basket. If I get the chance I start in that room and move on to each room till it's empty or I call in all the kids and have them grab stuff for specific rooms.

[Rose in BC]

Use a duvet cover & no top sheet. Making beds is super-easy & quick. It also makes it much easier for kids to make their own beds.

 

 

No struggling with a gazillion sheets.

[stripe]

Cook a huge batch of onions, and put little balls on a tray, freeze, and transfer to ziplock bag. Saves 20 minutes every time I cook. (When I remember to do it.)

 

When I buy herbs like parsley or cilantro, chop up and put in ice cube trays with some water. (I don't always use the whole bunch up before it goes bad. For use in cooked dishes.)

 

Cook extra and freeze for later.

 

Freeze tomato sauce.

 

Keep common foods on hand - rice, pasta, beans, canned tomato sauce, onions, garlic, milk, butter, oil, spices, frozen vegetables. Instead of having to go buy them every time you need them (which is all the time).

[WTMCassandra]

I always make sure I have quality audiobooks on the children's iPods, and we often listen to them in the car. It makes me smile to hear them ask for "The Children's Homer" or something while we are driving--it's stealth school! We just finished listening to the Sonlight title "Rascal" and they never had a clue it was a "school" book.

 

For meals, we keep a list on the refrig. door of the meals we have ingredients for. Each morning at the beginning of school (our schoolroom is right next to the kitchen) I decide what's for dinner. I get out what needs to be defrosted. If possible, I assemble the meal while the children are working independently for a few minutes. Sometimes I can even get the resulting dishes washed. Often I will run very hot water and put them in to soak for a while until I can get to them, which makes them easy to wash, and then I leave them on the drainboard to dry until, again, I can get to them and put them away. When I use little minutes inbetween school subjects to get these things done, our evenings run a LOT more smoothly.

[Alicia64]

LOVE these ideas -- and love the term "stealth school!!!"

 

Thank you!

 

Alicia

[BikeBookBread]

We're a duvet-only family, too! Came back from Europe in 1999, and implemented it in our home. It feels SO DARN GOOD to go to bed!

[westcoastmom]

Hi Everyone,

 

For example, (I'm lazy) I love to boil water and spread it over a dirty kitchen counter. Then whatever is crusted or hardened on wipes right off.

 

You can do the same thing with a cloth that has been wet with hot water and laid on top of the counter for a few minutes so things soften.

 

Another one I love: I put in Story of the World on in the car. My boys want to hear it over and over and over. I don't mind reading aloud and do it at least an hour a day, but for some reason I love SOTW on Cd

 

My kids love this too. They also like to listen to audio stories in the car.

 

My biggest timesavers would be with cooking. I double or triple batches when I can so I can freeze a 2nd or 3rd meal. I also love our 7 quart crockpot and fill it up so we can make the meal last for 2 or 3 meals.

 

Duvets are very common in Canda.

[JoyfulMama]

The only non-duvet bed in my house is my bed - as my dh thinks it's WEIRD to have no sheet. But the kids can make their own beds (well, the three year old needs some help, yet)!

[mom4him]

Can you tell me more about the duvet? Exactly how is it used. What all do you put on the bed?

Our bedrooms are in the lower level, 1/2 below ground and they get COLD in the winter. We run our wood burner in our living area so I do mean COLD down stairs. We all have flannel sheets, 3-4 blankets and a quilt/spread on top.

I am just curious as to how this would work.

[Stacia]

Can you tell me more about the duvet? Exactly how is it used. What all do you put on the bed?

Our bedrooms are in the lower level, 1/2 below ground and they get COLD in the winter. We run our wood burner in our living area so I do mean COLD down stairs. We all have flannel sheets, 3-4 blankets and a quilt/spread on top.

I am just curious as to how this would work.

 

Here's a description that may help.

 

On the bed, you would put:

fitted sheet

duvet w/ a duvet cover on it (basically an insulated quilt w/ a quilt-sized pillowcase over it)

 

That's it.

 

We live in a temperate area, so perhaps the Canadians can speak about a good duvet for very cold areas. I know I've used them in Europe on ski vacations & they were very toasty warm (and I'm not used to cold weather). In our case, we have duvets from Ikea that are actually 2 duvets -- a lightweight one & a medium-weight one; you can use them separately or snap them together to give you a duvet that works for all temperatures from hot-weather to cold (or as cold as it gets in the southeastern US, lol).

 

Oh, and if you decide to go the duvet route, I love these clips that help hold the duvet in place inside the duvet covers.

 

Example photos of European style duvets:

 

 

 

Edited May 19, 2009 by Stacia

[mom4him]

Here's a description that may help.

 

On the bed, you would put:

fitted sheet

duvet w/ a duvet cover on it (basically an insulated quilt w/ a quilt-sized pillowcase over it)

 

That's it.

 

We live in a temperate area, so perhaps the Canadians can speak about a good duvet for very cold areas. I know I've used them in Europe on ski vacations & they were very toasty warm (and I'm not used to cold weather). In our case, we have duvets from Ikea that are actually 2 duvets -- a lightweight one & a medium-weight one; you can use them separately or snap them together to give you a duvet that works for all temperatures from hot-weather to cold (or as cold as it gets in the southeastern US, lol).

 

Oh, and if you decide to go the duvet route, I love these clips that help hold the duvet in place inside the duvet covers.

 

Example photos of European style duvets:

 

 

 

Looking at these pictures it looks like each person has his own duvet? Is that how you all do it?

[Garga]

Aha! The duvets have covers. I was wondering how you wash them if you get sweaty at night. I always thought we Americans used the sheet so that if we got sweaty we'd only have to wash the sheet and not the comforter.

 

If you don't have a down duvet, you need layers, but the duvets are down, so they are really warm. I usually freeze at night, but spent the night at a hotel with a duvet and was toasty warm. (Thanks to the down.)

[Mrs. Frankweiler]

Sorry if this turns into a thread-hijacker.

 

About the duvets in Europe....do they switch out the duvet cover in hotels with each new guest? I know they are less fanatical about germs than we are here in the USA, but to me keeping the same duvet on all the time just seems icky. (and I'll remember to bring my own topsheet if I ever travel to Europe!)

 

Also, if you can make straight stitches with a sewing machine, you can make your own twin duvet cover for way cheaper than buying one. (except for maybe at Ikea.) For the kids I get a really cute top sheet for $20-$30. (companykids.com has some nice ones) Then I'll go to Target and get another more reasonable solid color top sheet. Measure your duvet (or even a regular comforter will work if you just want to give a new look to the bed), cut the sheets an inch or two bigger, then sew up the sides, leaving an opening on the bottom edge so you can slip in the comforter. (I may hem up the edges of the fabric at the opening so that they don't fray.) And Waa La....a duvet cover!

 

I've tried this with a queen sized duvet, and by the time you buy all the materials it's almost the same price as a store bought duvet.

 

This certainly isn't time saving....but money saving?

 

My time saving tricks---

 

--I have a ready made grocery list on my microsoft word, listed in the same order as the grocery store. (so, condiments first...then canned goods, etc....) On shopping day, I print off my list, check off the things I need, then at the store it's faster to get everything since my list is in the same order as the store items.

 

--Every now and then when you change out the trash, put 3-4 extra trash bags at the bottom of the can, before you set up the new trash bag on the rim. Next time you take the trash out, you won't have to hunt for a new bag.

 

--I make big batches of dinners, then freeze the extras

[TraceyS/FL]

we used a duvet in CA - but here.... it won't work. from about april-november.... sheet used only or a light blanket. The downside of keeping the temp set high to be able to afford the electric bill! LOL!

[Snickerdoodle]

You can find Duvet covers pretty cheap at Ikea.

[mommaduck]

precut onions, green peppers, bulk chicken breasts...place into ziploc bags and into the freezer. Chicken: only enough for one meal per bag.

 

Keep a spray bottle of diluted cleaner on the counter to use regularly.

 

Clean as you cook!

[FriedClams]

Here's mine -

 

My kids and I swim a lot at a pool during the summer. After swimming I have the kids (and I) take a real shower at the pool with some all-in-one shampoo/shower gel stuff. Then everyone gets dressed in our day clothes and we're set for the day. I rarely have to bathe the kids at home. It takes an extra few minutes at the pool, but then we're done - less bath time, fewer towels for the laundry, etc. I hang suits and towels up when we get home and we're ready in the morning for the next pool day.

[BikeBookBread]

Looking at these pictures it looks like each person has his own duvet? Is that how you all do it?

Those pictures bring back GREAT memories.

 

Okay, I think the thread is officially hijacked. I think that I have talked more about duvets in the past 24 hours than I have for a lifetime (except when I tried to explain to my Mom what a duvet and duvet cover was!!!! :lol: There was just a mental block there.)

 

So if we're sharing, I wrote a whole blog post about this. We got ours at Crate & Barrel, and yep, DCs are totally overpriced here...but you can catch them significantly on sale here. C&B as well as The Company Store and Company Kids (our girls have these) DCs have ties inside to secure the corners.

 

 

[Snickerdoodle]

Yes, I have my own comforter/duvet and my husband has his own. He is such a blanket hog we can't have it any other way.

[Kate in Arabia]

Dh and I share a duvet. Actually, it's one my parents bought for me when I was in *8th grade* during a trip to New York. It was expensive at the time, but clearly it has lasted for a long time! My kids want their own, but I haven't looked into it yet.

 

Oh, and I have made my own duvet covers, it is really really easy.

[Pajama Mama]

I make 2 to 3 loaves of french toast at a time. I freeze the pieces separately on wax paper and then put them back into the bags that the bread came in. I do this also with pancakes but I need to remember to save a few bags from bread first.

 

We use our George Foreman grill during the winter months. After cooking, I put a wet soapy paper towel on the grill as it cools. It's super easy to clean after that. I also clean the outside grill as soon as the food comes off of it. It's much easier to clean while the metal is still warm.

 

I try to wipe down the kitchen and bathrooms each morning when I use them. I think I'm gonna steal the idea about keeping vinegar in the shower. It would help keep it cleaner if I kept up with it daily.

[Tammyla]

Baby wipes....I buy them in bulk and clean everything from the counters in the kitchen to the bathroom everyday. They are placed strategically in each bathroom and under my kitchen sink. I'll wipe just about anything with them from the cabinets, baseboards, doors and switches to the floor occasionally then toss em.

[Hannah]

Yes, I have my own comforter/duvet and my husband has his own. He is such a blanket hog we can't have it any other way.

 

Dh and I share a duvet. We use down in winter and a synthetic inner in summer.

 

We don't fold ours like the photograph shown. It lies flat on the bed with the pillows on top.

 

As for time-saving tips ....

 

Good organization saves time in the long-run. Having a place for everything and everything in its place really saves time when things need to be tidied or found. Decluttering on a regular basis also keeps things simple.

 

Handle all paperwork once only. Read it, deal with it, toss it or file it. You need a filing system at hand to do this effectively.

 

Have the kids do small chores as soon as they are able. It takes a bit of time to train them, but in the long run it is absolutely worth it.

 

Save on sock sorting time by having multiple sets of the same socks for each person. I've standardardised to black socks as I wear mostly dark pants and jeans in winter.

 

Do things "as you go along" like cleaning dishes while cooking, cleaning the bath, basin or shower immediately after using it, and taking trash and loose items out of the car as you get out. Teach the children that the chore is part of the routine.

 

We don't have this option where we live, but my sister saves a lot of time grocery shopping online and having things delivered. In their area the delivery costs is about the same as gas to the store. It also means that she does not have any impulse buys.

[Marylou]

I have a basket on my baker's rack in my kitchen/office area. If I don't have time for the mail (read/sort/toss, etc.) when I bring it inside, I place it in that basket. Warning: do not make this a huge basket! When the kids are in bed and I have time/quiet, I open and take care of what I want (saving the rest for another quiet time :001_smile:). If I'm going to be waiting in a doctor's office or car repair place, etc. I take the whole basket and open/read things there. Warning: do not throw things away in public that have your name/address/personal info on them!

 

It is amazing how much more organized I feel staying on top of the mail! I don't envy the parents who have their kids in public/private school and get tons of letters and papers sent home. I would need another basket just for that!

 

Of course, I also recommend signing up for the stop junk mail

 

http://www.obviously.com/junkmail/

[Blueridge]

We have a wicker basket sitting beside our coffee table for library books. Also, I have lazy susan organizers in my kitchen cabinets to hold condiments and spices that are in alphabetical order. That actually saves quite a bit of time since I don't have to rummage around trying to find the thyme like I used to. I got plastic drawer organizers for the bathroom cabinet, and labeled them with the kinds of medicines and things they contain so I can locate a band aid when I need one.

[PCA]

A question for those that use duvets......

 

I use duvets too but also use a top sheet. If you dont use a top sheet, do you wash your duvet cover EVERY week? Those things are so hard to put on, I cut down on washing mine so frequently by using a top sheet.

 

Just wondering what you all do.

[stripe]

(That's why I like sheets.)

[Stacia]

My dh & I share a duvet. But, that's about to change because we're planning to get a smaller one for each of us. (I like a heavier blanket than he does.)

 

When it's really hot, I'll sometimes use the duvet cover w/out a duvet inside of it -- so it's basically like having a sheet only.

 

I wash the duvet cover every other week. I will flip the cover on the bed, though, so we end up using both sides equally during that time (if that makes sense). They are a bit of a pain to put on but someone once told me an easier (?) way -- at least it seems easier to me. I turn the cover inside out & lay it flat on the bed. I lay the duvet on top of it. I clip the corners of the duvet to the duvet cover using these clips. Then, I flip the whole thing inside out. I find that to be a pretty fast & easy way to do it.

 

We have quite a few duvet covers. They're very affordable at Ikea.

[Rosie_0801]

A question for those that use duvets......

 

I use duvets too but also use a top sheet. If you dont use a top sheet, do you wash your duvet cover EVERY week? Those things are so hard to put on, I cut down on washing mine so frequently by using a top sheet.

 

Just wondering what you all do.

 

It's not hard really. You turn the cover inside out, put your hands into the corners, grab the corners of the doona (Aussie for duvet, it seems) and get someone to pull it over into the right way. Give it a shake and voila! I can do single sized doonas myself, but it is easier if dh helps with the doubles. Done in two seconds flat!

 

:)

Rosie

[Hannah]

doona (Aussie for duvet, it seems)

 

What a great word! It sounds cuddly.

Edited May 20, 2009 by Hannah
Typo that I just can't let go of..

[Amber in AUS]

We are doona users here too but we also do top sheets and sometimes extra blankets. Depends how cold it is. Yep, doona's are cuddly

 

For time savers i try to cook in bulk where possible for things like Spaghetti Bolognese, do double batches of cakes and freeze one, grocery shop once a week and make a menu plan before you go (work out how many loaves of bread and how much milk so you really wont need any extra trips during the week). Do a really thorough room clean once per month and maintain for the rest of the month. Depending on the size of your house that might be a couple of rooms per week to really clean. Clean the shower while you are in it. Limit your TV or net time to make yourself a little more time. Try not to procrastinate on things, make a decision and go with it.

 

HTH