What efficiency tips do you have that make you feel you're winning at life

[DangleDonkey]

Just that really - what things do you do/ habits do you have that make you feel really productive or efficient?

For me,

• a bottle of water and a little gym towel (which comes in handy so often for wiping the windows, wiping hands etc) that I keep in the car, plus a few self care bits like lip balm and a nail file that stay in there
• keeping a pencil inside whichever book I'm reading for making notes in the margins
• when I'm packing a bag, always making a point to note which pocket I've put my phone charger, medication, purse etc so I don't have to scrabble around for them
• buying 2 or 3 shampoo/ hair mousse/ packs of nappies at a time so when I think I've run out, I actually haven't!

Interested to hear any other tips!

Great tip! Thank you!

I really love your first of the month idea Notanotherboxoffrogs there’s a gre ast simplicity to it. Do you do it on the day itself or nearest weekend?

I tend to do bed linen and towels more frequently but windows and oven and curtain cleaning a lot lot less often than you! 😆

Asking chat gpt to make me a weekly meal plan with shopping list. I get shopping paralysis about food choices so has been perfect for us!

Small things to add:

Once a week I put my supplements / vitamins into a weekly pill box so I don't have to faff about every morning.

I use Microsoft To Do app and share with DH to create lists, tasks, shopping lists, reminders. This is a big help. We can both see what's been done as we go.

Chop salad for lunches for 3 or 4 days and put in a tub in the fridge so we don't have to prep daily.

Nope, just finish showering and spray it on while the shower is wet

@Shoelaceheaven The bed is changed twice a week normally but if the first of the month falls between the bed changes (usually a Monday and Friday) then it gets a new set of bedding - same with the towels. I don't go a month between washing towels and bedding.

This is the first of the month unless I am going to be away for a few days, if so then it gets done before I go away so have a nice clean house to come back to.

Floors get swept, hoovered, and mopped daily or every other day so not mentioned in this list. The sides get a brief wipe-over on a daily basis but this is the deeper clean like moving appliances and cleaning around underneath.

Fill the kettle before going to bed so it just clicks to boil in the morning

2 bins and a caddy in the kitchen - one general waste/recycling and the caddy for food scraps and empty to outside bins once a week so inside bins are never full

Absolutely everything goes into my Google calendar 📆
** Birthdays / Anniversary
** Date nights
** Appointments
** Functions / Clubs
** Household tasks
** Phone/video calls with family

Like others above a small bag in my handbag - I use a pencil case. It has tweezers, aspirin, paracetamol, ibuprofen, omeprazole, immodium, glucose tablets, plasters, and alcohol wipes. It's almost flat but has so much stuff in it.

Notes app on my phone to take note of all sorts of things as I think of it - set to send to myself for later in the evening when I have time to deal with it

Cooking double portions - taking the extra portion before serving the meal - if it's left to remove at the end, there isn't always enough. Labelling everything and list on the front of the freezer by shelf

As soon as I receive a school newsletter with dates of events, parents evening, upcoming own clothes day etc. I put all the dates on my work's Outlook calendar and colour code for each child. I look at that calendar multiple times a day so it's a great way to remember what the kids are up to that week.
I also sort child care for the next school holidays soon after one has ended.

You're my hero. I'm definitely stealing this idea! 😂

Pure genius.

I have a handbag pouch too - the one in the link. But I tend to have large handbags.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Multi-Compartment-Handbag-Organiser-Cosmetics-Toiletries/dp/B07NS6K1TB/ref=sr_1_5?crid=TA6LDC7G40GH&keywords=handbag%2Bliner&qid=1683435386&sprefix=haandbag%2Bliner%2Caps%2C135&sr=8-5&th=1

A tip from my mother, who always insisted on shopping on a Saturday - pack the white wine with the frozen food so it is chilled when you get home.

Not exactly a tip but I have a second fridge n the living room full of drinks. It started because I had a mini fridge from when I lived in hospital accommodation but when I moved to where there was a full sized fridge I started using it for drinks.

It means if someone gets a drink and doesn't close the fridge properly the food doesn't spoil.

Wear two watches, one on each wrist.
Saves vital seconds looking at the wrong wrist.

Prince William does this.

You can make real porridge with milk in the microwave. It takes 2 minutes, how is it easier to use dried milk and then hot water?

@saveforthat it's just quicker and less faff on busy mornings. Boiling the kettle and pouring water into a pre-prepared mug as opposed to spooning out oats, adding milk, microwaving, stirring half way, being careful it doesn't boil over etc.

I've got teens that love porridge but consider using the microwave a step too far before school 😂 so it's great for that.

And some of us don't have a microwave so thank you for the instant porridge recipe

Haven't read the full thread but @FrogsHiccups I'd love a copy of your 4 week meal plan if you are willing. This sounds genius! Ive started making a list of the meals we have each night to see how often we repeat etc.

Here's mine...

A roll of pedal bin liners in the car and wipes so we can tidy the car quickly without it becoming a big job.

Spare clothes / potty / sick bags/ blankets etc live permanently in the car.

We have a dedicated uniform / work clothes laundry basket (2 actually) and a dedicated uniform/ work clothes wardrobe (2 actually) and have 5 sets of everything so no uniform or work washing in the week we do it all at the weekend and get it all away. This has been a game changer.

Wipe one section of the bathroom a day so never need a "big clean" eg toilet one day, sink the next etc

Online grocery shopping and an app I can add things to instantly as I think of them.

Monthly or so big shop at Aldi for non perishables for the month. We are lucky to have a utility room to store things in so we buy a months worth of toilet roll, kitchen roll, cereal, crisps etc in one go which works out far cheaper than other shops

Paper diary, if it's not in my diary it doesn't happen

Family email address for any house / family related stuff so DH and I can both access it.

We swim every weekend and immediately repack swim bags as soon as everything is dry so no hunting for goggles etc the following week when we are rushing out the door.

Constantly have a charity bag on the go (it lives under the stairs) as soon as it's full it gets donated.

Milk bread eggs and orange juice from milkman. Slightly more expensive than the shop but stops the emergency running to the corner shop for a pint of milk and spending £30

School dinners, more money than packed lunch but saves time and headspace so it's worth it.

Love the first of the month plan!

Mine are:
Scissors in every room
Silver wrapping paper can be used in any conceivable gift giving occasion.

This has been a game changer for us- car bin!

Knodel Car Bin, Car Bin with... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B087L49KNB?ref=ppxpoppmobappshare

Side pockets house a pack of baby wipes and spare bin liners.

So much easier to keep inside of the car consistently clean and tidy.

@NotanotherboxofFrogs wow!!

, that's an incredible list, I wish I could be that thourgh and organised

On the back of this thread I’ve put together a 4 week meal plan. Obviously catering to my family’s tastes but may be a useful template for others. No weeknight dinners that aren’t batch cooked or take more than 20 minutes.

I made scones this weekend. Instead of using a pastry cutter, I rolled the dough into a salami shape and sliced off rounds with a sharp knife. Much faster and no having to ball up and re-roll leftover dough.

Having lost this once (which proves why I need it), I’m commenting so I can easily find it again!

I swim every day and thought I was organised taking 3 towels (hair body and one to stand on). The changing room is very small and the floor gets very wet. I saw a lady today using a shower mat, the rubber kind. Genius. I'm definitely going to do that now.

Well fair enough if you don't own a microwave but what a faff just because teens are to lazy to use one. With regard to the boling over I just use a massive bowl, the pasta kind.

I have a routine for that. You need a waterproof bag- I got mine from Amazon, I think they’re designed for stowing dirty nappies while you’re out and about- inside your big bag. But only one towel needed. Also you need to wait until you get home to wash your hair and have a proper shower- that way if you’ve worn a cap your hair is only a bit damp around the edges and can cope.

1. You need the right clothes on to start with- tracky bottoms or leggings, not jeans, tshirt and hoody not anything that creases.
2. When you retrieve your stuff from the locker, leave your shoes and socks in there.
3. Hang up costume, hat and goggles on the hook inside the cubicle door.
4. Dry self and put clothes on.
5. Wring out costume a bit, put in waterproof bag with hat and goggles.
6. Retrieve trainers and socks from locker.
7. Dry feet and put shoes and socks on.

If you do this, one towel is fine and it doesn’t even get very wet- it’s rolling your wet costume in it that gets it really wet.

Wow thanks for explaining NotanotherboxofFrogs that’s incredibly impressive! I do nowhere near as much cleaning as you but I aspire to be as efficient!

That's a good idea. I just cut the dough into triangles.