Share your best parenting time-saving hacks - £200 voucher to be won

[CeriMumsnet]

Let’s face it, parenting can be hectic so we welcome anything that helps us save time (and energy)! As the end of term approaches, Moonpig’s Group Card feature is here to take the stress out of teacher thank you cards, and to celebrate this we’d like to know your favourite time-saving tips and hacks.

• Whether it’s setting your watch 10 mins fast or packing the after school snacks the night before, post your tips and advice in the thread below to be entered into a prize draw
• One lucky MNer will win a £200 voucher for a store of their choice.

Here’s what Moonpig has to say:

“At Moonpig, we’re on a mission to spread joy to everyone from everyone! Our Group Cards are as easy as 1,2,3. Up to 50 people can add their own message to any Moonpig card. Anyone can sign anywhere in the world via a simple link and when all messages are collected their card will be sent. It’s perfect for sending your kid’s favourite teacher a ‘thank you’ from the whole class.”

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ
Insight T&Cs apply

A year planner in my hallway - filled in each January with term dates, dentist and hair appointments - then each term when the OOSH clubs start - fill those - then the whole family know what's happening - when and where

For me it's iron on name tapes for everything, and on the inside of each school shoes so it's easy to put shoes on the right feet in the morning, and less lost uniform after. PE

An online food shop with all the key items saved so it takes minutes to do every week.

And giving each child an age appropriate job to do so that we aren't trying to do everything ourselves.

Buggy packed and loaded up the night before with book bags ect, chest of drawers in living room with spare socks, hair bobbles/ brush, ect and water bottles filled night before and stored in fridge. Alarm goes off 15 mins before we leave (dd is autistic so it's mainly for her).

It looks mega controlling but setting alarms for everything in the morning keeps us on track without me yelling every 5 minutes. It's me and the kids against the phone rather than kids v me!!

We have different arrival times some days due to clubs which is why it looks particularly OTT but it keeps us moving in the right direction!

Definitely batch cooking on Sunday - 2 or 3 pounds mincemeat with lots of diced vegetables to bulk up - freeze half - they have quick healthy midweek meals - filled jacket potatoes, spag bol, lasagne and cottage pie (defrosting the second half on Tuesday evening for Wednesday.

A shoe cupboard with a shelf for each one of your household - no more looking for shoes on a school morning
Multiple sets of school uniform (buy the non iron ones) - in case you find yourself not being able to wash midweek
Make lists of the oosh clubs - and make sure you update every term

DH and I look at the calendar on a Sunday evening and make sure we know who doing school runs, pickup and taking to clubs etc each day. That way we can plan our working weeks around each other and there's no last min both tied in a meeting at pick up time

Everything in drawers rather than hung up in a wardrobe, saves a huge amount of time putting things away and still easy for DCs to sort through to choose clothes.

We keep all school uniform separate in their wardrobes in a box so they can just grab their clothes in the morning without searching.

Sort Everything the night before! Never enough time in the morning and kids won't always be cooperative when grumpy and half awake.

Putting a clock in the wall of the DC's bedroom - with smiley face stickers on the wall at 7 with a sunshine for waking up, and 9 with a moon for going to bed (I set alarms also for the morning) but it's helpful in raising their awareness of when they should be up and ready for school - I also have my google speaker with an alarm for 8:20 - with a song - as a reminder we are setting off at 8:25 -

Use your hairdryer when drying your hair to blow the dust off your blinds

Clearly noted on the calendar - each day - what clubs etc happening, also any homework due in, and whether having packed lunch or school dinner that day.

Meal planning! I notice a big difference on any weeks I don't plan in advance. Also, having the meals written on a board on the fridge stops the constant "what's for tea?" and whoever is home first can start cooking :)

Buy as many of the same colour socks as you can so you can always find a pair. I stick to stripes so I can pick mine out of the sock jungle. School socks sometimes spoil this method.

Do as much as you can the night before - clothes out, bags packed, lunches made etc.

Piece of paper on the freezer with a list of what is in there and in which drawer, with a biro also stuck on with a magnet. You have to get used to adding and crossing off everything that goes in or out but it's saved me ages of searching through to find that last chicken breast in wrapped up in foil that I swear is in there... Or wondering what the mystery package at the back is...

Freeze fromage frais tubs or tubs and put one or two in your DC's packed lunch - it helps keep everything lovely and cool for lunch time.

definitely a year planner for term dates, birthday parties, dentist appointments and reminder for things to do and places to be - it's the heart of my home

Bin the iron, nobody notices or cares about a few creases. You can spend hours ironing just for something to get stuffed in a bag/ drawer just to get creased again.

Batch cooking. Never cook 1 meal prepare extra and freeze and that's another night sorted.

Mine tip is the same as Wofpa - we don't own an iron - life is too short and it saves so much time not having one!

Use the time when toddler is in the bath to clean the bathroom.

Stop MN'ing!!