We all wish there were more hours in the day and more days in the week because sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you’re constantly playing catch-up and there’s always an endless list of things to do. If, like most people, you find yourself continually out of time and have no idea how to fix it, here are time-saving home hacks that could free up some extra time and give you a bit of breathing room.
1. The Night Before
Mornings are typically a blur, especially if you have children to get up and ready as well as yourself. Rather than running from pillar to post every morning trying to find socks, pack multiple lunches and get out the door on time, prepare yourself the night before. It takes a maximum of 15 minutes to get everyone’s clothes ready and compiled and to make lunch for everyone, too. This will mean you don’t have to waste precious time in the morning trying to find clothes from the laundry basket, nor do you need to worry about realising you don’t have enough bread for everyone’s sandwiches and scrambling to try and find something else in the back of the cupboard.
2. Automate Everything
The beauty of the modern day is that almost everything can be automated. From turning your heating on whilst still at work to setting up standing orders and not having to spend five minutes per bill that is due – there’s not much that can’t be made automatic. Everything that is done automatically will inevitably free up time elsewhere, and whilst you might not instantly have an hour a day back, the time will eventually add up.
3. Colour Catchers
How much time, detergent and energy do you waste separating out your washing into darks, whites and colours? The answer is probably a lot, but you needn’t! Rather than doing several washes and adding time on to the washing schedule, throw everything in together with a colour catcher. It will catch running dye and protect your clothes from getting discoloured, not to mention you will spend considerably less time sorting piles.
If you’re apprehensive, try washing brand new items separately to get the majority of the loose dye out. After a couple of washes, a colour catcher will be sufficient and there will be no need to worry.
4. Garden Tips
Gardens can greatly impact how people view your house. No one wants to look out and see a messy space, but when there’s so much indoors to do, keeping on top of outdoors too can be an uphill struggle. If you’re finding that you routinely do not have enough time to mow the lawn and keep it looking in tip top shape, why not consider fake grass for your garden? It looks great all year round, it doesn’t generate mud so you’ll be spending less time cleaning floors, and it’s suitable for every member of the family, pets included.
5. Batch Cook
Cooking dinner every single day can take up a large chunk of your evening, especially when you think about the time it takes to clean the pots and pans afterwards. There will be occasions when you don’t have the time to stand for half an hour every day to cook and then spend another half an hour tidying. There’s nothing wrong with ready meals or takeaways every now and then, but if you’re always battling against the clock, think about cooking in bulk. You can make a big batch of Bolognese or curry and freeze some for later in the week, giving you a healthy meal in next to no time.
Summary
These are just five time saving hacks to help you win back a few hours of your week. Will you be trying any?