6 Time-Saving Tips for Busy Families

With your family’s busy schedule, you might worry that you don’t have enough time to do all the things you have to do and still spend time together. To help you save time in your day, try these six tips.

Make double batches of meals

On evenings where you have a bit of extra time, cook a double batch of that night’s dinner and freeze half. That way, you don’t have to worry about dinner on another, busier night – all you have to do is defrost what you’ve frozen and heat it up. Meals that freeze well include meatballs, casseroles, lasagna, and soup.

Organize your shopping list

You can save yourself some time in the grocery store by organizing your list before you go. While the specific aisles of your usual stores may differ, most of them follow a similar logic. Write out your grocery list grouped by section, such as Produce, Bread, Meat, Dairy, Canned Goods, Pasta, and Frozen. This will help you go directly from section to section in the store, and reduce the times you’ll have to return to an aisle you’ve already visited.

When running errands, plan your route

On days when you are going to run several errands in one trip, it can be quicker to plan your route beforehand. Much like the grocery store, having to backtrack can cost you valuable time. Map out where you have to go, and choose the fastest and most efficient ways to get to each location. Not only will this save time, it will also save money and gas.

Write out your weekly plan

Creating a family schedule is a good way to help keep your family organized when it comes to regular activities and events, but some families also create more focused weekly lists for everyday tasks. These weekly plans include things like grocery shopping, laundry, cleaning, and meals. Take some time at the beginning of the week to write out your weekly plan, and keep it somewhere where you can easily reference it.

Prepare for your morning the night before

For many families, the morning is the busiest time of day. There are breakfasts to make, clothes to put on, and lunches to pack. However, you can cut down on the morning rush by getting some things ready the night before. Some things you can do in the evening are: choosing your child’s clothing, washing and chopping fruit and vegetables, sorting snacks into plastic baggies, and getting any necessary jackets, shoes, and bags ready in the front hall.

Avoid complicated clothing

For most families, the amount of laundry to be washed each week can seem endless. However, you can cut down on the time and hassle involved with laundry by avoiding clothing that needs dry-cleaning or ironing. For everyday clothes, look for machine-washable clothes made of durable fabric. This can help you having to spend time and money cleaning just one or two items of clothing.

Time is a valuable commodity for most families. With our six tips, you can spend less time on errands, cooking, and chores, and more quality time with your family.