We’ve been so focused on today’s to-do list that we missed simple tweaks that can help us get a jump start on tomorrow’s to do’s. Today we’re sharing how we took a time-tested tip and made it feel much more manageable.
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Even More Ways to be Productive in a School Pick Up Line
In Episode 48, I shared a few ways to be productive while waiting in a school pick up line. Of course, these tips are useful anytime you find yourself waiting like at a doctor’s office or even at a long stop light. Today, we have a few more tips to add to the list thanks to our listeners.
- Delete photos off your phone. Thanks Amy for sharing this tip with us on Instagram. Bethany and I have both taken advantage of our downtime to do a little photo organizing! (Check out our interview with photo organizing expert, Molly Bullard, for more photo organizing tips.)
- Clean your car. Yes, your time is limited but a little goes a long way when it comes to tidying your car.
1. Start with the easy stuff by picking up trash. Have your kids pass you any trash from the back.
Wait, if you don’t have a permanent place for trash in your car stop reading this and go take care of that now! I’ll wait. You can check out my DIY trash can from this post or buy one that goes on the back of the passenger’s seat like this one.
Currently, I have a small fabric bag that hangs on a hook which is really easy to empty (and fill!).
Next step, make a pile of things to take into the house.
Now the fun part! Throw a microfiber cloth in the car (I like these). Use a little water from your water bottle and start detailing!
Yes, the driver’s side might get a little more attention than the back of the car but your car is getting detailed! If your kids are old enough, even if they’re not, start ’em young and bring an extra cloth for them to clean in the back.
- Rethink and Change your Perspective. Of course this is always easier said than done but a comment from Paula on Instagram got me thinking about school pick up in a different light. She shared how she used to park a couple blocks away so she could enjoy the fresh air and exercise.
What a change from my go-go, let’s get things done attitude! Paula’s simple comment reminded me that this is a precious time and how thankful I am that I can pick up my kids after school.
Even though I have a new perspective, we are still looking for tips! What do you do to stay productive as you wait in line? Please share! We’d love to add more ways to our list!
The Simple Act of Doing Extra
Our tip for today is not new idea but we are looking at with new eyes. In my own day-to-day grind of chores, the simple act of making or buying extra has been making my tasks a little easier without a big time expense or effort.
That is an important detail! Many times, tips that are suppose to make life simple end up being complicated and hard to do. Like making a bunch of freezer meals! Okay, maybe that’s just me who doesn’t like to spend a whole day making meals.
Yes, I have tried the 30 meals in 1 day tutorials. Yes, it took all day. Yes, my kitchen was a mess. Yes, some meals were gross. In other words, I won’t be doing it again.
When it was time to stock up my freezer again, I would drag my feet. I didn’t want to spend a whole day making meals again, ugh! So it didn’t happen.
Stocking up your freezer is an efficient way to meal prep but if you aren’t going to actually do it, it does no good. If is does work for you, awesome, but if not let’s modify the system until it does.
School Lunches
For me, the idea of making my kids’ lunches for the week ahead of time sounded dreadful, however something needed to change. The old way of me packing lunches really quick in the morning wasn’t working.
So instead of making their whole lunch ahead of time, I choose just one thing to prep each day. For example,
- One day, I might make a whole bunch for sandwiches to throw in the freeze for them to grab.
- Then the next day, I’ll make a double batch of muffins to store in the freeze (This double batch of pumpkin chocolate chip muffins is a family favorite).
- Then the day after, I can chop a whole bunch of veggies for them to include in their lunch.
Some things I bag ahead of time, some things I leave in a big container for them to grab and pack themselves.
I also get my kids involved in the prep by having them make small snack bags of larger items like pretzels, crackers or trail mix. If you let them snack as they work, they’ll happily help!
Dinners
For dinners, I follow a similar formula of focusing one thing at a time to make in bulk. Common advice to simplify cook in bulk is to make two of the same meal so you can eat one now and freeze one.
I can’t do that. What I can do is prep a whole bunch of chicken at once or roast a whole bunch of veggies for another meal. it feels so much more doable and therefore I will actually do it! I go into more details in Episode 43 on the simple meals I make and on how I meal plan in Episode 44.
Buying Extra
Now let’s talk about buying extra. Before you hop in your car and head to Costco to stock up your cabinets, that’s not quite what we mean. More stuff in your cabinets can quickly lead to a cluttered cabinet where you’re unable to even see what you have.
Let’s focus on ways buying extra can save you time without creating clutter.
- Shop for your kids’ birthday gift and Christmas gift at the same time. This can work summer, fall or even early spring birthday. Those with birthday next to Christmas are already an expert at this tip.
- When you’re out shopping for birthday or Christmas gifts, grab an extra gift or two to keep on hand for kids’ birthday parties. This saves you an extra trip to the store just for a birthday gift.
The online shoppers’ version is to create a wishlist with birthday gift or hostess gift ideas on Amazon. Now when you get an kid’s birthday invitation, all it takes is a quick push of a button. I made a idea wish list on Amazon for baby showers where I kept a list of my favorite products to have for a new baby.
- While shopping for greeting cards, think about what other events are coming up to buy cards for.
- If you do already have a stash of gifts, cards, or school supplies, shop there first.
The important part is to have a trusted space for your extras. If you can’t find the gift when you need it, than it makes no difference if you prepared ahead of time.
Automate your Stockpile
One way I avoid cluttering up my cabinets with extra toiletries or pantry items is by setting those consumables on automatic delivery. That way, I do not have to buy in bulk AND another item will come right when I’m about to run out.
I personally use Target’s Subscriptions service. Amazon also has Subscribe and Save. With both services, you receive an email ahead of time where you can edit your order or skip the delivery and you can cancel anytime.
It did take a little bit of tweaking to get the timing of the shipment right. However, in case I ever mess up an order, Target has free returns so there is nothing to lose!
Making it work for you
Have you thought of a way you already buy or make extra? What routines do you have that your future self thanks you for?
Have you ever tried a time saving strategy that didn’t work for you? Are you able to tweak it in some small way to fit your working style better?
Hopefully, an idea to make a simple change in your own life, even if it is just a microchange! It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Make it work for you!
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