We’re pleased to announce that the new bumGenius Freetime all-in-one style cloth diaper has arrived at the Cotton Babies warehouse! Preorders are beginning to ship as they arrive to us. The Cotton Babies staff are beginning to look like children waiting for Santa each time a new truck arrives. We just can’t wait to open the boxes to see what new products have arrived!
To enter today’s blog giveaway for your chance to win one of the new bumGenius Freetime cloth diapers, share your favorite time saving tip! It can be about cloth diapering, laundry, organization or anything in between. We all could use a little more free time, so share your tip and maybe pick up a new one from someone else by reading the comments below.
Eligible entries must be posted no later than midnight Central time, Wednesday, December 14, 2011. U.S. Residents only. Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary to win. Winners will be drawn at random on Thursday, December 15, 2011 and notified via e-mail. (Please make sure Cotton Babies staff can see your e-mail in your comment or through your Blogger profile page.) Please note, prize may not arrive before the holidays.
About the Author
Heather is mom to four, born within 40 months (single, twins, single). She writes transparently about her chaotic household to encourage others through the twists and turns of parenting.
Comments
402 Comments
We babywear while doing our chores/ daily routines done. This allows us to get that cuddle time in while building a beautiful bond with our baby. Not to mention a little work out with the extra weight we carry around
To save time, I keep files of the meals I cook on a regular basis, with the ingredients of each listed. I rotate through these based on what is on sale that week, what the season is, etc and when I sit down to make out my grocery list for the week I pull the cards and my list is right there. I only have a babysitter two hours a week to go grocery shopping, so I need to be organized so I don’t have to take the kids in with me throughout the week for a couple of things here and there.
I write out my grocery list in order by aisle that way I never have to backtrack in the store.
ykatrina at hotmail dot com
After washing my diapers I like to pre-adjust the rise and stuff them so I don’t have to worry about it when its changing time.
I don’t un-stuff my pockets before throwing them in the pail — the inserts usually come out in the wash!
I have three separate laundry bins where I toss darks, whites and colors as they get dirty. It saves me time not having to separate laundry and can wash loads as they get full.
I also pack the diaper bag and set outfits out the night before that way in the morning, we can just get up and go.
My baby loves playing in the clean diapers when they come out of the dryer (I don’t know why, but I’m okay with that!) so I time my diaper laundry to be dry in the late afternoon/early evening (i.e., when he is most fussy and demanding and in need of attention). I take it the living room, dump it out, and he burrows in the clean laundry as I slowly stuff diapers and put them away. He’s happy when he usually wouldn’t be, and I get a chore done!
I like to stuff & fold my dipes ahead of time and stack them in the changing table so they’re ready to go as we need them throughout the day. Also cloth wipes save a lot of time & money!
Rec_melinda@hotmail.com
My son goes to bed at about 7:30 every night. I spend about thirty or forty minutes (sometimes more sometimes less depending on how my day has gone) cleaning my kitchen and living room. Then first thing the next day I have a fresh start and I can really focus on my little guy.
I multi-task: I spend time playing with my son, letting him pull the laundry out of the basket, and as he lets go of it, I fold it and put it out of his reach. He gets time with Mom; I get the laundry folded.
Grace D., goodgracious at juno dot com
I try *really* hard not to go on the computer before going out somewhere. If I go on the computer, I lose track of time and *always* seem to be late. LOL. :-p
I also always have the diaper bag packed and ready to go. And while my daughter is napping, *I* get all ready to go. Then when she wakes up, all I have to do is feed her and change her, and we’re off! 🙂
Love, LOVE the new Freetime. Would love to have more in our stash! 😀
Time saving tip: I get the children’s pajamas and night time diapers set in advance, ready to go a few days at a time. It makes bath time and bed time much easier with 2 year old twins.
I used the crock pot to prep dinner last night. Today when I got home from work, I had so much extra time I didn’t know what to do with it!
I pre-sort my laundry into color-coded pins in the laundry room so I can do each load as they fill up, and I do my diaper laundry overnight since I use a very long cycle for them.
I get up and get things done before baby wakes up, ALOT easier to do when you dont have to worry about a grouchy baby, plus you get it done in half the time! krunchykandygoodness@gmail.com
filling my car up the day i get paid, no running to gas stations at 5 am before work no more! sbxno1fan@gmail.com
i prepare dinner for the next day at night if i can while baby is at grannys house. agraves291024@gmail.com
I go grocery shopping BEFORE work, it takes about 30 minutes and store my “cold” stuff in my work fridge! ilovemyfamily101112@yahoo.com
All kid shoes live in the car – then I don’t have to worry about finding them!
madelinemiller at gmail dot com
My tip is that I keep to a schedule, it really helps now that i have a little one. On certain days i do certain cleaning tasks and cook certain dinners. californiababylove@yahoo.com
when my diapers are dry i snap all the inserts, snap all the rises on them then stuff and put away..basically a one man assembly line lol
clothdiapermomma924@gmail.com
I stuff all my pocket diapers as soon as they are dry. Also, making double batches of meals like chilis and soups is great too!
amandagerber@yahoo.com
I keep two laundry baskets, one is lined with PUL fabric bag for diapers inserts preseparated from cover so that laundry day is a quick toss of diapers and pul bag into washer.
haily.goodman at gmail.com
my time saving tip is is to wash diapers while i’m in the kitchen working. this way when one cycle is done i’m ready to start the next cycle. less time spent washing diapers when you stay on top of it,
I don’t bother folding my prefold Econobums diapers. I have them all piled in a pretty basket in the living room. That way I can just pluck out a new prefold as needed.
Address: Claire.beagle@gmail dot com
I keep a “To-Go” pack in my purse. It has a cloth diaper, wipes, crackers, and extra pacifier, for those times when I need to run out to the store.
I keep a list of all of my common dinner recipes and their ingredients. When its time to make my weekly grocery list, I pick from my list. This way I can easily decide whats for dinner during the week, and what I will need to make it.
I bring my 13 month old in the shower with me to save time and so I can a shower before naptime at 1:00
I bring my 13 month old in the shower with me to save time and so I can a shower before naptime at 1:00
I always use my 5 budha bunz dryer balls when drying my diapers to save time and money! 🙂
i clean the bathroom while dinner is in the oven after my husband gets home so he can watch the baby. dsasms1011@gmail.com
My tip is using the crockpot! I bought a crockpot cookbook and throw everything in the crock pot in the morning and let it cook all day.
beckyboo1467@yahoo.com
When we go grocery shopping we make our list by isles so we can go in and out quickly as possible
hawks022984@hotmail.com
Not too clever or uncommon, but to save time I usually wash diapers at night so they can be dry in the morning! I also keep a diaper bag in the trunk with emergency outfits, blankets, and diapers. Mallorytallman@gmail.com
In order to save time, we ALWAYS meal plan on Saturdays and do only one grocery trip a week. Before we did this, we would be deciding at 5:30 what to eat for dinner and then would still need to go get it and cook it. Ugh. This is our lifesaver.
voskuil.s @ gmail.com
I actually schedule free time into our day. With a full and busy household there is always something to do, but we all (mommy too) need some free time!
I make sure that the kids are on a schedule and my bag is always packed with daieprs wipes, and few other things for out the door fast
My favorite time saving tip is to have laundry going all the time while I am doing everything else. It seems like I always have dirty laundry so instead of having a laundry time I just always have a load running!
sabrina radke
sradke1024 at gmail dot com
Mulitasking! Cooking baby’s cereal while emptying the dishwasher, cooking diner and folding laundry, folding/stuffing diapers while watching t.v. and hanging with hubby(and getting him to fold wipes)
I wash my diapers at night after baby is in bed. Then hang them up using pant hangers. Then the next morning they are dry and ready to go. I don’t have to sit around waiting on them and I have a fresh batch the next morning.
silverpoptab@hotmail.com
My favorite time-saver is to get things ready the night before. Pack whatever bags I’ll need, lay out clothes, etc. The fewer decisions I need to make in the morning, the better!
When we take off our socks we cuff them together and they go in the laundry pile together, then before I put them in the washer I separate them so when they come out of the dryer there are no missing socks, every sock has a match! Saves tons of time searching for a matching sock that just isn’t there.
I try to make sure i make all my meals for the next day during nap time so that when my kids are awake i dont have to worry about them getting fussy before the meal is ready. It also helps if you are out of the house a lil to long the next day b/c dinner is already done all you have to do is heat and serve.
We have a basket of all the cloth diaper supplies, so there is no need tp hunt anything down for a diaper change.
To save time at my house each night I set out clothes for my me and my children to wear the next day. I also have before and after school checklists for the kids. The lists include things such as making lunch, getting important papers out of their back packs, brushing teeth, etc. trishabear 1970 (at) yahoo (dot) com
I make a grocery list based on the aisles at the grocery store. It saves time at the store because I can skip aisles I don’t need anything in and I can go quickly through the rest of them because I know I won’t miss anything.
popita624 at gmail dot com
My time saving tip is invest in a laundry sorter. All laundry is sorted when you get ready to wash.
amanda dot aynes at gmail dot com
I was always forgetting about the laundry and it would take forever to do because by the time I remembered, it could have been dried! LOL So, I bought a timer to keep in the room I am in to go off at the approximate time the washer is done so I can immediately get the clothes into the dryer…this has saved time and gets laundry done quicker!
gr812_2000 at yahoo dot com
During the week my biggest time saver is to make 2 big meals on Sunday. This lets us eat leftovers for a good chunk of the week, minimal clean up and allows us family time!
I pick up all the clutter daily before I go to bed. That way it never gets out of control and takes 5 or 10 minutes a day to clean up instead of hours on the weekend!
My main way of saving time right now is cosleeping. With my first I would struggle to get him to sleep every night- sometimes taking an hour or more, only to wake up 2 hours later to feed him. Now that I beds hare, my 2nd goes to sleep right away, and when he gets hungry in the middle of the night I barely wake up. It saves so much sleep time! We are both happier and my milk production is much better because I get to sleep!
Brownch6athotmaildotcom
I freeze leftovers so that I have quick meals on nights when time is running short.
I’d like to think that I save time with a lot of my lazy tricks (like throwing stuff at the bottom or top of stairs to all be taken at once, but honestly these tricks don’t get followed through with and end up causing a messier house. I think that I really need to read through everyone’s tips on this one!
Now that dd is older, she takes a shower with mommy. She gets to play while mommy is washing & mommy gets to get clean without having a head pop in every 2 minutes asking if she’s done!
Tvpg at aol dot com
We sold a car and transitioned to being a “one car family”. It might sound counterintuitive as a time-saving strategy, but we spend so much less time juggling baby gear between cars and maintaining an extra car that it really does save time! It also forces us to plan our errands more efficiently, whether we use the car or the stroller. And if we use the stroller, we can manage to combine a grocery trip with a long walk and skip the gym. It is a win-win!
kellanbeale at gmail dot com
Each child has a separate hamper. This way I don’t ever have to check the tag for size when folding and putting away — I know the whole basket belongs to one person! (This is especially helpful when you have several boys in a row, and their pants and dress shirts all look the same!).
My best time saving tip is to do the dishes and laundry at the same time, so you can get it all done at once!
jennifercausby at hotmail dot com
I try to do a load of laundry each day so that it doesn’t pile up and become a big chore at the end of the week.
lilydom76 at msn dot com
I have twins so I always have to pack double in the diaper bag. To save time I always repack the diaper bag as soon as I get back from an outing that way if I ever have to leave in a hurry the last thing I have to worry about is the diaper bag.
I’ve given up folding my diaps and just shove them in a drawer. Now that I have two in cloth I find this saves me a LOT of time (mostly because my 20 mo old likes to open the drawer and pull them all out!)
I used to fold my family’s clothes after they were clean then one day I realized that most of the clothes get hung up and there was not point to folding. I have 2 girls and 2 boys. The girls share a room and he boys share a room. I now stack the clothes. So I lay them flat and make a girl stack and a boy stack because they are going to the girl closet or boy closet anyways. So now I save time not having to sort or fold, so I take out those 2 extra steps. The only time I fold something is if it is going into a drawer.
lindseyweisbruch (at) yahoo (dot) com
when doing any sort of cooking, i clean as i go. i also sort my silverware in the dishwaser so when its done i can just grab a handful and stick it in the drawer.
Pulling inserts from diapers when I change them and stuffing them as I pull them from the dryer or clothesline.
I always lay out my clothes, the munchkins clothes and pack the diaper bag the night before so we don’t run behind in the morning! I also started planning my meals for the week, i save so much time by not wandering around the kitchen trying to decide what to cook!
I put up a dry erase board in our laundry room (which is on my way out the door to the car) and off to the right side of the board is a running grocery list that I asked my husband to write down anything that he uses up (ex, if he finishes a box of cereal) that we need more of so that I know we need it without him having to remember to tell me before I head out for groceries again. Also, I keep a running grocery list on my phone, so I always have it with me at the grocery store.
I love my DVR! I always either record my show and then fast forward through commercials (which saves 10-15 mins. on an hour episode) or I pause during commercials and switch the laundry or load/unload the dishwasher.
Sarah
Rennersa9@gmail.com
I clean the bathroom while the kids are in the tub! 🙂
I am in a freezer meal group that gets together once a month. Everyone assembles one meal and you go home with a whole month’s worth of meals in one night! It makes for a long night, but saves so much time the rest of the month!
I try to plan meals for the week before I go to the grocery store and organize ingredients on my shopping list by location in the store. It saves me from making multiple trips, as well as wandering around the store when I forget something! (kaoc812 at gmail dot com)
Meal planning is key along with some bulk meal prep. DH and I discuss meals over brunch on the weekend. We then do as much meal preparing as possible and often double recipes and freeze for a few weeks down the road.
1) Cloth wipes – Why not wash a little extra and not have to spend the time sorting trash from washable?
2) Placing everything I may need for the night in the middle of the bed – diapers, wipes, burp cloth, etc.
There are lots of good tips here already. I like to make freeze my cookie dough a few weeks before Christmas. That way I only have to bake them a day or two before our family gatherings.
I prep the food for dinner in double quantities (2x the recipe) and divide the whole batch into four containers–one for that night (we usually only eat half a recipe), and three ziploc bags. I freeze the three and then have meals that just need to be heated (soups, chilis, spaghetti sauce, assembled but uncooked casseroles, and ziti/lasagnas work well). taralrobbins *(at)* hotmail
i have a lot!!! my favorite top two would be my goal/cleaning list for the week helps me stick to getting things done and leaves me time to spend with my precious loves!!! And i get my kiddos milk poured into glasses the night before and put them in the fridge so there is NO melt downs in the morning while I’m still in a “daze” trying to make breakfast 🙂
This comment has been removed by the author.
I always stuff diapers and fold cloth wipes as soon as they are done in the dryer so they are ready to go when I need them. Artist series get double stuffed for overnights, solids for daytime and flips go in the diaper bag.
carolynsoke@hotmail.com
The best time saver I for me is to simply wake up earlier! I get to shower and dress, have some me time, and plan out what I need to accomplish that day. Not only do I get more done, but I have a better attitude which makes me a better mom for Lucy 3, Jane 1, and Daniel 1 month (all of whom have been or are being cloth diapered; wink wink)
I spend 15 minutes at the end of the night getting the house ready for the next day. I lay out clothes and shoes for all (4) of the kids, get sippy cups and snack bags ready for the next day, and pack up the diaper bag so we’re ready to go.
I try to save time by doing laundry at night time so that at least one cycle can run while I am sleeping. 🙂
To feel like I have more time, I take “me time” first. When my daughter goes down for a nap, I take the first 15 or so minutes to do what I want to do then I use the rest of the time to do chores or work or whatever needs to be done. It doesn’t technically give me more time but it feels like I have more time because I’m happier ; )
We organize everything . It comes out of the drawer exactly as it needs to go on
I always keep a stocked diaper bag, plus a bag with a few extras (jackets, socks and shoes, snacks/drinks), in the car. That way we’re always ready to go and only need to get dressed and out the door in the morning. I also like to prep for multiple meals ahead of time, including lunches and snacks, so that it’s easier to cook healthy meals.
My extra time saving tip is to clean as you go. Don’t wait until the end of the day to clean. I know easier said than done. Trust me. I wish I was better at this, but some days I am better than others.
mummytocharis[at]yahoo[dot]com
I find that I like to do all my laundry in one day, folding each load as I go, separating each drawer into piles. That way I only put away laundry once. I wash diapers as needed during the week.
I shower at night and get everything ready for the next day. My son would love this diaper.
Fuzzy2424 at gmail dot con
hmm good time saving tip (when I remember to do it) is to clean the bathroom while you are giving the little ones a bath.
I always pack our lunches when I am putting away the dinner leftovers. Not only does it make clean up quicker but then I have free time to play with my 6 month old son before he goes to bed.
I pre-pack most of lunch supplies in baggies, so making lunches is a matter of collecting baggies of veggies, pretzels, cookies, etc. Also, when I make a casserole, I double it and put one in the freezer for a quick meal later.
Brooke
brooke dienberg at yahoo dot com
Hang diapers to dry whenever possible – this helps them to last longer and stay looking nice and new.
jdeemarie @ gmail.com
I like to keep empty hangers together and on laundry day I take them downstairs to hang up shirts as soon as they come out of the dryer. It keeps them from wrinkling, and it keeps me from having all of my laundry sitting in the basket for days because I hang up the stack and I’m done. If I can manage to fold my pants downstairs, too, I just shove them in the drawer and I’m done. Why this is so hard to accomplish upstairs, I’ll never know 😉
I get everything for the kids ready the night before. I lay out clothes, make lunches etc. Saves us a ton of time in the morning.
My newest time saving tip has to do with our new bedtime routine: My 15 month old daughter is starting to fall asleep on her own in her crib, but prefers that I’m rocking in the glider while she dozes off in her crib. So I make sure my clean cloth diapers are sitting by the glider and I stuff them while she falls asleep. I can easily do it in low light, and it crosses something off my to do list so I can enjoy adult time once she’s asleep. Fabulous.
I always need more time in the morning to get ready and out of the house on time.. the tips I have to help me do that is do as much as can be done the night before.. plan out outfits, pack lunches, load the car with certain items or sit them by the door and back all bags with what can be prepacked!
fmgrice2(at)yahoo(dot)com
My time-saving tip is to do all the laundry in on day every two weeks. This way I don’t feel like the laundry is never done and the entire house knows it laundry day so we get all the clothes take care of. Of course that doesn’t include the every other day diaper laundry, but I don’t count that 🙂
I do one load of clothing laundry every day. I put them in the wash at breakfast, in the dryer at lunch and then after the kids are in bed hubby helps me fold and put them away. This way it takes minimal time during the day and it goes much faster when I have help to fold!
My time saving tip is for everyone in the family to have a different tote in the bathroom so we each just pull out our own when we need something. Saves time trying to find what you need and saves the bathroom from being a mess.
When I can’t get a shower in before my Little Bug wakes up, I just bring her in with me! I put her in her little tub on the floor of the shower and wash her after I wash me. I love it because it means no more nighttime baths (which always seemed to energize my Bug, not calm her down).
My time saving tip? Oh, I’m terrible at saving time. That’s why I need this diaper! 🙂 I make myself lists and STICK TO THE LIST otherwise I get distracted and never get anything done!
Here, the laundry is sorted into the appropriate hamper (one for whites, one for towels, one for jeans, one for…) as it comes off the person rather than thrown into one single collective basket. We have six tall hampers that are lined up side by side in the bathroom, each labeled. This makes for sorted laundry with little effort and saves time. When laundry day rolls around I just grab the hamper of clothes and toss the contents into the washer.
I let my one-year-old “help” me stuff and fold diapers. Sure, she’s usually undoing something I’ve just done, but it keeps her occupied and I can actually get them done!
I do work on my smart phone while I am nursing.
Saffroncapson@gmail.com
Do dishes right after dinner or at least before bed, otherwise you lose momentum and they can end up sitting for days.
Pre-set the washer the night before to wash a load first thing in the morning that way the hubby can advance it or hang it outside before he heads off to work.
I get as much done at night as I can for the next day: pick out clothes, pack diaper bag, plan meals, etc… The fewer quick decisions I have to make, the better; that way I have more time to deal with the unexpected things. Also, pre-stuff and fold diapers and put them away in a very organized way to make things easier for everyone!
I fold/stuff diapers while watching tv. It makes it go quickly! (ElizabethTClements@yahoo.com)
My biggest time saver is making large batches of baby food and freezing it in ice cube trays. Once they freeze I transfer them into freezer bags. Then I just grab a couple cubes of whatever veggie/fruit baby will have! I also grind lg batches of rice or oatmeal and make about cook 3 days worth at a time and keep in the fridge! It’s turned out to be a super quick way of making healthy baby food!
I use the delay wash setting on my washer and load up laundry the night before. I set it to start early in the morning so I have a head start on things the next day.
When daylight savings time ends in November, use it as a tool to adjust your toddler’s naptime. When you change the clocks in your house, keep one on “toddler standard time” (i.e. don’t change it), and stick to your normal schedule using only that clock. Your toddler will think he’s going to bed at his regular bedtime, but you suddenly have an extra hour all to yourself every evening. You can get stuff done, exercise, or just relax. Since this happens in the fall, the daylight hours are getting shorter and your toddler is more likely to sleep in. The next few days, wait an extra ten minutes each day to get your toddler out of his room in the morning. The end result; you get an extra hour at night, but only have to get up twenty minutes earlier.
I cut large pieces of meat in half for smaller servings and package 2 per baggie for easy defrosting and pre-measured servings! I then try to cook a large meal at least once a week for dinner to allow for a relaxing evening of leftovers the next night. I also get things packed and ready the night before!
For grocery shopping, I make a menu, then I list the items by where they are in the store. I have a route I always go on, so I can easily do all my shopping for a few weeks in half an hour. Eat a meal before you go (fewer impulse buys), go alone, and stick to the list religiously!
My husband an I stuff diapers while we watch tv at night. That way I am not dedicating extra time solely to laundry.
flushable liners. enough said. 😉
simplymerry at gmail dot com
Instead of washing alone, prep your natural fiber diapers with baby clothes laundry or any non-diaper laundry using cloth diaper detergent.
I have eight covers for each baby and prestuff them with a prefolds and a fleece liner. Then when I change a diaper I just grab another prestuffed one. If the cover isn’t too dirty I rince it in the sink and hang it to dry. I restuff the dry covers before I go to bed so that they are ready for the next day.
freelandtr@yahoo.com
My time saving rule–never leave a room without grabbing several things from that room that actually belong in another. In this way I am constantly cleaning up and it saves me from having to do a huge clutter overhaul at the end of the day!
alicia_bartel@hotmail.com
I use the ’15 minute’ tip when cleaning and stole a tip from Rachael Ray when cooking or doing just about anything. It’s called ‘pockets of time’. In between ‘things’ that you’re doing, sneak in little chores. Like while you’re watching your food cook on the stove, go ahead and run dishwater and wash dishes between pot stirring. Unload the dishwasher while you’re waiting on the oven to heat up, or switch out laundry on commercial breaks. The 15 minute tip is to set a timer for 15 minutes and see what you can rush through and get done. You’d be surprised what you can do in 15 minutes! Works great for kids, too!
I have baskets drilled into the bathroom wall that act as the kids’ “cubbies”. We have 3 daughters and only one bathroom, so this organizational trick makes a big space saving difference for us. The girls keep extra bathroom supplies in there, as well as clothes for the next day and pajamas.
My family eat a lot of whole grains and beans. My time saving/money saving trick is to cook the whole bag at once, and then freeze in 1 cup portions. You save crazy amounts of money using dried versus canned, and the 1 cup portions are approximately the same amount in a normal can of beans. Plus, the sodium content is drastically reduced.
While cooking i do the dishes and to save time while cooking I cook both ingredients at the same time vs one after another.
I’m new to cloth but hope to have lots of super tips soon !! LOVING THIS CONTEST….ready to try new things !! I have lots of time saving tips but I’m a mom of three in diapers so I always looking for more. Here is one of my FAVORITES i hope some of you can apply at your homes : we have a big screened outside porch with my kids toys, toys and more toys also a outdoor table ~it gets rather dirty and dusty out there especially after a good rain so i like to take the leaf blower and open the door and blow everything out (I don’t have to really move any toys they get blown clean also.)……this also keeps my kids from tracking/crawling anything into the house also 🙂 Angel awehlage@yahoo.com
I wash my diapers at night so that they hang dry overnight while we are sleeping…then I stuff them in the morning while the kiddos are eating breakfast. Saves me the time of waiting for diapers to dry during the day 🙂
MarianneFEdwards@hotmail.com
I plan slow cooker meals for the nights my daughter has after school activities. That way, we can eat right away when we get home from the activity instead of having to cook dinner.
i plan my meals on sunday and grocery shop using my recipes. then, i make a list and stick in on the fridge so i know what meals i’m making what night and can take out what i need!
Like Selena, I set my clock 20 minutes ahead – and my alarm 45 minutes earlier than required. Some days I get out of bed early, others I get to treat myself to rolling over.
orthimnas gmail (dawt) com
I keep a monthly calendar up in the kitchen, right next to the fridge to keep the whole family organized.
I always grocery shop with a list divided up in the different sections of the grocery store so I don’t have to run back and forth in the store if I missed something. (have all the dairy together, fruits and veggies, etc) tamisuelogsdonatgmaildotcom
We have 3 different diapers, one for day, one for nap and one for night time. We also pre stuff them when a load is dry, this way we never have to waste time putting them together while a naked toddler gets away from us.
I can get a lot done when I set a timer for 5 minutes and pick up non-stop. Maybe it’s the thrill of a time crunch…
ok …I have a couple tips hopefully someone can use …….I’m new to cloth so I don’t have any great tips YET !!!! But I like to stuff my purse with little junk so the kids always have something to look to keep them busy if needed, also I like to take all my paperwork with me in case I get ‘stuck” somewhere i can catch up. When I was pregnant i loved going to the doctor because i got everything done without feeling guilty about taking away from family time. We have a big outside screened porch with all kids of kids toys and table (it’s gets dusty and dirty ALOT) so what I love to do is get the leaf blower and open the door and turn it on and just blow out everything …..this way my kids outside toys get dusted and they won’t track anything into our house !! So excited for this contest and to read the others 🙂
angel
I like freezer cooking. I make easy to defrost things like meatballs or chicken nuggets when I have time and then when I’m in a hurry to get dinner on the table I can just pull them out
Above comment by, Melissa belongs to majacobs@piercedmedia.com
My best time saving tip is to make a list. Every project goes faster if you have direction in a step-by-step.
Jutta Pearce
juttaGesiele@hotmail.com
I try to make dinners that I can make ahead of time so I can just pop them in the oven and worry about other things.
The best thing I ever did was to start a laundry schedule, with a large family (6 kids, plus my husband and myself) makes for a LOT of laundry! Now we do laundry everyday of the week, usually 2 loads per day, Girls laundry on Monday, Boys on Tuesday, Sheets and towels on Wednesday, mine and my hubby’s on Thursday, Friday and Saturday are for catch-up and Sunday is off. Also makes it easy to get my diapers washed, because there is alway an empty washing machine at the end of the day. 🙂 This is much better then the old schedule of 10 loads of laundry on Monday. haha!
We pre-sort all of our laundry. Different hampers for different loads saves us tons of time, and it doesn’t take any longer to put clothes in the correct hamper. Plus it’s easy to just quickly toss in a load when we need to.
I’ve given up on make up! 🙂
When I tidy the downstairs, I always put things on the stairs that need to go up to the bedrooms. Then, I never go up the stairs emptyhanded. I always grab the things on the stairs and put them away!
My favorite time saver? I had twins! I saved 9 months and I always have enough dirty diapers for a load.
i try and always have a diaper bag packed 100% so I can get up and leave when needed without packing it.
I set aside a time to clip coupons and organize them alphabetically saving me tons of time at the store from having to rifle through dozens of coupons!
I keep a basket in the living room with wipes, and diapers all ready to go. Cleaning up: When I’m going into a different area of the house I’ll gather up any things that need to be put away in those rooms so I don’t have to go back and forth.
I help my wife with things and it makes things go doubly fast 🙂
I make meals at nap time, I also keep toys in the playroom instead of his room so that while he sleep I can actually clean up toys.
I saw someone else had something similar, but i keep a diaper bag packed for spur of the moment trips that way we can be more spontaneous without the rush. AlsoI put dirty diapers directly into the laundry with water to start soaking and only do other laundry (clothes, towels etc.) once a week. Skips the step of putting into wetbag and since the laundry room is the same room as my older sons potty his diaper/trainers go striat in without changing rooms.
coreybelle86 at yahoo dot com
I try to be organized. If I’m organized I know right where everything is and can grab it & go. Laundry wise I also have plastic hampers lined up to seperate cloths as they come in, a table with laundry baskets to fold & put into the correct basket as they come out. I definately menu pan to make my shopping lists as well. I pretty much leave not 1 but 2 diaper bags in the car at all times.
I recruit my hubby to help assemble diapers while we watch tv in the evening. Also I make the kids pick out their clothes the night before to save the rush in the morning.
We are usually pressed for time in the morning. I try to have diaper bags, etc. packed and by the door, ready to grab on our way out. I also try to have my clothes laid out and I have my oldest pick out his clothes the night before. He also asks me every night what I want for breakfast in the morning.
saywah_j at yahoo dot com
I do basically ALL of my laundry on one day! I set aside Mondays for laundry and get every load through. I do our diaper laundry and maybe one extra load of other laundry throughout the week. Doing the majority of the laundry on one day saves me on the amount of loads (I can fill the washer to the max) and TIME. I get everything washed/dried throughout the day and then fold everything at night while watching some of my favorite shows. Laundry is all presorted throughout the week as it comes off our bodies. No need to handle it twice!
Carrie Butcher
fantasia1117@aol.com
I have the planet wise wet/dry bag. It’s my favorite buy to save time when cloth diapering. Not only does it keep icky smells from away from the room, but it saves a lot of time when laundering the diapers. Just throw everything (bag included) into the wash and it all can stay together and keep things organized and save time! I love it and couldn’t cloth diaper without it! Email: bekaboo2003@hotmail.com
When I check the mailbox, I immediately sort out all the junk and put it into the recycling bin right then and there. It doesn’t save a whole lot of time but a few seconds does add up over a year. 🙂
tootmum(at)Yahoo(dot)com
Laundry : I work, so pr-kids getting laundry done was a challenge… now its better! Start the first round of diapers before bed. Start the second round before leaving for work. Move them to the drier when I get home, and pull them out after dinner.
#2 is due in March, so we’ll have two on diapers then. Don’t stuff until you need them, or color code so you aren’t trying to put the newborn diaper on the toddler!
Top off a diaper load with clothes that can handle the temp changes… tshirts, sheets, jeans, burp towels, etc. No need to do an extra load this way!
Buy washable clothes – so no need to go to the dry cleaners.
Meal plan – cuts down on shopping trips. Try for a couple of weeks in advance, so you can stock ip when things are on sale.
Pack leftovers in meal-sized containers… makes packing lunches faster and easier.
Load dirty dishes directly into the dishwasher – run it overnight, and unload asap.
Set out clothes and pack bags the night before. Also set up breakfast things, and have lunches packed and ready to grab from the fridge.
Basically, the more preplanning and prep you can do, the better! That way you have the time to handle the emergencies.
We sort laundry into color bins as we take it off. It saves me time on laundry day & keeps things looking tidy!
I carry baby in a baby carrier. I don’t know how I would get anything done around the house without it!
My email is habcharlene at gmail. Thanks!
Prestuffing BG dipes so I have at least 3 for nighttime.
I freeze everything! I made baby food & froze it months before my baby was eating food! I cook in large batches & then freeze! Then I can just thaw meals on busy nights (like laundry nights!) or when it’s dad’s turn to cook! Our deep freezer is stocked for us & baby!
we have a little coat cubby, and the next day’s clothes go on the top shelf of the cubby. the boys can grab their clothes and get themselves dressed. this saves mom oodles of time. 🙂 they can also put on their own coat/shoes from their cubby too.
i’d looooove to win one of these. i’ve been waiting for them to come out since i saw the launch video. 🙂 🙂 SO EXCITED!!!! thanks for such a great giveaway!
After doing diaper laundry, I take the time to stuff all of our Bum Genius diapers and fold all of our Flip organic prefolds and store them all in a nice basket. I usually put a prefold in each of our Flip covers as well. It takes a bit of time to do – but it saves time in the long run because when it’s time to change my daughters diaper, I have them all ready to go!
AS funny as this may sound, I read in the bath tub. As a college student, I have a lot of reading to do. By reading in the bath, im not only relaxed but it saves time for me 😛
iampezzy@aol.com
I always do grocery and basic house shopping late at night (husband stays with sleeping kids). No kids to distract me and no long lines at check out – things move so much faster.
jenniferbleiler at gmail dot com
My favorite time saving tip is that we keep a changing pad on the dresser behind our couch, right there in our living room. In the dresser we have all of our cloth diapers, wipes, etc. No sense going to another room, it’s very central to all the spaces we play in our house, and gets a LOT of use. Of course we have a zebra stripe cover just to make it extra cute:) We would love to try out the new freetime!!! Thanks!
I menu plan as well, I also stuff my diapers while watching tv or playing with my daughter, she loves the colors.I also keep a toy-box in my living room for quick pick up when someone is on the way over for a visit 🙂
It’s just my husband and me and our 18 mo. old daughter. Instead of cooking every night of the week, we cook 3-4 times and either make large recipes or double the recipe to make sure there is enough for lunches and a few left-over dinners a week.
I made cloth wipes. It saves me time (and $) as I don’t have to go to the store to by disposable ones. I also just wash them with the CDs.
I love to use the crockpot whenever possible. Sometimes I start dinner at 9 am and let it cook all day! This is really a great way to save time, especially when you have cranky babies around the time to make dinner! <3
I follow the “never leave a room empty-handed” rule. It keeps me tidying up all day long without it seeming like a chore!
I unstuff diapers as they go into the diaper pail, and stuff diapers while I’m chilling after dinner. Sometimes the husband even helps! Then, all the clean diapers go to the changing table in open bins, readily accessible for diaper changes.
My biggest tip would be to stuff your pockets as soon as they come out of the dryer. Yeah it’s a pain but you’ll be so thankful that you did when you have a poopsplosion on your hands (literally)!
shakeeta_feaster@hotmail.com
I keep my keys in the same spot always. Well, I started doing it this year, anyway. If my keys aren’t in that spot, it takes one minute to ten minutes extra searching for them and then getting the kids re-ready to go out the door.
I always shop with a grocery list and have it organized by aisle so I don’t end up wandering down the same aisle seven times and still forgetting to grab something.
As a mother of 5 under 7 saving time is a must. I lay out everyone’s clothes the night before. Put backpacks, folders etc in the car for school, make lunches the night before, set my coffee up, fix juice cups in the fridge, fill the diaper bag with snacks, etc. As far as keeping up on laundry I do a load at night and throw in the dryer in the morning after getting the kiddos to school in the morning. Oh and I take a bath at night before bed so I don’t have to worry about in the morning
I save time by washing my diapers while I get the kids and myself around in the mornings. I toss them in the wash when I get up, get myself around, run the 2nd wash while I get one kid around, run the final rinse while I get the other kid around. Then they get hung to dry random places around the house until I get home from work, toss ’em in the dryer for a few minutes to fluff them up and BAM diaper laundry done without taking up any of my time.
stphboyd52@gmail.com
Do as much as possible the night before. Trying to get two kids off to daycare and two adults off to work is easier when everything is ready to go.
kristensmith20 at hotmail dot com
I stuff all my dipes when they come out of the dryer before putting them away. This saves time at the at changing table. I make lists before I go in the store, so that I don’t waste time contemplating over what to buy! I hang all of the clothes as they come out of the dryer.
I cut coupons in the Sunday paper with my 3 year old – he works on fine motor skill with scissors (cutting the toy coupons) and we talk about the toys – what they are and what we would do if we had them – mommy and son time while getting one of my tasks done. I’d say that’s multitasking 🙂
My 21 month old is a slow eater, so I always do the dishes while he’s eating and I still have time to hang out with him too!
I unstuff diapers before putting them in the diaper pail and I stuff them before putting them away. Throwing them in the washer is faster and each diaper change is faster with a prestuffed diaper. I also make lists for everything. Keeps me on track when I am doing things and makes sure everything actually gets done! 🙂
We do a dinner menu plan for about a week out. Typically 3 or 4 meals are meals I previously made and put in the freezer. I spend one nap time each week prepping meals to freeze. Planning ahead my daughters snacks and lunches also helps.
katieschu04@yahoo.com
My favorite time saver is to get everything ready the night before. I pack the diaper bag, fill the sippys, lay out clothes, stuff diapers and do everything possible to make the mornings easy.
I hate to clean so I find that it helps to set myself a timer for a certain amount of time each day. The amount of time depends on how much I have to do, but usually it’s for 20 minutes. That way I plan out what I need to do most and in what order, and I hurry to get as much done as possible in my time limit. Otherwise I would be dragging my feet or getting distracted.
I have five kids that never seem to be able to find socks. I have a basket that is just sock that are folded and they know to go and find them there. So we are never in search of socks. I also fold laundry right out of dryer. It helps not having clothes back up in baskets. Rebekah Wheeler bekahjo21@hotmail.com
i ” tissue fold” my prefolds and organize them in a bin so when its time to change i just grab one and another pops up. ( like a tissue box) make changes a breeze, especially if you organize by size and type of prefold. No going through the stack looking for the one you want.
michelle-hernandez@live.com
When I fold diapers, I always put one for each of my little ones in the diaper bag on the way to their room (where the rest of them go). That way I don’t have to do it in the morning before we rush out of the house!
I save time by always having the diaper bag packed and ready to go– I have doubles of wipes spray and rash cream so there’s always one of each in the bag. And if I have used something while I’m out, I replace it when I get back in, so that if ever we are running late or need to quickly run out the door, all I need to toss in the bag is a sippy cup for my toddler. (DanaLKroh at gmail dot com)
I pre-pack everything-school bags, lunches, snacks for outings, etc. to try to make everything as “grab-and-go” as possible. If I have spare time, I pre-do as much as possible. I’m a crazy list-maker. I do certain chores on certain days. My dishwsher is loaded in a very thought-out way to make putting dishes away faster & more efficient. my husband makes fun of me but it’d be total chaos if I didn’t!
dakotaring at yahoo dot com
I wash my diapers every night. Before the boys’ last bottle, I throw them in the machine for the rinse. The machine has usually stopped by the time we are done feeding them. Then it’s on to the wash cycle before we put the boys to bed and get ourselves ready for bed. The diapers are done before we go to bed, and we hang them up on pants hangers in the laundry room each night so they’re dry in the morning for me to stuff (and only fold my new Freetimes!) while I am hooked up to the breast pump! Wish I had more Freetime diapers! I need all the free time I can get with twins!
I plan all my meals at the beginning of the month to save on shopping time!
cheryl [dot] rosado [at] gmail [dot] com
Laundry tip to save hours of time: stop folding. Nobody cares if kid clothes have a few wrinkles, nobody will see your undies, and dress clothes get hung right away. Everything else gets thrown in their drawers as-is (I do pair up socks). Wrinkles come out of t-shirts after they’ve been hanging in the closet for awhile.
The great thing about this method is that it avoids the mama meltdown which occurs when you’ve folded 5 baskets of laundry only to have a toddle walk in and undo it all!
I always fold my sheets so that the top (non-fitted sheet is inside out with the first fold straight down the middle. When changing sheets, you just unfold down to the halved sheet and put line down the middle of the bed. Voila – unfold and it’s all situated and ready to be tucked in w/o any further adjustments!
I clean after the baby has gone to bed. This way I’m not getting interrupted and I’m not backtracking to pick up after him all day.
My husband and I plan out the week’s menu in advance, so I’m able to shop for it in one go instead of multiple last-minute trips. It also helps save our grocery bill.
I taught my 4 kids from a young age to pack their own lunches. So that they got the appropraite foods I have 3 stackable bins in my pantry. One bin has bagged crackers/pretzels, drink bin – juice box/water, and sweet snack bin granola bar/nilla wafers etc. On Sundays we all work together and bag the snacks ahead of time in single serving baggies. All they need to do is make a sandwich, choose an item from each bin, and add a fruit or veggie. They kids love it because they are choosing things that they will enjoy in their lunches. I started this while they were in preschool and still do it now that they are 12, 14, 16, and 18. Great time saver for me!
douglauraneal at windstream dot net
I fold laundry while watching my favorite tv shows and then do other necessary items during the commercials.
We do 15 minute pick-ups. My son and I will set the timer, and pick-up everything we can in that time. We can usually get the vacuuming, dusting, laundry, dishes, and toys all done in that time. It’s amazing what you can do when you focus!
nikkipeachy@yahoo.com
I cook a large meal on Sundays with a whole turkey, ham, roast or other time consuming main dish then I refigerate some leftovers and freeze the rest. This way for the week ahead I have precooked meat to throw into dinner. This makes weekday dinners a breaze.
I set my clock 5 min fast but i think i need to change it to 10 min lol
kimflink26@yahoo.com
Soups! With very little effort, I can make supper as early or as late in the day as I am able and it can just sit and stew all day, just getting more and more delicious. Mmmmm!
I assign one or two chores for each day of the week, that way I always keep up and never have to spend an entire day deep cleaning.
I use my slow cooker so our meal is done when I get home from work
My time saver is to take anything that might need ironing out of the dryer and hang it before it has a chance to wrinkle. I hate ironing, so it works for me! When we stuff diapers, we also make sure to double-stuff a few and always use the same colors so we know which are for overnight. jennwillis at gmail dot com
I take my shower at night so that I’m not trying to shower and deal with making breakfast and getting kids dressed first thing in the morning. It’s nice to be able to get out of bed and put my clothes on first thing and have it over with!
I try to save time byt putting things away right when I am done using it…that way the mess is cleaned up and I don’t have to spend hours cleaning and decluttering.
a(dot)johnson.17@gmail.com
I wash the dog at the same time as washing my diapers since I have our hose hooked up in the tub to add water to my stupid front loader!!
I use a market tote or a large basket to do a quick pickup. I can make a sweep and get all the baby items together to put away, then do another for my things, and so on. It saves me multiple trips up the tapirs and keeps everyone’s things together.
I menu plan before I go to the grocery store AND I don’t bring my husband…saves time and money. Also, when I buy or make bulk snacks, I package them into snack bags before putting them away so the kids can just grab and go in the mornings.
I always have a diaper bag packed and ready to go. That way I’m not wasting time to make sure I have everything in there. It has three cloth diapers, a wet bag, spare outfits for the three youngest and it doubles as mommys purse so it has all my products I’m there. We are set to leave at a moments notice. Good for six to eight hours.
I stuff diapers while watching TV. I’d watch the tv shows anyway, so might as well get stuff done while watching!
I recently started splitting up my weekly chores(vacuuming, cleaning bedrooms, mopping, bathrooms, etc.) into 1 or 2 chores each day of the week rather than saving it all for a weekly cleaning! It’s much less overwhelming and the house stays much cleaner! 🙂 amr_81988 at hotmail dot com
When I change the sheets on the crib and toddler bed I layer 4-5 sheets with waterproof pads in-between them so that way when the sheets are soiled or need to be changed I just have to pull off the top sheet and pad and the bed is ready to go. Perfect for those night-time accidents because it only takes 30 seconds to have a clean sheet on the bed.
I pick a color, rabbit, and put extra stuffing in those to use at night. It saves me from stuffing them while he is squirming on the blanket, tired, and ready for bed. I also use them for when we are on the go so I don’t have to worry about leaks in public.
I pack up my son and husbands lunch while I’m putting away the dinner leftovers!
I always get the diaper bag or anything I need to get out of the house ready the night before.
I have meals in the freezer that I made all at once and whenever I don’t feel like cooking, I take one our and pop it in the oven or crock pot and I don’t have to worry about prep or much clean-up! I actually used one last night! I had all the ingredients for chili in a freezer bag and put it in the crock pot with a can of tomato juice in the AM and had a delish meal for my family by supper time!
Katie Lockie
I wipe down the shower walls while I an in the shower. I’d I do one wall a day it never gets dirty enough to have to spend 30min scrubbing the shower.
Same w the bathroom. After I get ready in the morning I take a cleaning rag & my spray bottle of organic cleaner and do a quick wipe down of the sink & toilet, spray a little in the bowl, & swish the toilet brush around & in about 45sec I’m done. Really saves time since I have potty training toddlers that tend to ‘miss’ lol. No scrubbing on my hand and knees once a week getting dried on pee off!
Its2mell@yahoo.com
To save time for the next day I do a 5 or a ten minute tidy of the house before bed so that i can wake up to a tidy home.
I meal plan for 2 weeks in advance. Less trips to the grocery store! dagnew426@gmail.com
I clean the kitchen while waiting on dinner to cook, pick up DD room with her before bed as she winds down, and stuff diapers as they come out of the laundry so that I can just grab them as we jet out the door!
I brush my daughter’s hair and teeth, and put her shoes on before she gets down from the booster seat at breakfast. This saves so much time since I’m not chasing her around the house… Once she gets down from the chair she is ready to go out the door!
I’ve color-coded all of my inserts with fabric marker so that I can easily match them with the right pocket shell when stuffing. Note: although you’d think BG inserts are easily identifiable because of the snaps, the 3.0 and 4.0 inserts are slightly different sizes! Also, I color code my different types of BGs – I have AIOs/BGEs in one set of colors and BG pockets in another set.
Jeni
jenilucas814@gmail.com
I love to do housework while playing ‘pretend’ with my girls. I incorrporate my chores into the game and even get them to help. I love when it works out and I can feel good about playing with the kids and getting the house in order.
I put my 6 year old’s uniform out on his dresser each night so after breakfast I can send him up to get dressed. Everything is out for him – right down to his socks and shoes.
I have no time-saving tips. Might just explain the hectic nature of our lives! But I did read all the comments and got some great ideas. Now to implement them!!!!
Make your shopping list (and eat) before you go grocery shopping. Saves time and money, LOL!!
On my days off, I make double batches of a recipe…one for dinner that night and one for the deep freeze. Then we always have cooked meals that we just have to pop in the oven on those extra busy days. We also stuff our 4.0’s while watching tv. If I am up with the baby in the middle of the night, I might put a load of dirty diapers in the laundry. I am up anyway and it is one less thing to do the next day!
Jenna
Jlrgraser@gmail.com
I have two changing areas – one in the bedroom and one in the living room where we spend most of our time. I keep a small stash of the things I use when diapering in an old diaper wipes plastic box – dry wipes, wipes spray, snappis, diaper cream – These used to be scattered everywhere, but by keeping them in the same box, I save time by not hunting things down!
I always have a stack of cloth wipes folded and ready for when the warmer gets emptied! Saves time just throwing them in, and saves time having to run to the store for disposable wipes all the time!
I will start prepping for dinner during lunch and always do the dishes while cooking. Oh and crockpot meals are the best time savers.
To save time I clean the bathroom while my two boys are taking a bath together, I’m in there anyway, and I kill two birds with one stone!
I sort laundry ahead of time. When one hamper (whites or darks) gets full I know I have a load ready to go. I also use a stain remover stick before putting clothes in the hamper (which can sit up to a week). Makes laundry go much faster! Also, when I’ve had a baby, I always tried to keep my diaper bag stocked with clean diapers (and empty out the dirty cloth ones right away), a change of clothes & snacks. Getting out of the house on time is much easier that way.
rebekahsbday@yahoo.com
I shower, dry my hair, and pick out my work clothes all the evening before. It means less time getting ready in the morning, and since my husband showers at night as well, it means our sheets stay cleaner longer and we have to wash them less often!
I run everything through a short cycle in the dryer on low to take the edge off, then pull/hang the covers and shells and restart it on high right before I go to bed. In the morning, I sort inserts as I pull them from the dryer, stuff into pcokets as I pull them from the line, and put it all away on my way upstairs!
(of course, this stuffing nonsense makes me love my AIOs all the more! just a cycle on low, hang, fold, done!)
My time-saving tip is this: When I put my BG pockets together, I leave some upstairs in the changing table, some downstairs at the changing station, and some in the diaper bag in a clean wet bag with wipes. That way when the youngest needs to be changed, there are always diapers where you need them. And when you’re out, you don’t have to haul a 3-child diaper bag to the public restroom with you to change the youngest, squirmiest one!
I write out a to do list every night. When I find myself with 5 extra minutes there is usually something on there that I can accomplish
We delegate tasks… one cooks supper, the other cleans up and tidies the house. Whoever cooks gets to pick supper and also gets the baby ready for bed while the house is getting tidied up. Then we switch. It makes the evening “have-to-do’s” go by much faster so we can spend some time together as a family.
I recently found the beauty of having boil-in-the bag brown rice. Now I can just cook a bag or two in the microwave whenever I need to serve a side of rice. I also like to use the steamer veggie bags or my Pampered Chef micro-cooker to steam veggies in.
I love using diaper liners. It saves me from having to clean off all the poop before I wash them. And to even save more time, as I stuff my diapers and get them ready to use, I pre-line them so I don’t forget!!
kwaksimon@gmail.com
I always pack the diaper bag the night before and I always use a list to make sure we’ve packed everything.
I have an old top loader with no option for an extra rinse, and I need at least 2 extra rinses beyond my super wash. So, to cut down on trips back to the washer, I just do 3 steps:
1. throw the dipes in a cold super wash (better than just a rinse for toddler pee) when toddler gets in the bathtub (with dad supervising, of course).
2. start the hot super wash when step 1 is done.
3. start a cold super wash.
4. toss inserts and such in dryer and hang covers, DONE!
Love it. Much better than 2-3 trips to pre rinse and 2-3 trips again at the end to rinse out after the wash.
Whew!
I use the bunGenius diaper sprayer and it is very convenient and saves time. I spray out soiled diapers quickly, clean the potty seat and toilet, and use it to spray the bathtub while cleaning it too. I’ve even used it to clean off my little boys bottom in the tub when the mess was too big for wipes (he giggled and loved being sprayed)! The sprayer has truly given me more time to move on to the many other things I do throughout my day.
lauren_balty@yahoo.com
Keeping the diaper bag packed and ready to go – snacks that can’t go bad, making sure when I get home I replace diapers that I’ve used. It seems simple, but you have no idea how much time you spend trying to pack the diaper bag and making sure you have everything while leaving the house.
Lerwin1324@yahoo.com
When cloth diapering while out and about, I put a few pockets,wipes, spray bottle,and prefolds in my purse, along with a wet bag. I stuff and organize everything in the car since Daddy usually does the driving. I do my hair then too. It saves a few precious minutes as we’re always running late.
Heather
hngentit at hawkmail dot hfcc dot edu
I agree with several comments one here that meal planning and only buying for one week at a time saves time “thinking” about dinner and it saves money since I only buy for that week. Produce doesn’t ruin either. For diapering, I always lay the dirty diapers flat in the diaper pail so that I don’t have to worry about unfolding them when I dump the diapers in the washer.
I premake my son’s bottles. I mix them in the bottle then put them in the fridge. It helps alot with a fussy teething toddler who doesn’t want to wait for you to measure out formula and water 🙂
gothickornchic at gmail dot com
I have laundry bags to presort our clothes as we take them off. On laundry day, I just grab a bag and dump the whole thing in the washer!
This comment has been removed by the author.
As most people seem to do, i stuff my diapers ahead of time, usually while watching my favorite tv show. I am a sahm 3yr, 2yr, and a newborn who is also attending school. Needless to say that i am stressed for time but i try to fit in a 30 min workout durning naptime on my treadmill while i read/study my school work. josholivia06@aol.com
Like many others have said, to save time (and so I can sleep in a little longer haha) I pick my kid’s clothes out before they wake up because they are soooo slow to get moving…we’ve only been late once this year! haha
lilygurl13@hotmail.com
Meal planning with once a week grocery shopping
Laundry is presorted in a 3 compartment laundry sorter. On laundry day, just have to plop the clothes in the washer.
Also … I don’t unstuff my pockets.
I have my hybrids ready to go at each diaper change so its as smooth as possible on the squirm one year old.
I like to “stuff” our diapers when we are watching a movie at night, it’s sorta relaxing and It doesn’t make it feel like a chore!
I set out and outfit for my son and pack his lunch and diaper bag the night before. I also put my outfit and a towel by the shower so I can get moving faster in the morning.
Jennifer.Just@scbglobal.net
I plan my meals a month in advance to help on days that are super busy. That way I am not wondering what in the world to make. 🙂
My time saving tip is to fold the cloths or diaper AFTER the kids go to bed. That way I only have to fold them once!
I am a HUGE fan of slow cooker meals. I make a few to put in the freezer that I can toss in later.
I could never get out of the house in time before so now my clocks are set 5 min early. I also make sure I have the diaper bag packed, clothes out and ready for the next morning. and breakfast ready (If muffins, I mix the batter and put it in the pan and in the fridge so in the morning I throw it in the oven and get dressed)
kdavis82508@yahoo.com
I always get the kids backpacks, snacks and clothes ready for school the night before. That way there is no morning rush to find things and pick out clothes!
I meal plan and try to batch cook as well … this saves a lot of time in the kitchen! I let my toddler help me get clothes to the laundry and that saves a lot of time too! sarah at sarah dyess dot com
I clean the bathroom while keeping an eye on my 3 year old in the tub. I stuff diapers while watching TV, but I’m moving away from pocket diapers for that reason. As a working mom of 2, I need it as simple as possible!
Every night I pack our bags for the next day, I get all our outfits out, I pre-make the coffee, sippy cups & bottles. So when I have to get up all I have to do is get ready 🙂
Lindsey W
xxlindsey_63xx@yahoo.com
CDing Mom of 2 baby boys
I prepare everything the night before for the next day as soon as the kids are asleep. This is a time saver, cause as soon as the three toddlers are awake pretty much all stands still and not much gets done.
Sorry this is twice, I forgot my e-mail:
giese.helena@gmail.com
I take a few hours every few weeks to make a bunch of crockpot-ready meals and freeze them. So nice to have a no-prep-time/no-effort dinner on the days when the baby gets me up several times in a night and the toddler gets up for the day at 6am.
deannaniles [at] gmail [dot] com
Meal planning. That way I don’t waste time or money trying to make something last minute. Plus with meal planning, I can freeze the left overs in case something comes up, we still have a fresh homemade meal and its ready in less time it takes for take out to be delivered. It frees up so much time and with a crockpot meal planning, I can set it and forget it! Allowing me more time with my family and a homemade ready meal for dinner.
I prepare everything the night before for the next day as soon as the kids are asleep. This is a time saver, cause as soon as the three toddlers are awake pretty much all stands still and not much gets done.
I stuff all of my pocket diapers at once, while watching TV or talking with my husband. Seems to save time in the long run.
when cleaning house take a basket to each room with you and put the things that dont belong in that particualr room in the basket, keeps you from going back and forth, also keeping some lysol disinfecting wipes under the counter to wipe your sink off daily helps with clean up, so things dont get out of hand. i also set my clock ahead so we’re never late for something.
Instead of packing a lunch for my husband every day, I make more than we need for dinner the night before. That way he has a home-cooked meal for lunch instead of sandwiches all the time. Saves a ton of time (and money!) for us both! 🙂
My best time saving tip is starting a load of laundry before I go to bed and as soon as I wake up I start a load of diapers, put the laundry from the night before into the dryer and continue with my morning routine then do all the washing and rinse cycles as I’m in between feedings and changes.
Many times I’ll make two or three times a recipe for dinner, then freeze the extra pans to use on a day that I don’t have time to make dinner.
Every minute counts! For our family the most *critical* time is in the morning. That’s when my husband is getting ready for work and the kids & I are getting ready for the day. With four kids to dress from ages 5 to 5 months it’s no picnic! To save time in the mornings we do several things the night before. I make sure the coffee pot is ready(then all Jason does is run the water through), the dog’s food dishes are made up (they just have to be sat on the floor for the pups), our oldest child’s backpack is packed and ready for school with whatever she needs for the day & (probably the most important) the kids’ close are all laid out – including shoes – so no one is hunting for a piece of clothing last minute. This is also the time of day when I always opt for my bumGenius for that ultra quick/simple diaper change. 🙂 We haven’t been late yet and I ALWAYS have my cup of coffee!
I do an overnight soak on hevily soiled diaper, so I don’t have to wait for them to soak the next day before doing my laundry! I can be a bit impatient & not soak long enough! LOL
tinytutus4tots@yahoo.com
I always pack the diaper bag while my baby is asleep so im not running around tring to find stuff while shes crying. Saves me some time and frustration
I start a load of laundry every night before bed. Doing 1-2 loads daily helps keep it from being overwhelming.
When folding, I fold the biggest, bulkiest items first (like hubby’s clothes or towel) then the pile goes down faster and makes it easier to match socks.
heidim@hotmail.com
I do an overnight soak on hevily soiled diaper, so I don’t have to wait for them to soak the next day before doing my laundry! I can be a bit impatient & not soak long enough! LOL
As a single teen father the best tips I have for saving time is making my meals with my daughters and saving extras in a jar so she keeps eating freshly made foods through out the day without the hassle also our night time routine is very efficient, even though I don’t have cloth dippers yet I do support them and would like to try them when I can buy a few, but before bed we make her bottle then change together as the bottle sits in warm water so it’s just perfect for my princess by the time we are ready for bed.
Mike.h.alrwais@gmail.com
I make sure the clothes we need the next day (like school uniforms) are ready and laid out the night before. Nothing like realizing all the shirts are dirty or wrinkled, 20 minutes before heading out the door!
nilknarf2003@yahoo.com
Sarah
My favorite time saving strategy is my trusty CROCK POT. I can have dinner DONE in 4 minutes of prep time and on the table as soon as we are ready to eat. I’ll share my favorite cold weather, super quick recipe:
Taco Soup!
Need:
-enough chicken breast to feed your family size. I usually assume one breast per person
-chicken broth
-can of kernel corn (I like to buy the fiesta mix kinda for this)
-can or two of Ro-Tel in a “spicy” flavor
-packet of taco seasoning
Add all ingedigents to crock pot and cook on low for about 6 hours. I then take out the chicken and “grind it up” with my lettuce chopper then add it all back together and serve with shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream on top. 🙂
I’ve tried many things to save time, and I always seem to fall back into my old ways, however I do always make sure my clothes are laid out and ready for work ahead of time just like my parents used to make me do for school! That way when it’s time to go I’m not searching.
kitkat000100@yahoo.com
I wash the kids’ clothes for the week on Sunday afternoon then iron and fold them into outfits and place one outfit a piece into our “days of the week” stacker in their closet. It helps hubby/or my oldest grab their clothes if I’m busy and teaches the kids the days of the week too!!!
I fold laundry and/or diapers while I watch the latest episode of my favorite show.
cherryface@hotmaildotcom
I make ‘meal prep’ bags each Sunday after grocery shopping for the week so week night meals are a breeze! All of the ingredients get prepped (chopped, washed etc) and placed into containers, and then the containers go into a shopping bag labeled with whatever day of the week they will be used on! When that day comes, I can come home from a long day & all I have to do is throw everything in a pan and viola! A family dinner in half the time. 🙂
I was going to say menu planning as well (we do once a week) but so many others have already said that! Ditto on the crock pot saving time as well. 🙂 Another thing we do is all the sandwich making stuff is in a Rubbermaid container, so when its time for my husband to make his lunch at 3am, its all right there. No searching the fridge in a foggy haze looking for the mayonnaise!
I do all the prep work for dinner in the morning while the baby sleeps. That way at dinner time all I have to do is throw it together and heat it up. Makes the evening go much smoother.
courtneyroth11@hotmail.com
Menu planning and making a grocery list have saved me time and money. I also make to-do lists to make sure I make the most out of my time every day
Sbandjw@gmail.com
We like to pre bag all crackers and other items you might want to take for lunch. Then when packing lunch each night you can just grab a bag of crackers and toss it in.
I also like to use my crockpot a ton for meals. A little prep work ahead of time saves me spending the night in the kitchen making dinner. We try to freeze a few meals too. When making dinner I try to double the recipe and we eat one now and the other goes into the freezer to pull out and eat later.
Garnettjennifer@hotmail.com
We eat a lot of salads, so as soon as I get home from the store I rip all the greens up in bite-size pieces and wash them in my salad spinner. Then I store them in a lock-n-lock container and they stay fresh forever! Then whenever we need a salad, just reach in and grab a handful of greens. I also wash all my peppers and store those on the containers too.
I stuff diapers all at once so im not running around frantically when baby needs a new one! They are the cabinet and ready to go!
I have two changes stations in my home complete with spray solution, cloth wipes, diapers,creams, and small changing mats. I don’t have to run around trying to remember where I left things to change a diaper since I have two good spots to change him.
I get my diapers all ready all at one time, and same thing with my cloth wipes, so they are all ready to go when I need them! Also, I keep my son’s clothes together in outfits in his dresser, so it’s easy to find an outfit when it’s time to get him ready in the morning! I attempt meal planning to free up spending too much time thinking about what to eat!
My favorite time-saving tip is the slow cooker (crock pot). My favorite meals are the ones I can just throw in all the ingredients at noon, and by 6 or 7pm when the family is all home, we just open up the pot and serve. Last week I made pulled chicken for sandwiches by throwing in 2 frozen chicken breasts and a half-bottle of barbecue sauce on low for 7 hours.
I also started folding clothes in the bedroom rather than in the living room, so that they have a shorter way to travel. Same with diapers, I fold them next to the diaper storage.
My Husband built me a master closet in our laundry room. Clothes go straight from dryer to their rightful place with no drops, missing or forgotten clothing. We hang up and stack on a shelf (NO drawers full of forgotten clothes). With a 3yr old, 2yr old, and 1yr old. It is this momma’s dream come true!! All five of us go to one place instead of being scattered about the house in piles. also no figuring out what is clean and what isn’t. My huge time saver for sure!
Simple for me…I use woolen balls for the dryer. They cut down drying time and it’s become a game for my 3 year old to find all three of them between loads. Oh, I should mention that my dog is obsessed with them but that’s NOT a time saver! 😉 dianaoftlg@aol.com
Always take a minute to restock your stores so you’re never caught without something later one!
I fold all our clean laundry while still in the laundry room, while waiting for the washer to fill up for the next load. It makes putting the laundry away a lot easier and less of a chore!
I’ve started setting aside ingredients for my weekly meals. If you put them in a storage container in the pantry, you just pull out the container when it’s time for that meal! You can even do this with the refrigerator items.
k.e.beach at gmail dot com
I pick up the living room and kitchen while I brush my teeth. It’s amazing how much can get done in two minutes.
Meal planning is the best time saver I have found yet! I plan meals for every 2 weeks. It reduces meal time stress..and nice to know you have the ingredients to something you want to make! I would highly recommend meal planning!
I started keeping hats, gloves, mittens and scarves in a basket on the bench inside our front door. It has taken some time to train the kids to get them back in the basket when they get home, but it saves a lot searching for accessories while we are trying to get out the door. Keeping track of those things for three people can be very time consuming!
I stuff diapers while watching my DVR’d shows 🙂
i fold my diapers as i’m watching tv so i’m not lazy on putting diapers away 🙂
I wash my wool covers/longies/shorties in the washing machine on the delicate cycle in warm water. They get a lot cleaner that way. Just make sure to do a few at a time so you dont felt them.
I do a chore a day. For example, I sweep the house one day, dust another day, clean the bathrooms the next…This makes house cleaning so much easier when you don’t have to do it all on the same day!
We babywear while doing our chores/ daily routines done. This allows us to get that cuddle time in while building a beautiful bond with our baby. Not to mention a little work out with the extra weight we carry around.
Qubana420@aol.com
We unstuff our diapers before they go in the wet bag, so when it comes time for laundry all we have to do is dump them in.
I have a laundry sorter in my bathroom so our laundry gets sorted into the appropriate loads as we take the clothes off.
leenielouwho (at) gmail (dot) com
I have designated days for chores. For example, Monday, clean bathrooms, Tuesday vacume, etc. that way I’m not cleaning all day once a week just for short periods throughout each day!
I always do as much prep work as possible. Doesnt matter what it is – packing, laundry, shopping, giving baths. I have everything set out or organized!
I pre-stuff my cloth diapers before putting them away so I can just grab one and go! My little guy is usually sitting with me “helping” by dumping the laundry basket out! Having the diapers stuffed and ready saves me a LOT of time!! I also have my dry-pail right next to my BG diaper sprayer so I don’t have to lug a sopping wet diaper into the other room and everything is right there!
ccozens@ymail.com
I stuff & fold my dipes and wipes at night & stack them in the changing table, that way they’re all right there & ready as we need them throughout the day.
Time is precious. In our family chores are shared. We keep a laundry-sorting basket in the laundry room. Everyone puts their lights in the “lights” side and darks in the “dark” side. When everyone helps out a little, we have more time to do fun things!
Kmfancher@hotmail.com
When putting the cutlery in the dishwasher group them by type so that when you unload it goes much faster. Make a goal to do one load of laundry every day, which means wash, dry, fold, and put away. If you do this consistently you won’t ever have a huge pile of laundry to do.
I use flushable liners to toss the poo instead of having to scrape or spray it.
I fold laundry while I catch up on my TV shows.
Getting ready the night before. Laying out my clothes and the kids. Finding anything we will need for the next day. It really saves us time and rushing around.
We have baskets for each type of laundry.They are all labeled so everyone knows which goes where. For example one for whites one for towels and one for colors. Once the basket is full then we do a load of laundry and bring back up the empty basket so that we can keep putting dirty laundry in it.
Jgrose01@centurytel.net
Get clothes out and pack the baby bag the night before.
Best diaper tip?! Teach your spouse how to stuff and fold diapers. That way while you’re cleaning up or running after the little one, he can be stuffing diapers while watching the football game. 🙂
Mary
doclegs@gmail.com
When I’m putting leftovers away after dinner, I store some in lunch-size containers that my husband can easily grab for work the next day.
My washer has a timer to delay the wash cycle. I put a load in at night to run an hour before I get up so I can throw it straight in the the dryer or hang to dry if it’s sunny.
I fold laundry or stuff BG pockets while I pump.
I do a tiny bit of cleaning in each high traffic area of my house everyday – like a quick bathroom wipe down and toilet swish every morning. I use a ready to be cleaned washcloth and alittle soap (anything, shampoo, bodywash..) and wipe down the shower or tub while I am getting out. 🙂 If you do little bits everyday you never have to do major scrubdowns or scramble to clean your house for unexpected guests 🙂
-Danielle Metcalf (metcalf.danielle@yahoo.com)
I try to plan out my day in the morning so I know what’s going on and what I do and don’t have time for.
jen_brannon1@yahoo.com
My husband and I are adopting, so in preparation we’ve made plans on how we plan to do our cloth diaper laundry. We have 24 diapers, so we plan to wash half everyday. Instead of drying them in the dryer, we’re going to hang dry them. That way, we can get moving with our other laundry and our dryer won’t constantly be needed for cloth diapers. By the time we use the second half of our cloth diapers, the first half will be dry and hopefully, we won’t ever be in a bind needing a diaper!
Lauren Bentley
mrsbentley519@hotmail.com
Storing sheet sets inside the set pillow case helps organize the linens and makes it easy to find all the pieces of the set!
After we’re done eating dinner, I pack the leftovers into containers for the kids and hubby to take for lunch the next day. It makes the morning so much easier!
I typed out a schedule for my 9 year old for her morning routine. If I’m busy with the baby, I just have the older child refer to the schedule.
Menu planning is huge timesaver! And getting my kids clothes ready the night before. I also put their socks and shoes on when they’re eating breakfast – they don’t wiggle as much since they’re busy eating, I can do it twice as fast 🙂
To shred chicken, cook it, then use a hand mixer or a Kitchen-Aid (with the paddle attachment). If you use a hand mixer, use a deep bowl, as the pieces will fly. You can shred several chicken breasts in minutes!
BTW: my email is
wilkinsrus at gmail dot com
We use cloth wipes for everything! I have a four year old and a 20 mth old. We use them for diaper wipes, face clothes, hands, minor spills and everything in between! I keep a stash next to the front door so I can wipe toothpaste off my son’s mouth before he runs out the door for school. I make my own solution…to save time I always put double the solution that I need in the warmer so that when I start to run out of wipes in the warmer I can just add more dry wipes to the extra solution.
I make my shopping lists in the order I walk through the store so there is no back-tracking and time wasted!
We save time bathing our little girls together. Hang cloths in outfits so my older daughter can dress herself. Prestuff diapers so they are ready to go when I need them. When I dry my hair, I try to give my baby air time on the changing table (since I am right there). Rinse dishes when freshly finished so they don’t cake on there. I try to apply this rule to my poopy diapers and rinse with my diaper sprayer but I don’t always do this.
To save time and money, I plan out the weeks menu ahead of time. I post it on the fridge, and then there is not a question of what we are eating or a possibility of going out to eat.
To save time in the toy area, I make sure my children know exactly where each toy belongs. That way we don’t have to go through “Where does this go” every time they are asked to clean up. Everything has its place.
Another one of my favorite time saving techniques is just to teach the kids to do things themselves. At about 4, my kids learn to shower, dress, and brush their teeth by themselves.
My favorite time saver?
Breastfeed while catching up on Facebook!
http://mediocremomof3severelyaveragekids.wordpress.com/
I keep all clean CD supplies in a laundry basket.
vrclay30 at yahoo dot com
I set my clock back 15 mins, So i get to where i need to be 15 mins early!
Thanks for the giveaway!
carcarsmomi@yahoo.com
I’m a super multitasker! That is the only way I can exist.
Lam125nola@yahoo.com
I do a quick pick up around the house every night before I go to sleep (which is after hubby and baby are asleep). That way I don’t have to spend a big amount of time cleaning up. It’s amazing how a few minutes here and there can keep our home looking nice clean and welcoming.
label everything. I have everything labeled so I don’t have to constantly “remind” my kids where everything goes. plus it helps my husband from calling me when I’m out 🙂
shabbychicmomma at gmail dot com
Have enough cloth wipes that we can wash diapers and wipes on same day to save a day of laundry. Do that wash first thing then when dry I put insert into diapers and put away to save on changing time. Try to do diapers on same day of week to stay organized and help me plan around other laundry 🙂
Hannah
hannah.lottes@gmail.com
My hubby gets the baby ready while I do my morning treatments – it saves so much time for us so I can just pop on my own clothes when Im done and lil guy and I can head out the door and face the world. W/O my hubby getting him ready it can take an extra hour!
Also, we always pack whatever we need for getting out the night before.
Wet a bunch of cloth wipes and keep them in a leak-proof wetbag (like Planetwise) next to the diaper change area. No having to wet fresh wipes each diaper change that way. 🙂
nrgburst at gmail dot com
I get everything ready for work the night before so I never have to worry about anything in the morning.
clearym559@bellsouth.net
My time (and energy) saving tip is to wash the diapers first and then wash baby cloths separately but load them both in the dryer at the same time so I can get a full load of dryer… that way I can have small stash of diapers as well as baby cloths out to use for a long time
I get up BEFORE my baby so I can actually get in a shower and eat some breakfast. It takes way less time compared to sleeping in and getting up when baby does and trying to accomplish those same tasks!
Plan your meals so that you only go to the grocery store once a week.
Thanks for the giveaway!
angiedkelly at gmail dot com
I use cloth wipes and have built a big enough stash to do diaper laundry about twice a week. I also stuff pockets while watching tv and playing with my LO on the floor.
christine.das@hotmail.com
I have to say that planning the week’s dinner menu has been a huge time saver for me. It saves me time at the grocery store on Sundays because I know exactly what I need and then every day during the week since I don’t have to think about what to cook.
At the holidays my family always makes lots of cookies. Free time is usually scarce the closer it gets to the holidays/cookie making time, so whenever I have time in the weeks before, I premeasure all the dry ingredients and label the container with a post-it note (some may choose ziplocs, I use my reusable containers). When it comes cookie making time, just dump the dry stuff in the mixer and add the wet ingredients! Plus, you’ve got all you’re dry stuff out at once so it goes faster on the measuring end too! Saves SOOO much time!
I love prestuffing my diapers while watching TV. Then, when I need them, they are ready!
Also, fixing lunch the night before makes it easy to grab and go in the morning!
I use prefolds and covers and realized its easier to just stack them in a drawer instead of folding them. Also like others, I sort laundry into baskets as they are dirty so I don’t have to spend time sorting when it’s time and try to do a load or two a day instead of letting it pile up! Also make up bottles and baby food ahead so you aren’t scrambling and the diaper bag is always stocked!
I mostly use flips, which saves time as there is no stuffing required! Other things that save time: meal planning and setting up a cleaning schedule so I can keep track of what I need to do around the house.
I plan clothes for the kids like I plan meals for the week. They each have a stacker in their closet with an outfit put together for all five school days. This way there’s no searching for clothes in the morning.
Throwing all the dirty dishes in a sink of hot soapy water to soak while I wipe down the counters, then they are ready to throw in the dishwasher by the time I’m done with the kitchen…no tough scrubbing time!
I do Once-A-Month cooking and freeze each meal so throughout the month I can just grab something and have it on the table in 15 minutes. http://the-north-forty.com/once-a-month-cooking/
email: tykesmom@the-north-forty.com
Have a designated spot for everything and immediately return it to that spot. Less clean up and mess around the house. This goes for cloth diapers and anything!!! Picking up is the pits!
debbie m
dmoretti1967 at yahoo dot com
I also plan meals for a week or two in advance. In addition though, when I grocery shop I put my list together by aisle. Or when I actually order my groceries online (at Harris Teter) after bed time then I pick them up the next day during baby’s quick afternoon nap times so I can keep her in the car seat in the house while dragging all the groceries in and putting them away.
With a toddler and baby, my time is very busy. Laundry is one tasks that is neverending and easily gets piled up. To keep myself from getting behind, I do one load each day. Since it is just one load I am able to wash, dry, fold, and put the clothes away without taking time away from my family. I also don’t dread the task since it only takes a few minutes for each step. Much easier than folding and putting away 3 or 4 loads one day a week
I set everyones clothes out at night, including shoes and jackets. Our mornings run so much smoother when everyone can just grab their stuff and put it on.
I have never used cloth diapers but have always wanted to! My saving time trick to life basically is that i do all my housework and school work when my kids are asleep! it gives me more time teaching them things and playing with them so i dont have to waste that time doing all the cleaning! 🙂 I have a 3 yr old and a 1 yr old and a wife, and a full time student. So time saving is my life lol!
I prepare all of DS fresh fruit/veggie snacks as soon as I buy them. I take the time then to get the cut and put away so that all I have to do is grab and go!
I always wash diapers on the same days of the week. Makes it predictable and allows me to plan what else I need to do around getting them clean.
To get ready for a middle of the night diaper change, I make sure that I stuff and a bumgenius pocket diaper that has a velcro closure before putting my daughter to bed. That way I don’t have to fumble with snaps in a sleep-haze!
Meal planning, is my biggest time saver. The crock pot is also a great time saver. set it to cook in the morning and when its dinner time its done! I love my bumgenius diapers!
Making babyfood in big batches and freezing in ice cube trays. Just pick out the cubes the night before and put in the fridge and baby has perfect portions ready to go in the morning.
Plauntk@mail.gvsu.edu
I use cloth wipes and just wash them with the diapers. And also have a wash machine that has a timer so I can save both time and money by doing laundry on off peak hours.
I have everything laid out the night before. Coffee ready, bags packed, lunch made, etc. Makes things so much easier!
I meal plan for a month. I make almost all of my meals in one day at the beginning of the month and freeze them. It usually takes me like 2 hours to make them all (naptime is great for this) and then all month, I just pull them out of the freezer and cook/warm them on the stove or in the oven.
kjhead719@gmail.com
My best time saving tip is…
to set out mine and the kids clothes and shoes the night before. It saves so much time in the morning!
Kati B
greenapple2646 at gmail. com
Keep an on-going shopping list – when you run out of something, write it on your list (keep the list on the fridge, so you don’t lose it!)
The best time saving for me is to do laundry while cooking. I always start the washer machine and then going up to do cooking. By the time my foods are ready, my laundry is ready to go into the dryer.
Our time saver tip is when washing bottles we always leave the water to soak dishes in so that they don’t need to be scrubbed when putting into the dishwasher…saves time and water!
kdscurrah@gmail.com
Oops! Xheatxherx@yahoo.com
I spend a little time every night getting things ready for the next day so I’m not rushing in the morning to get my son off to school, get everyone ready for the day and getting out of the house at a reasonable time.
tlmgiveaways@gmail.com
the best time saving tip i have is making my husband help me with the laundry, after he gets done stuffing the diapers he appreciates how much i do everyday!
I like to fold laundry (at least mine and my husbands) right as it comes out of the dryer. It usually takes less then 5 minutes and it saves it from sitting in a basket and piling up for loads at a time.
I set out my kids clothing the night before so that we get up and get ready to go without any hiccups. (Or with fewer hiccups anyway lol!)
Time saving tip go shopping early morning stores r empty
When it’s “clean up” time in the toy room, I set a 5 minute timer & the kids try to beat the timer…makes clean up so much faster since it’s a game. 🙂
I work from home so I throw in a load of cloth diapers at lunch and let them line dry throughout the afternoon. Then we stuff the inserts while playing with the baby or watching TV. We love cloth diapering! emcgloin@hotmail.com
to save time I meal plan – this always saves me time and money. something about being thought through that is just good all around. I too use cloth wipes and LOVE them. don’t have to worry about separating out wipes from dipes when tossing in the pale. Also, we have a cleaning “schedule” in the loosest since of the word, which allows us to live in the kind of environment we enjoy (sheets changed, bathrooms cleaned, vacuum, grocery shop on Saturday, vacuum, dust, bathroom clean on Wednesday), it’s amazing what a little schedule will do for your sanity and eventually saving you time!
ruthievincill at gmail dot com
To save time sorting laundry, I have a 3-bin system. One for warm, cold, and delicate. All underwear go into the delicate and the rest is separated out as we take it off in the evening. Plus, I have a hamper in my daughter’s room for her clothes (washed separately) and a bucket for her diapers.
trsutton82 at gmail dot com
pre-stuffing my diapers really helps save time and keep things organized. I also reserve a certain color of diapers for night-time diapers so they are pre-stuffed with the right inserts for my little one.
I lay out all of our clothes the night before, use a crock pot for dinner, toss my diapers in the washer to soak over night and start them first thing in the morning to save some time w/ washing. I NEED time saving tips, thanks so much for this idea!
Menu planning…
My two time saving tips are folding the laundry as i comes out of the dryer so I dont have to fold it later, and stuffing all my diapers the night before so I dont have to stuff them while changing. 🙂
I work from home so I throw in a load of cloth diapers at lunch and let them line dry throughout the afternoon. Then we stuff the inserts while playing with the baby or watching TV. We love cloth diapering!
I’m waiting for the chance to use my cloth diapers (due in 2 weeks) but I like to set my alarm for 10 minutes before I need to get up so I can hit the snooze button at least once and still be “on time” getting my day started!
I have so many diapers that I can leave a load of clean ones in the dryer a few days until the next load needs done.
tall_person13@yahoo.com
My time saving tip has to do with dishes. Sort silverware before putting in the dishwasher. You’d be amazed how much time it saves you when putting it away!
I save time by having a laundry routine & sticking to it! Staying on top of it and not letting myself “fall behind” saves me time in the long run, because I don’t have to spend time catching up.
I fold clothes while watching TV/movie…or chatting with the hubby. We get time together, and get the laundry done.
I’m in charge of getting our son ready in the morning, but I have to get myself ready too. Since he’s 18 mos, I’m not comfortable leaving the room while he’s still eating, so to save time I’ve gotten in the habit of pulling his high chair into the bathroom with me while I shower. It works because he’s getting breakfast, he’s contained while I shower, and if he starts to choke, I’m only arms length away. It works for us!
Meal planning is my biggest tip! We meal plan once a week, saves the “what’s for dinner” question as well as random trips to the stores through the week.
A great time saving tip that comes to mind would be when making my husbands lunch. I prepack all the snacks in baggies as soon as I buy them. As well as bagging veggies for the entire week. This makes putting his lunch together the evening before very simple. Even when we get home late, or have soemthing going on, it will take me just a few short minutes, with much love, to get the next days food together and in the fridge!
Ivy Freimuth
IDuffy08@hotmail.com
I do dishes while I cook. Getting two things done at once.
I always plan my meals and make sure to get the groceries for them at least one week ahead of time. Also I go ahead and fluff, stuff, fold, etc. all my cloth dipes so they are ready for action as soon as it’s time for a dipe change (might be common sense to most, but for the longest time I would wait to fold my prefolds until right before putting the diaper on lol).
I always separate my diapers, and unstuff them before washing them.
I stuff my BG pockets as I watch my favorite television program – I have fun while doing something I need to do anyway!
I have 2 sets of cloth wipes. The extra is premade and in a ziploc bag so that as soon as I am out I can pop the additional set in the wipe warmer and not have to worry about running out, and we go through them every other day, but usually only wash dipes every 3 days. 🙂
Use cloth wipes too! So much easier just to put the wipes inside the diaper and roll it up. Just like a disposable!
I rinse my diapers in the laundry sink and then hang them to dry while waiting to run laundry- it saves me a ton of time as I don’t have to wash diapers as often!
The best time saving tip that I have for laundry is to set up a “staging” area. We have stack-able baskets for each member of the family so when clothes come out of the dryer, but there isnt time to fold, they can go in that basket instead of just piling up.
I always set my clocks 10 mins fast so I make it places on time LOL.