I have been so busy at work these last few weeks that I haven't had much time to think let alone work on craft projects. Being busy translates into more stress and less time to eat healthy or eat at all. I know there are people out there who have it all together and can work 40 hours a week without losing time to eat healthy, but that is not me. I wrote this week's organizational tips with this in mind. So for all the busy individuals, moms, and families, these tips are for you.
Tip #1: Plan a week's worth of meals. Breakfasts, lunches, and dinners, whatever you need for your week. Make a list of everything you need, but don't forget to double check your pantry before you leave, don't assume. Once you've bought your groceries, start cooking. Everything you can make ahead is time saved during the week when tired. Freeze or refrigerate until needed. A crock pot is a busy person's best friend and I highly suggest all of my readers to own one. Even in college, as broke as I was, I had a crock pot. My crock pot wasn't fancy and it wasn't expensive. I bought the 2 qt crock pot for under $10 at Walmart. This crock pot served me well throughout my college years and kept me eating healthy.
If you don't like the idea of cooking a week's worth of meals in a day then I suggest at least prepping for all of your meals at the start of the week. If you have the containers then chop, dice, and prepare all of the ingredients for your meals. Depending on the preparation needed for each meal this will save you an hour at the end of your week. If you don't have the containers then use Ziploc sandwich bags to contain each ingredient and then put all of the ingredients in a Ziploc gallon size bag. The Ziploc bag is not a cost effective solution, but it will save you time this week. I recommend investing in a container set if you don't want to cook all your meals in a day. Preparing or cooking your meals ahead of time saves you time during your week. If you cook all of your meals on a single day then your meals only need to be reheated not cooked. This is perfect for busy families. If cooking all at once seems overwhelming then look ahead to your week and identify your busiest days and just cook ahead for those meals.
Tip #2: Use Ziploc bags to pre-bag all snacks. Ziploc snack bags are a great time saving solution for lunch preparation. Whether you make your own lunches or your children's lunches this solution is for you. Dry snacks like crackers or cookies can be stored in a clear box in your pantry. Fresh snacks like fruit and vegetables can be stored in a clear box in your refrigerator. This is personally one of my favorite time saving tips. During the week I can grab whatever snack(s) I want to take to work that day and head out the door. Even if I am in a rush in the morning I still have time to reach in the pantry or the fridge and grab a snack because the snacks are already bagged. I plan on implementing this tip when I have my own children and need to make their lunches.
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| Home Hub |
Tip #3: Make a launch station. I think Fly Lady first introduced the concept of a launch station, but the basic premise is a place to store keys, bags, lunches, coats, and calendars, etc. This can be a memo board with hooks underneath the board. Use the memo board to store a family calendar and important events while utilizing the hooks below to store keys, bags, and coats. There are many fancy tutorials on how to create memo board launch stations.
These are some of my favorite versions of launch stations, command centers, or home hubs. The command center, shown left, is featured on OrgJunkie and is perfect for single individuals or couples. The whiteboard is perfect for writing down important dates while the cubbies are great for storing mail, etc. and the hooks are perfect for keys and bags. The home hub shown right is featured on ivillage and is designed for families. This family's entry way features a magnetic board for invitations and flyers and a white board calendar for event planning. Underneath these boards is a cubby shelf with hooks underneath. I love the cubby idea because it can be personalized for each child and is great for teaching little ones how to organize their things. The hooks underneath are great for their coats and backpacks. Pick a design that fits in with your needs and install it in your entry way or wherever is most convenient for you.
These tips have drastically impacted my work week and dramatically decreased my stress while saving me time all week long for activities I actually want to spend my time doing. Hopefully these tips save you just as much time and allow you a more relaxed week at work, home, or wherever you spend your time. Comment below with areas in your life or home that need organization help.
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