What are your most unique, creative ways to simplify or save time? Do you have any secrets that help save time w/housekeeping, cooking, or other mommy tasks?

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Housekeeping:
1) Less is more - declutter and make it a continual process.
2) Set the timer for 7 or 15 minutes and beat the clock.
3) Laundry - I separate the clothes out into a pile for each person and then one for linens before I fold them. Then I just take the pile of clothes and as I fold them they all just pile up, then into a basket. Goes a lot quicker than folding from one mass pile.

Cooking:
1) Cook up multiple pounds of burger, separate into baggies and freeze. Makes for quick tacos, soup, casserole, spaghetti, etc, as you just have to nuke the meat in the micro to warm up.
2) Make sure the dishwasher is empty before you start dinner. (Or if you don't have a dishwasher, make sure the sink is full of clean soapy water.)
3) When dishing out dinner, have a ziploc container ready for leftovers. Dish accordingly then put the rest into the container right away and into the fridge. We dont' overeat, the food has no chance of going bad, and cleanup is half over before I sit down.
4) I put together dinner at lunchtime and then stick in fridge (or at least do as much prep as possible), then have the dishwasher running through the day.
*thought of another one*
5) I tenderize chicken breasts until they're an even thickness, between 1/2" and 3/4" thick. I season with salt/pepper and cook half of them up in my George Foreman, then freeze them. The other half, I just freeze whole to be used later. Since they only take 3 minutes to cook in the GF, I can do a lot of chicken very quickly. On nights where we have chicken, I can have dinner from the freezer to the table in 10 minutes.

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Amanda
Thanks for sharing (I am tired just reading your post!).

My biggest time saver is laundry. I have a large table downstairs. I fold as they come out of the dryer but only put them away 2x/week. If we need something - I know where it is on the table. It takes so much time to put them away that it seemed like a waste doing it with every load.

Other than that - I have no ideas - I think I need more so please share.

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HeatherMama to TWO lovely children
4 year old boy
2 year old girl

I cook extra for dinner and have it for lunch the next day.
Make my own laundry soap.
Buy in bulk.
Re-use containers if possible.
I started to declutter my basement & office (have boxes from when my parents and my father-in-law died).

I have started to double the batches on foods I make frequently spaghetti sauce, chili, etc. and sticking one meal in the freezer. It saves a lot of time!

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I have a laundry basket for each family member (4), and wrote our names on each with a permanent marker. I fold clothes into each person's basket, and when I'm finished with the laundry that day (try to do it all in one day), I tell each person to get their baskets, put all the the clothes away, and stack the empty basket back in the laundryroom. My kids are 8 and 10, so they're capable.

I'm still working on getting them to put their folded clothes into drawers still folded rather than just shoving them in there.

I LOVE this idea! I'm going to have to remember this when my kids get a little older!!!

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WE'RE DEBT FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

Thank you! It really does work.

Another idea I read about and am considering is buying colorful clothespins and instructing the kids to put one on any item of clothing that may be stained before it goes in the hamper. That way, when I'm sorting dirty laundry, I can spot what may need to be pre-treated. (I just hope I don't miss it and throw the clothes in, clothespin and all!)

well whenever i get an opportunity to repair mine electric household items i find that best time as well as a money saver

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Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and go to work.

The only time saver I could think of was multi-tasking!! To clean while talking on the phone! Of course I don't do it! I read it on here somewhere and realized that was genious... but I always forget!

I guess too, I like to record shows on the DVR and watch them on my laundry day! That way I've got my favorite shows recording and I don't feel the need to watch them while they're on, but when I have the MOUNTAIN of laundry in front of me I can watch, fold & fast forward thru the commercials!! I feel like I get a lot more accomplished that way, and I kinda even look forward to laundry day!!

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WE'RE DEBT FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!