30 Brilliant Time Saving Tips for Moms That Work
As a mom, your time is your most precious commodity. You never seem to have enough of it, and you’re always searching for ways to find more time in your day. If you’re looking for practical tips to save time and get your to-do list done faster, you’re in the right place. Today we’re sharing 30 time-saving tips for moms.
Time Saving Tips: How to Get More Done in Less Time
If you’ve ever wished that there were more than 24 hours in a day, or that you could clone yourself in order to get more done, you are not alone.
Motherhood is full of responsibilities and finding the time to get everything taken care of is a huge challenge for most moms.
And saving time is so important when you have kids.
Your to-do list is never-ending, there are never enough hours in the day and meanwhile, your kids are growing up so fast and they need your presence and attention more than ever.
Sure, you can wake up early and stay up late trying to get it all done, but that is sure to leave you feeling exhausted and burnt out.
So, what can you do to create more time in your day?
Well, mama, the trick is to work smarter, not harder.All it takes is a bit of planning, prioritizing, and a few time-management mom hacks and it’s possible to shave hours off your weekly schedule.
Below are 30 time-saving tips for busy moms who want to be able to get it all done and still have time left over for the things that matter most.
Ready? Let’s dive right in…
1 Establish a Morning Routine
Do you typically find yourself rushing around the house like a scatter-brained, madwoman trying to get yourself and everyone else out the door on time?
If so, what you need is a morning routine.
A morning routine is a series of activities that you do every morning in the same order to make your mornings less stressful and more organized. It helps you get out the door on time, so there’s no rushing or panicking about where everyone’s shoes are.
2 Prep School Lunches in Advance
Another way to save time during the week is by prepping your a week’s worth of your kid’s school lunches ahead of time.
This can be as simple as making a kid-friendly pasta salad and packing it up for the week, or prepping these freezer-friendly DIY Uncrustables. Then, all the kids have to do is pack their snacks and a water bottle and their all set.
3 Order Groceries Online
Can we all agree that the one highlight that came from the pandemic is online grocery shopping?
If your time is limited (whose isn’t), you need to start taking advantage this time-saving technology that many stores now offer.
Not only can you create and save your weekly shopping lists, you will save a ton of money by avoiding all those snacks and treats that manage to make it into your cart when you go shopping on an empty stomach.
Grocery delivery services are also a game changer for new moms hoping to avoid the grocery store.
4 Use Your Crock Pot
Ever wish you could come home and have dinner ready to put on the table?
Then what you need is a slow cooker (aka crockpot).
This time-saving kitchen appliance makes it possible for busy moms to prepare delicious and healthy family meals in minutes. Just pop your ingredients into the crock pot in the morning before work or errands, set the timer, and come home later that afternoon to a delicious meal that’s ready when you are!
If you want to save some serious time in the kitchen get yourself one of these Instant Pot/Crockpot combos.
5 Limit Your Own Screen Time
Digital devices can be a huge waste of valuable time. You sit down for a minute and the next thing you know, two hours have gone by and you’ve accomplished nothing. While turning off the t.v. or avoiding social media can be hard to do, it’s worth it in the long run.
6 Stop Scrubbing
Tired of spending time scrubbing your shower when it’s covered in soap scum and mildew?Instead, fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of dish soap and white vinegar. Simply spray down your shower before you hop out and your shower will stay clean for months at a time.
7 Dishwashers Aren’t Just for Dishes
There are many items that you can toss in the dishwasher and avoid the time it would take to wash by hand. Many plastic toys, toothbrush holders, spoon rests, stovetop knobs, bath toys, and grill grates can all be cleaned in the dishwasher.
8 Teach Your Kids to Do Their Own Laundry
I am a first-grade teacher and I am here to tell you that your children are capable of way more than you think.
If they can work an iPad, they can start the washing machine.
All it takes is a little time to show them the steps and I promise you that even small kids as young as 6 can learn how to load their clothes, and put them away. By the time kids are 8 years old they are fully capable of doing their laundry entirely on their own if you take the time to teach them.
Laundry time can also become time for bonding with your children by teaching them how to sort clothes or fold t-shirts as they grow up into teens who are responsible enough for this task themselves.
If you’re worried that they might dump the entire gallon of laundry detergent, use these awesome detergent sheets. No mess and less stress!
9 Set Up Auto-Pay
If you’re like me (a time-crunched mom who would rather avoid late fees) auto-pay is the way to go.
Auto-pay makes it possible for you to pay all your bills online without having to remember due dates or mail out checks on time. Not only will this tip save time, but it’s also great for your credit score. #nomorelatepayments
10 Create a Cleaning Schedule
A weekly cleaning schedule is a list of household chores that are assigned to certain days so they can be completed in chunks and not overwhelm you on one day of the week (aka Saturday).
11 Use a Meal Plan
Meal planning is the practice of creating a weekly menu plan and grocery list before you go shopping, or order your groceries online.
When you know what you are going to make for dinner each night of the week, you will save money on groceries because you will be buying only what is needed for the week’s meals.
You can write out your plan by hand, but there are also many meal planning apps that create weekly shopping lists and grocery delivery orders. Weekly meal planning apps like Mealime, Pepperplate, and AnyList can be used to store your family’s favorite recipes in one place so you can easily find them when it’s time to plan your meals for the week.
12 Streamline Laundry Time
Piles of laundry are huge time-suck.
The best way to combat this is by folding and putting away laundry as soon as it’s done. This way you’re not faced with a mountain of clothes when it’s time to do the wash again.
Set a timer on your phone and challenge yourself to get all your laundry put away in 10 minutes.
13 Save Time with Amazon Prime
Amazon Prime is a game-changer for busy working moms.
The annual fee will quickly pay for itself via the amount of time you will save when you don’t have to drive to the store, or spend hours searching for the item you need.
There’s nothing better than ordering something on Amazon and getting it delivered to your door the next day (especially if you forgot to buy diapers or wipes before running out).
14 Set Up a Bedtime Routine
Creating an end of the day bedtime routine can help you save time, prepare for tomorrow and make evenings more calm and relaxing.
Some ideas to include in your routine are: taking showers and brushing teeth, packing lunches or picking out clothes for the next day, making breakfast smoothies so they can be refrigerated until tomorrow morning.
15 Get Your Kids Involved
The best way to save time is by getting help from others. Since kids love being involved in household duties give them chores that match their age and abilities.
While it takes a little more time in the beginning, having their help around the house will be a huge time-saver in the long run.
16 Buy Bigger Toys
A few years ago, I completely stopped buying any toys with small parts that can get lost and take forever to clean up.
Bigger toys that can be played with outside or that easily fit into a toy box are a much better option.
This way you’re not constantly searching for missing pieces and you don’t have to spend time cleaning up after every play session.
17 Use Paper Plates
While I wouldn’t recommend this as an everyday tip, it is great for particularly busy days or weeks.
Paper plates are also my go-to baby shower gift. 😉
18 Discover Dry Shampoo
Dry shampoo is a miracle worker for busy moms.
A quick spray of this stuff at the roots of your hair will help absorb oils and sweat, making it possible to go an extra day or two without washing your hair. Perfect for those mornings when you’re short on time.
19 Invest in a Good Vacuum Cleaner
A good vacuum cleaner is worth its weight in gold when it comes time to clean up floors and carpets. Not only will it save time, but it will also make your home look and feel cleaner.
20 Make a Weekly To-Do List
Making a weekly to-do list can help keep you organized and focused.
Start with a simple brain dump on Sunday night that includes events, tasks, and to-do’s for the week ahead. From there, create a master list with the most important items flagged as the top priorities.
21 Use a Family Calendar App
A shared family calendar can be viewed by all members of the household, making it easy for everyone to stay on top of what’s going on each day…and make sure your husband doesn’t forget to pick up the kids.
22 Take Advantage of Online Banking & Bill Pay Services
Using online banking apps will save time when you’re paying bills or checking balances. There are many banks that offer free bill pay services so you don’t have to write checks, address envelopes and mail out payments every month.
23 Avoid Common Time Wasters
Try to avoid common time wasters like TV, Internet surfing, and social media, puttering and multi-tasking. If you feel like you can’t control yourself, set a timer on your phone.
24 Hang Your Clothes
Folding your clothes takes a lot longer than hanging. If you want to get your laundry put away fast and save some serious time, start hanging most of your clothes.
25 Declutter
Decluttering is a strategy that will save you a ton of time in the long run. You won’t have to spend time cleaning or looking for items because everything will be organized and easy to find.
Learn How to Declutter With Kids
26 Use Your Phone Calendar Reminders & Notifications
Using your phone calendar reminders is a great way to remember important dates like birthdays, anniversaries, doctor’s appointments etc.
You can also stay on top of your busy schedule by setting alarms and reminders for things such as picking up milk at the store or packing lunches ahead of time too!
27 Pre-Cook Meals on the Weekend
Pre-cooking meals in bulk can help reduce weekday meal time stress.
Take a Sunday afternoon and prepare a bunch of freezer meals to have on hand. This way, you’ll have a quick and easy meal to heat up when you’re short on time.
29 Create a Weekend Routine
Have you noticed that I am fan of routines?
That’s because I am an elementary school teacher and I know that structure and predictability makes life easier for kids and adults!
Using your time wisely on the weekend is a time-management tip that all working moms need to follow. A weekend routine is a series of tasks that you complete every weekend that gets your household and your family set up for the week ahead.
My weekend routine consists of 10 must-to tasks that keep our home running on auto-pilot so I can enjoy more free time with my family.
30 Sort Laundry by Person
Sorting the laundry by person can help you save time.
If each family member has their own hamper, it’s easy to throw in a load of clothes with minimal sorting time required. Worried about mixing colors? Wash on cold with a color-safe detergent.
31 Get Yourself a Robot Mop
A robot mop will take the time and tedium aout of mopping your floors. A good robot mop, such as the iRobot Braava Jet 240 is powerful enough to remove dirt and grime from many types of hard-surface floors around your house, including tile, vinyl and wood.
32 Outsource Tasks You Hate or Don’t Have Time For
Outsourcing time-consuming tasks that you hate or don’t have time for could help free up some time in your busy schedule. Consider outsourcing tasks like laundry service (wash/fold), cleaning service (housekeeper), lawn maintenance etc.
33 Use a Meal Delivery Service
Meal delivery services make it easy to prepare fresh and delicious meals at home.
You’ll save time by not having to plan, shop or cook every night of the week! Many companies offer pre-made meals that require minimal prep time before serving too. Having just one meal delivered a week can make a huge difference.
34 Set Up a Family Drop Zone
A family drop zone is a designated area in your home where everyone can leave their belongings.
It’s a time-saving organizational strategy that keeps clutter at bay and makes it easy to find items because they’re all stored in the same place! All you need is a few hooks to hang purses and backpacks along with some shelves or baskets for items like keys, sunglasses and hats.
35 Let Go of Perfection
Sometimes time management can be as simple as letting go and accepting that things are not always going to be perfect.
It’s okay if the floors aren’t spotless, the laundry isn’t folded or your kitchen is a bit messy after cooking dinner. Your family lives in your home and regular messes are a part of life.
Time Management Tips for Working Moms
Now that you’ve learned all of these great time-saving tips for busy moms, put them into action today!
Even just a few extra minutes here and there will add up over time and help you find extra hours as a working mom.
Start by choosing one or two tips to focus on this week and see how much time they save you. Once you get comfortable with those, add in a couple more. Pretty soon your days will be flowing smoothly and you’ll have more time to relax and enjoy your family.
