Saving Time

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As moms of little ones, we all know that our days easily slip away from us. I mean, let's face it. We might not get paid for our job, and we might not have an official title and job description, but our job takes a lot of work!! To get things done efficiently, we need to have a plan, have some order, and take advantage of the time we have!! Otherwise we will find ourselves exhausted, running in our own strength, and sitting in a messy, chaotic house. Always getting places late. Forgetting important things. Not getting important things done. Skipping breakfast. Behind on household chores.
So let me suggest, for me and for you, that we get a little organized. If we can take advantage of the time we have, we can get so much more accomplished and have more time for the things that really matter. When our kids are awake and needing our last drop of attention, we have to expect that and plan for that. To be able to spend time with them instead of constantly pawning them off to another show because "mommy has things to do."
So let's make the utmost effort to get the most done when they are sleeping. Or when they are actually playing nicely together by themselves. Those are the times that we get out our little to-do lists and do the most important things. That and some other time-saving tips:

• Pick out outfits the night before. No scrounging for outfits the next day or fighting over which shoes go with what skirt, etc.
• Pack the diaper bag the night before, complete with extra outfits, snacks, toys, and things to keep kids occupied in the grocery store, at church, or wherever you are going.
• When making dinner, make extra and freeze it. If you are already prepping for one meal, you might as well make a little more and have an extra meal on hand.
• Plan out the days meals the night before, week before, or even month before. This takes the guesswork and mental planning out of each day. You know what to thaw the night before, and when you need to start working on dinner.
• Plan breakfasts/lunches the night before, week before, or even month before. I used to have a breakfast planner where each day of the week was assigned to cereal, oatmeal, eggs, pancakes, etc. so I didn't have to think about it and there was variety for our morning meal.
• Do as much prep work Saturday nights before crazy church morning. We want to eliminate distractions, fights, and stress on Sunday morning where the devil tries to weasel his way in to distract us from focusing ourselves on worship. Go to great lengths to prep outfits, meals, set out bibles, pick out shoes, and bathe kids the night before so that Sunday mornings are a breeze.
• At night when the kids go down, get to cleaning!! Don't sit down and veg for an hour! Get the dishes done, living room picked up, and bathroom wiped down. The kids are finally in bed and you can get that house cleaned without a little trail behind you of messy kids!! It makes for a great morning when I can wake up to a wonderfully clean house!!
• I know I have shared about the Maximize Your Mornings a hundred times, but really this is an effective way to get your day started. I need to get back into them. I could get quality time with God, workout, and plan for school, dinner, and my daily chores all before my kids were up!! This was really a great way to start the day!!

Well, I could probably think of a hundred more things to write about, but that's a pretty good list for me to work on!! Sometimes we get so stuck in our routines that we don't even think of how we could improve them or make them more efficient!! I just know that the more productive I can be with my time, and the more I can get done with my small amounts of time to myself, the better off my whole family is!! I would love to hear about how you all save time and use the time you have wisely!! Please comment!!