Friday, February 10, 2017

Simple Things I Do To Make Life Easier


I thought I would share some of the things I do to help make my life easier and run more smoothly.  Some of these things I will touch on now and then I'll go into much deeper in subsequent posts so be on the lookout.

Bathe Or Shower At Night

We all take our showers in the evening.  For one thing I personally prefer to climb into bed at night all squeaky clean.  I find a warm shower or bath is relaxing and a great way to end a long day.  It also frees up a good 20 minutes of our morning and we aren't bottlenecking in the bathroom every day.

Wear Our Clothes Twice Before Laundering

Some people may be repulsed by this notion and that is fine, but I am not.  We try to wear our clothes twice before they end up in the wash.  With the exception of socks and underwear which are changed daily, of course.  Unless I slop something on myself or it happens to be a hot and sweaty day I wear my tops, pants and pajamas twice.  It saves on wear and tear on our clothes as well as the heap of laundry we need to do each week.


Run A Load Of Laundry Midweek

We don't have huge wardrobes.  I keep a minimum of seven pair of socks and underwear but we don't have a lot of clothing in general.  I have found that by popping in a load of laundry in the wash on Wednesday evenings to be a huge help.  Not only does in insure that we have plenty of clean clothes throughout the week but it also lightens up the amount of laundry that needs to be done on Sunday.

Go Through The House And Put Stuff Away

Every evening as we head off to bed we all make a trip through the house to collect our things and make sure everything is put away.  This is tremendously helpful so that our little house doesn't get cluttered up and out of control.  A quick tidy up makes all the difference in the world and allows me to greet my day each morning on the right foot.


Make The Bed Every Day

We make our beds each day.  It is amazing to me how this one simple task makes such a difference.  The bedding stays nice all week, the room looks clean and tidy and who doesn't love to crawl into a nicely made bed each night?  Big rewards for just a few minutes of time.

Have A Designated Place For Coats & Purses

In our laundry room are two sets of coat racks.  I made them by simply screwing hooks into a couple lengths of painted board and then screwing them to the wall, making sure I hit a stud.  The first one is quite tall and the other is lower so the kids could reach it when they were little.  We keep our coats, backpacks and purses hung up and it is the first place we go when we come home each day.

Go To Bed On Time Every Day - Even On The Weekends

This one is a biggie.  We try to go to bed at a decent time each night to ensure we get enough rest.  Our bedtime routine starts around 9:30 so we are all in bed with lights out by 10:00.  When my girls were younger we started much earlier but now that they are teenagers we are up later.  On the weekends we stick to it too.  It has become a really good habit.


Follow A Morning Routine

We each have a routine and I think most people tend too.  I've notices overtime we all stager when we get up based on who leaves the house first.  We have all pretty much streamlined our process too so most days it runs pretty smoothly for us to get out the door each day and stay on schedule.

These are just a handful of the things I do each day to help make life easier and you will notice that they don't cost anything.  Just a little effort with a really big payoff.

What are some of the things you do to simply your daily life?




18 comments:

  1. Our kids are grown and have homes of their own.So hubby and I are the only ones here. We recently sold our house of 35 yrs and moved into a smaller /old house in the country..
    I do alot of your same routines... Make our bed as soon as I get up..[It sure makes for a better day and only takes minutes.] I do a 5-10 minute walk through /tidy each night before going to bed, this includes putting away anything that doesn't belong in its correct place, and doing a quick sweep of the living room/kitchen/hall. It only takes a couple minutes and as you said..Sure is nice to start the day with a tidy house..
    Have a great day.

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    1. Great minds really do think alike. I applaud you Judy!

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  2. I try not to leave my bedroom until it is clean, bed made, and I am ready to go as in dressed, hair and make-up. If I do this the whole day goes better and I feel better. Like I can face people and handle mom better. I also try to do a walk through of the kitchen before I go to bed, but this does not always get done.

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    1. I confess I usually have wet dishes left to dry in the dish drainer overnight. Pretty regularly too.

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  3. I don't leave the bedroom without making the bed, but I always have a cup of coffee before I shower. I don't put makeup on unless I am planning on going out somewhere though I have a weird grocery store exception. I will allow pony tails and no makeup at the grocery store as long as I am done before 10 am. It seems not that many people shop between 8:30 and 10.
    I like to shower in the morning, but I generally get up about and hour after TheHub so we are not in each other's way.

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    1. Kudos to you Anne.

      I can't believe what a difference a made bed makes, but it really does. The day is just that much better. :)

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  4. I take a shower as soon as I get home from work at the hospital every night...I take another quick one in the morning too...I have different laundry baskets for work clothes, other clothes, towels, dish towels and rags...yep, I have a lot of room for laundry baskets...I alternate my shoes daily to help them last longer, so I move my orthotics to tomorrows shoe asap, clean a different part of the shower every day while I'm taking a shower...

    I'm still in a decluttering phase so ideas for keeping the house tidy are a help...some day I'll be a reformed procrastinator!

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    1. Getting rid of your excess stuff is hard work. But once you do it you'll love it!

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  5. I do laundry three times a week because my hubby goes through lots of layers of work clothing this time of year and his work clothing is washed separately from the rest of our clothing. I frequently will wash my hair when I shower at night and then only condition it the next morning when a take another quick shower. I keep a basket of gloves and hats by the front door so they are there and ready for me as I head out in the morning and I also keep some fleece jackets that I use a lot hanging up in the laundry room so they are also ready for me and not in the bedroom where my hubby is sleeping during the day.

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    1. We have a glove and hat basket too. It is really handy. You have a great system.

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  6. Our routines are about the same with the exception of bathing. Little One takes a bubble bath in the evening after dinner. This tends to calm her and she's more receptive to story time and night-night. I shower in the morning while she eats breakfast. The other habit we've gotten into is removing our shoes at the door. Since changing jobs, I've earned and saved enough money to have our hardwood floors refinished. They are so beautiful that I want to keep them that way forever.
    These simple routines not only make my life easier, they also teach Little One responsibility and respect for our property.
    Vanessa B

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    1. Good to here from you Vanessa! I bet your floors look lovely. We take our shoes off at the door too. Its a really good habit to get into.

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  7. I do a lot of these things too. You are setting your daughters up for successful lives of their own with all the good habits and life skills you are teaching them.

    Tania

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    1. Thank you Tania! I sure hope so. They are pretty awesome girls. :)

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  8. I do most of these things as well. I do shower in the morning (washing my hair 2x/week has been a great adjustment - I used to do it every day). The kids shower in the evening. I prep our food for the week on weekends. I plan our weekly schedule on Sundays. I make the bed every morning before I leave for work, and we have designated laundry days as well.

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    1. That is great! Like you I backed off on the shampoo too and yes, it was a bit of an adjustment, but my hair and scalp is soooo much better for it. :)

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  9. Great post, I had to laugh at your "wearing your clothing 2x" and that people may find it repulsive... I have to wonder, those who would find this repulsive I think need to bathe/shower more.. haha! I wear my pj's till I notice spilled coffee or food on them.. hahaha! I do a lot the same, but my bedtime routine doesn't exist, some nights I'm up way too late, other times I crash & burn pretty early!

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    1. Honestly, keeping up a bedtime routine is my biggest struggle. Especially if I'm working on projects, which you always are. It is hard for me to quit and head to bed when I'd rather keep working on something. Having to be at work at 7 am is a good motivator for lights out.

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