With working and going to school full time (both me and M), time is really limited. I try and do things on the weekend that will save us time and effort during the week when things are nuts.
I thought I would share some tips we've developed this semester:
Pack lunches the night before.
Hubby and I never eat out for lunch, we prefer to spend our money to eat out together. So we always pack a lunch. Packing it the night before is a huge timesaver for me--
especially on those days I decide to sleep in... :)
Pre-make breakfasts.
I'm all about an easy morning. So on Sunday, I will make a batch of muffins and boil some eggs. When the muffins are done, I'll divide them into some plastic bags so I can throw them in my bag on the way out the door. I'll sometimes do the same with the eggs, but for the most part they are in a tupperware in the fridge. But pre-made breakfasts are my jam when I am half-asleep in the mornings.
Pre-cut your fruits.
Whenever I come home from the store, I wash and cut the fruit into a tupperware. We then have a ready made fruit salad--it makes it way easier to eat fruit, and a nice pick-me-up during the work/school day. Does eating strawberries make anyone else super happy? :)
Pre-bag your snacks.
With work and school, some days I am gone from 7am to 10pm. I love my food, so I can't go without a few snacks. Granola bars are great (and I always pack one), but I am a sucker for sweets or crackers. I notice a huge difference if I pre-package my snacks. IT'S SO EASY. I just snag a bag and go... And everyone in my classes always know I have some Sour Patch Kids EVERY. DAY.
*Resident Fat Kid, Oh Yah*
Meal Plan.
This saves time at the store and time figuring out what to eat. I make a list of what meals we will eat (generally quite fast and easy) that week and make sure I have everything to make those meals. No pointless wandering in the grocery store wondering what I need to buy, and no wandering from the pantry to the fridge every night wondering what will fix itself.
Pick one night/day a week to go grocery shopping. NO MORE.
I cannot spend more time shopping for food than absolutely necessary. I go every Friday night (sometimes Saturday morning if we work late) and get everything done. I condense all my errands into that one time slot so I won't have to go out again. The one exception--for a school project (if I need something printed (high-quality) or need more supplies).
Pack bookbag/backpack the night before.
Prevent worried headless-chicken like behavior (usually with wet hair and half a face of makeup) the morning of and just pack everything the night before. You'll have time to double check your schedule and make sure you have everything for the next day without feeling pressure the next day
(More of what I pack in my bag specifically will be in another post).
Use a planner!!!
I went a while without using a planner, but I am converted again and completely obsessed. As you may be able to tell, I color code mine--but unless you are anal like me, it's not totally necessary. But planners are so helpful to keep everything straight. I write my to-do lists in there along with homework assignments, church meetings, things I have to get done at home (i.e., laundry, dishes), etc.
And those Papermate Flair pens are my absolute FAVORITE.
Check the weather and plan your outfits.
I've heard of some people looking an entire week ahead, but I'm not gunna go that far. Just when I am getting ready to jump into bed, I'll grab an outfit that I think looks good. I'll check the weather on my phone to make sure it will work. I have to walk/take Trax everywhere, so it's essential that I wear the right shoes or pack an umbrella.
Whew! Hopefully that helped some of you other busy college students. Maybe some of it is overboard, but a lot of it has helped me stay sane, organized, and on to more important things--
good grades and spending time with M. :)
xoxo
