Although our official workday is shorter than those of our parents and grandparents, down from around ten hours to eight, today's parent is struggling to pack as much into a 24-hour period as possible. Once your job at the office ends, your real job begins as: taxi driver, tutor, cook, housekeeper, lawn service, mechanic, counselor, and first aid specialist. And even though you have established goals to help you be the best parent to your children, you often find yourself getting lost in the details-- washing dishes, picking up clutter, decorating for the holidays, paying bills, and making your home warm and nurturing.

Below are a few shortcuts, tips from the pros, to make your day a little easier. Maybe using one of them will shorten your list of to do's by only three or four minutes, but utilizing many or all of them will add up to an hour or two, leaving you more time for leisure time with your friends and family.

CLEANING
There is an old saying that says "don't fix what ain't broke", or better to leave well enough alone. Rather than starting from scratch, cleaning every surface in your bathroom or kitchen, why not spot clean once or twice a week? Leave those heavy-duty jobs for spring-cleaning or a few times a year.

Bathroom: Spot clean bathroom mirrors, wipe down facets, rinse out tubs, and squeegee showers to prevent soapy buildup.

Kitchen: Sponge off kitchen spills on your table, stove, and countertop to make it family friendly and ready for mealtime in a snap. Daily or twice weekly sweeps with a whiskbroom will prolong the time between mopping, and prevent food from being ground into your vinyl or tile grout. Use a refillable dishwashing wand to wash small loads of dishes after they are used, keeping countertop clutter at bay.

Family Room: Keep the family room livable with routine dusting with a feather duster, daily de-cluttering, and by vacuuming only in high traffic areas.

DECORATING
Centerpieces: Why not use one container and change the contents with the seasons. A wicker basket, ceramic bowl, or glass vase makes a good holder for seasonal flora. Pinecones or glass ornaments in a bowl are perfect choices for a winter holiday arrangement, while silk tulips or fresh roses from your garden welcome spring. Fresh or dried flowers make summer tabletops brighter, and gourds or apples remind us that fall is in the air. Swapping one season's content for another saves not only expense, but time and storage as well.

Wreaths: Using the same decorating principles for wreaths as for centerpieces saves considerable storage space in your attic or linen closet. A grapevine or straw wreath serves as a foundation for your design, with ribbon and dried flowers to interchange with the seasons. The same effect can be created with real flowers and fruits by using a wire or Styrofoam form as your wreath foundation.

Pillows & Comforters: Treat pillows and comforters as you would other decorating items in your home, and consider slip covering them for the seasons. Duvet covers and pillow covers turn dark winter bedclothes into light airy ones. Or plan ahead for seasonal decorating, purchasing reversible curtains, bed linens, and pillows. Again, this is a great example of saving time and energy in your efforts to make your home a warm place to be.

ORGANIZING
Paying Bills: Choose automatic deposits and bill paying if offered by your bank or community. Not only does it save you the time of standing in line to mail, but provides easy financial discipline as well-- bills are automatically deducted from your bank balance, and budgeting is a much easier task when your monthly balance is a steady one.

Errands: Consolidate errands whenever possible to save wasted time on the road. Rather than buying groceries one day, going to the dry cleaners the next, and returning library books and videos the third day, consider doing these in one trip if geographically feasible. Plan your route before leaving, making sure you have the items you need at the ready. Create a home for items to be returned, cleaned, recycled, or repaired. A tote bag, laundry basket, or collapsible crate near your door makes easy work of Errand Day. (But be sure to return your container to its home upon your return.)

Shopping: Shop online or by phone, using catalogs and the internet whenever possible. Seniors and those with disabilities have successfully utilized these services for years, and most stores are happy to help you with your list. Find out if any grocery stores or pharmacies in your area deliver, and utilize them whenever possible. Or call in your order, and then pick up at the service desk to save time. Whether you suffer from an injury, disability, or are a brand new parent with a new baby, using delivery and pickup services will eliminate unnecessary waits.

IN SUMMARY
Although this is just an introduction to the many shortcuts you can use to find lost time, I encourage you to try one or two of these, then three and four, and add your own. Before you know it, you'll be well on your way to discovering how to use all that newfound time in your life. Here's to spending time on what really matters in your life!

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About the Author
Debbie Williams is an author and organizing expert who offers tools and training to help you put your life in order. Learn more practical tips like these in her books, Organized Kidz, Common Sense Organizing: A Step-by-Step Program for Taking Control of Your Home and Your Life and Home Management 101: A Guide for Busy Parents .

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Organized Kidz
Does it always seem that "organization" means you clean up and your kids destroy? When you teach your kids creative solutions for containing their clutter -- and involve them in the organizing process -- you'll be thrilled at their eagerness to keep things in place.

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Review courtesy of onlineorganizing.com

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