Family « An Extra Hour Every Day

Dec

13

Buy presents online

by Nicolas

With Christmas approaching shops get very full. This can make the shopping experience very unpleasant. There is almost nothing you cannot buy online these days, so that you should buy as much as you can online. This saves you significant time instead of standing in traffic jams, searching for a parking lot, queueing at the cashier, etc.

You can spend this time with your beloved or to think of some creative ideas. If you need the inspiration from walking the shops you can also use some mail order catalogues or magazines to get some ideas.

Related articles:

Think of xmas presents all year

Share and Enjoy:

Comments: (1)

Dec

08

Ask the readers: How do you save time on Christmas presents?

by Nicolas

Christmas is approaching and preparations should already be on their way in order to avoid stress on the last days before the big family gathering. Getting the presents for your beloved is a big topic every year. And can be great fun but it also can be stressful. I therefore was interested in learning some best practices from you.

So I’d like to hear from you:

How do you save time buying and preparing Christmas presents?

It can be anything , from choosing the presents, to purchasing or wrapping them.

I’d love to hear from all of you! Share in the comments.

Share and Enjoy:

Comments: (2)

Nov

18

Create a routine to save time in the morning

by Nicolas

A good morning routine can already save a lot of time in the beginning of the day so that you start with calm and positive feelings. A good start is the basis for a powerful and dynamic day to get a lot of things done.

1) What you can prepare in the evening before:

Lay the table in the evening and already prepare everything which is not compromising on the freshness of your food.
Choose and prepare your wardrobe in advance and also check the weather forecast.
Prepare documents you will need for the day and put them at a convenient place.

2) Getting up early:

Get up at the same time every day. You body will get used to it and it is going to become easy since your internal clock will adjust.

3) Breakfast:

Have a breakfast! All medical study shows that it is important to fuel your body in the morning so that you have sufficient energy for the rest of the day. Take something that gives you power but which is light enough to keep you spinning.

4) Kids:

Even small children can actively contribute to the morning routine. Depending on their age they can help preparing breakfast and also put on their clothes on their own.

5) First work or fitness session:

I know many people who do a first work session early in the morning before going to office. Especially in global businesses where emails come in 24 hours a day, an early bird routine cleaning up your inbox is very useful. After the first cleaning of the mailbox you plan your day also taking into consideration items that came in via email over night. Other people go running early in the morning and report this as a great energizer for the day.

Related articles:

Share and Enjoy:

Comments: (1)

Oct

11

Have a box for each family member in the entrance

by Nicolas

The entrance of a home is one of the most important room. Everything that come in or out of the home will go through it and it also has a representative function since the entrance is the first place a guest will see.

Whenever we come home or return we are handling a couple of objects such as keys or our wallet. We empty our pockets and also need to make sure that we do not forget these when we leaving our home. This can become especially difficult when a few people are involved.

I good idea to organize this important place is to assign a box to each person in the household. Every person can have its own - very individual - container to collect the objects that are important when leaving or returning to the home. Things will not get mixed up or forgotten anymore and the entrance will look much tidier.

Related articles:

Have a basked for each person in the bathroom

Share and Enjoy:

Comments: (1)

Oct

05

Plan meals for the week

by Nicolas

Especially when you have kids planning the meals for the week can save tremendous time. On one hand you will spend less time thinking and preparing things every day and on the other hand you can buy all you need at once in the grocery shop. Going to buy ingredients that you did not have on stock a few times a week easily can take away a few hours per week.

Another advantage of planning the meals for a week on one peace of paper is that you will get a good overview on your families diet. You will see patterns more easily and you can therefore make changes resulting in a better balance of your nutrition.

Related articles:

Share and Enjoy:

Comments: (1)

Sep

27

Personal boxes in the bathroom

by Nicolas

Usually all members of a family will share a bathroom and each person has preferences on shampoo, soap and other items for personal care. If they are all flying around you will lose time searching for your own items and this also is a potential source of conflict if one is using other peoples staff by mistake.

I therefore recommend having a small plastic basket for each person which includes his or her items for personal care. If the bathroom is too small to store all items at one this also will allow everyone to easily bring their items in and out.

When you purchase the plastic baskets make sure that they have wholes on the bottom and side so that incoming water can flow out making it also easier to clean them from time to time.

Related articles:

Share and Enjoy:

Comments: (1)

Jul

13

Christmas presents

by Nicolas

Don’t start thinking of Christmas presents and the like just before the season. You can keep your eyes open through the whole year and buy things when you see a good opportunity. You might also have a section in your notes where you collect ideas for gifts whenever they come up to your mind.

Related articles:

Share and Enjoy: