13 time saving hacks for busy mums

Being a full time working single parent I have very little time. I'm also full time at university at the moment so, just no. These are my tip tips for saving time in every day activities.

1. Have enough clothes on hand that you only need to wash them once a week and if possible get a large washing machine. Mines 9kg and I only need to wash once a week.
2. Use a dryer. Now i know for money saving drying outside is best but frankly i have tried not using a dryer and didn't notice any change in my electricity bill using it once or twice a week. This saves a heap of time! Clothes are chucked in and left, no pegging out, no checking the weather, no waiting a day or two for them to dry. A note on folding: I do fold but roughly. I ball sheets and just quickly fold clothes as lets face it, its all ending out on the floor or shoved in a cupboard anyway. 
3. Get a cordless vacuum. I have a dyson ball vacuum and its amazing! But its heavy and annoying to drag around the house every day. So i bought a stick vacuum (this one) from Kmart and its a god send. Its rechargeable, lasts several days and is great to just whip out and spot vacuum today's crumbs up, it also detaches as a hand vac for the car. 
4. Dishwasher. I'm not convinced this is a time saver but it certainly makes the kitchen look cleaner. I don't put things in as i go but i tend to take them out of the dishwasher as i want to use them then leave them in the sink until the dishwasher is mostly empty. Then i put the rest away and restack the dishwasher. It takes about a week for us to have enough for a full load so this system seems to work well for us. Obviously for larger families this may not work. 
5. Have easy meals ready to go. I don't like reheated meals all the time but having say sausages, pies, frozen peas, or bacon and eggs on hand means dinner is on the table in 10mins. 
6. I clean in cycles. This means I don't clean everything everyday. This is just unreasonable in a busy life. I clean one or two things then by the end of the week everything has been cleaned once. ie i might clean the toilet and vanity one night, do a proper vacuum and mop the floors another night, then clean the kitchen the third night etc. This only takes about 30mins max a day. Then the weekend Rue is with his dad i do a quick run around to make the house cleaner on a Friday night then its clean for the rest of the weekend and I don't have to worry about it. 
7. Grocery shop online. I have said this alot! Really this saves time and money. My grocery store leaves it on your step if you aren't home so i get mine delivered after work on a Friday. I don't have to wait around for it, and i don't have to trek around the store and carry it all inside myself and im usually home at the time its left so it doesn't go bad (obviously make it a time you will be home if its a super hot day or you have chicken etc in your order) 
8. Have several sets of sheets. Now don't go over board, i have about 3 for each bed. This means that I can strip the beds and don't have to put the laundry on until I have a full load of sheets and towels. 
9. Don't go to the gym. Its a horrible waste of money and you can workout just as well at home. I have a gym mat and plonk it down in front of the tv and do stretches and sit ups etc while watching my fave show. I also usually have something cooking while im doing this as a meal prep for the rest of the week and i pick up crap on the floor while im down there. Multi task! 
10. Clean the shower while you are in the shower. Hot tip for teenagers, if you are standing in the shower, spray the glass and wipe it down while the water is on, kill two birds with one stone, easy. 

Kids time savers:

1. I have a drawer just for his uniform. He knows that in the morning it's time for the uniform. We get ours from best and less for about $3 a shirt and $5 for shorts so I have more than enough for a week without washing. We also have 2 hats, drink bottles and lunch boxes in case they get lost you don't have to spend time hunting for them.   
2. I don't generally pack lunches the night before but with only one kid this is easier to cut up and make fruit and sandwiches on a Sunday night then pack lunch in the morning based on what he ate the day before. Some days he tells me he doesn't want something again, or he didn't eat it the day before so I can pack accordingly. 
3. I keep a pair of shoes in the car for him. We always seem to lose shoes so to get out the door on time i know after a brief search that we can use the backup shoes.

This year i might try a few new time savers as im always looking for ways to save time and money. I am tempted to get a robo vac which mops and vacuums at the same time! They are pricey (this one from kmart is nearly $300) and i have found with robo vacs in the past that the floor has to be totally clear or there is not point. Mine is usually a mess, we will see.