Mum-of-two shares her six top tips to save hours on household chores & why you should always use a top sheet
BUSY mums and non-parents alike could only dream of having more time each day and not having to commit to mundane household chores.
But luckily for us, mum-of-two Olivia White, 31, from Melbourne, Australia has shared some pretty “life changing” tips that could save you a tonne of time each and every day.
The busy mum, who details her family life on Instagram, is known for her streamlined and organised home and runs a busy household with two young children and a full-time business.
But she claims these few things has allowed her more time at the end of each day – and says every household should know.
1. Use a washing basket when cleaning
We know the feeling – you’re running from room to room trying to frantically tidy the mess left behind.
But the Aussie mum says to use a washing basket to collect and move around bits and pieces that don’t necessarily belong – making de-cluttering easier a quick and easy process.
“I take a washing basket from room to room and pop anything that is out of place or needs to be put away somewhere else inside it,” Olivia wrote on her website.
She then find a home for lost items as she visits each room, and by the end, if there are still things left inside the basket without a spot, she either she’ll throw them away or sell them.
2. Take a photo of the inside of your fridge before shopping
Rather than dashing to the supermarket and forgetting what you already have, the mum-of-two says to take a photo of the inside of your fridge before you go, and claims it will make a ‘world of difference’ to your life.
“Even with the best meal planning and lists, I find I’m always scratching my brain about whether I have something or not,” Olivia said.
She said she is often caught not knowing whether she has eggs or milk, so a quick peek at her photo will tell her exactly what she needs.
3. Get a car boot organiser
It’s common for your car to resemble a dumping group for bits and pieces you’ve collected over time. But Olivia said a car boot organiser should be your new best friend.
You can pick them up cheap from home ware stores and Amazon, and then use them to store everything neatly in one place so you’dd never be caught off guard again.
Olivia keeps things such as shopping bags, a change of clothes and wipes for the kids, and even has lightweight rain jackets, a bag with colouring pencils and books, small blue tarp, and a picnic blanket.
4. Get a morning routine
We hear it all the time – a good routine will allow your household to run smoothly and hassle-free, but Olivia explained that having some sort of routine is critical for daily success.
She said: “I find if I am organised the night before and start my day right, it sets us all up for a much better day if I start my day off well,” and said she will always prepare lunches the night before and even puts a load of washing on to be hung out first thing.
Then, in the morning, she hangs the washing out, creates a list of what she needs to get done and even gets the children helping out with chores.
5. Use a top sheet – always
Dubbing a top sheet a “life saver”, the 31-year-old says she will always use one on the bed as it means less time spent on washing – hear us out.
Olivia explains that because her body doesn’t touch the duvet cover, as it would if a top sheet wasn’t used, so she only needs to wash the doona cover every fortnight – rather than weekly as she does her top and fitted sheet.
“Not only does it look all pretty and fancy, but it also saves you from having to wash your doona covers as much,” she said.
This means her entire laundry routine, including re-making the bed takes less time.
5. Buy birthday cards in bulk
OK, so it doesn’t seem like the simple and occasional task could really shake things up a whole lot but having a heap on hand means no quick dash to teh shop when you’ve realised you’ve forgotten a birthday card.
Olivia said she keeps several in a box at home for whenever she needs one in a hurry.
She also has a box with some small gifts for friends, so she doesn’t get stuck last minute or forget.
Most read in Fabulous
We also shared how a cleaning fanatic reckons you only need FIVE minutes a day to get the chores done – and shares her tips.
Plus cleaning mum reveals why you should ALWAYS hang your whites on the washing line.
Meanwhile an organised mum sparks debate after sharing photos of her kids’ packed lunches which she makes at 3am on Sunday mornings.