clean sweep(stakes)
UPDATE: The winner, Mommy Brain sent me the following email:
I was just thinking about how I already won a big prize through 5minutesformom.com. Would it be too much trouble for you to draw a new person for your contest? This way someone who didn’t win a big prize gets something? Let me know.
Honoring her request, I ran the random number generator again and Stephanie is the new winner! I popped over to Stephanie’s blog and her Sunday, March 16 post entitled “MMM” follow-up” indicates she could use a little random act of kindness today! Thank you Mommy Brain!
CONGRATULATIONS Mommy Brain! You Won! Could you please email me your mailing address? I can’t find one for you on your site. Thanks!
In honor of the Ultimate Blog Party hosted at 5 Minutes for Mom AND in an effort to participate in Works for Me Wednesday, which is hosted by Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer, I’m combining a giveaway with a plea for visitors to share something that works for them!
I’m giving away the book “The Kite Runner” (paperback)
Used books are a treasure! At least I think so. I buy my books from thrift stores, garage sales, rummage sales, library sales and online through ebay, half.com, amazon, alibris – ANYWHERE I can get a book and pay less than retail for it. So if you feel the same way about used books, you get a chance to win one right here!
This book is in beautiful condition, the spine isn’t even bent yet! I just happen to own two of them. (So, I forget what I already own sometimes. Just help me purge will ya?)
How to Win: Just comment on this post and share your favorite time saving trick. It can be a gadget, a habit – ANYTHING that saves you time. – personally or professionally. (Can you see the hidden agenda here? Short of getting sleep in pill form, I need to find some extra minutes in my everyday life!) Only the entries with a time saving tip will be eligible to win. (Seriously. I need some help, people!)
I’ll close comments Sunday evening, March 16th and use a random number generator to pick a winner!
Note: If you live in Canada (or anywhere outside the U.S.) please only enter if you can walk me through EVERY step of the process of mailing this book to you from Florida. I need to be able to print the mailing label from www.usps.com because getting to the Post Office during operating hours is a real challenge for me. I mail domestic packages using usps.com all the time, but I’ve never shipped internationally. (The customs form scares and confuses me – and even if I figure it out, I don’t think I ever be brave enough to mail anything over 4 pounds.)
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Welcome! If you have time, peruse my topics & my “little known facts” page to see if we have anything in common, or find out what I do for fun & work by viewing my singing and speaking samples.
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July 2008 WOW! Three times now! Linda at Mocha with Linda has honored me with the Arte y Pico award!
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Oh, please enter this fellow bibliophile. I’ve heard such rave reviews on this one.
Hmm, let’s see–time saving device? Have your children sleep in the clothes you want them to wear the next day? Or at the very least, setting them out the night before has saved us tons of frustration. Crock pot specialties is a fave in regards to meals. And a recent, as in the last six months, has been for us to eat our big meal at lunchtime to free up the evenings for sports practice and such. Those would be some of my ideas.
Thanks for the contest.
I’m inviting you to party with me!
Win some chocolate from my-sister-in-law and I…we blog about CHOCOLATE…me from Australia…and her from Michigan. Here’s the link: http://thechocolistas.blogspot.com/2008/03/ultimate-blog-party-2008.html
What am I doing in Australia? I married an Aussie…and moved to Brisbane, leaving my family and friends and all the right-side-of-the-road drivers in America.
Win a handmade pocket place mat from my blog Comfort Joy Designs. Here’s the link:
http://comfortjoydesigns.blogspot.com/2008/03/ultimate-blog-party-2008.html
Want to know more about life in Australia? Visit my A Cup of Joy site where I keep up with my family and friends in America. Here’s the link:
http://acupofjoy.wordpress.com/
Happy Partying!
Okay, I have a couple tips to share. To clean the microwave, place a wet (not dripping, but thoroughly wet) folded washcloth in your microwave and nuke on high for two minutes. Let sit for ten minutes before opening the door. Everything will just wipe clean with the washcloth.
The second one is about cleaning your oven racks. Instead of scrubbing and polishing them forever to get them clean, put them in a big garbage bag, pour in a cup of regular ammonia, and tie the bag shut. Leave them in overnight. They should wash clean in the morning with no problem.
I hate cleaning, so anytime I can clean by letting something sit is a huge bonus!
Can I tell you one more? We make our meal list up for two weeks at a time. We only shop once, other than picking up milk. Saves time deciding what’s for dinner, and saves time shopping. You can take out the meat the night before because you already know what’s for dinner. Okay, I’ll stop now.
But I’ve been wanting to read this book, so this would be really cool! I just got really excited, and all my tips just came tumbling out! I know, it’s getting late and if my daughter were still awake, she would tell me my dorkiness is showing.
Well, of course! I never cleaned my oven racks either, until I found out about that little tip. Ha! So maybe, it’s not actually a timesaver tip if it makes more work. It’s just a cleaning tip. Do I get half credit? I’m really not trying to enter twice, but I just wanted to add that little bit.
Hum… We make a grocery list and meal plan two weeks in advance and only shop every two weeks. This is of course with the exception of milk, an occasional french bread, and some produce.
We have designated “days” in our house. Library day on Friday, laundry day on thursday, etc. Takes some of the pressure off running to the story every day or running a load of laundry just for a few socks.
I get the kids involved as much as I can. Some times this makes more work, sometimes it doesn’t. They help me with cooking, cleaning up the kitchen, picking up the living room, etc. Noah’s been feeding the cat since he was 1 1/2 yrs so it’s never too young to start.
If I get a block of cheese at the story, I grate it all immediately and ziploc it for the freezer. This way the cheese is ready for all sorts of recipes and it will never go bad in the fridge.
I multi-task for everything. For example I’ll fold the laundry while I’m watching TV. I set all my appliances to go and I go into town. I love my crockpot because it cooks for me while I go about my day.
I love used books too. Have you heard about Paper Back Swap? I blogged about it on Nov. 17, 2007 and I’ve since used it several times. It’s great and free. It’s on my organizing page. I have lots of other household and organizing tips too if you are interested.
I use a crockpot on days when there is no time to cook and we would otherwise have to resort to fast food. I prevent the need for cleaning. For example, I line my oven and my stove burner pans with foil. When they get dirty, I simply discard the foil. It’s much faster than cleaning. I store my silverware in plastic bags. They are waiting and ready for me to use them without having to polish them first.
I’m introducing my new dessert blog. I hope you’ll stop by.
This is my FAVORITE time saver.
http://infomercialratings.com/vidalia_chop_wizard.jpg
It’s the Vidalia Chop Wizard and oh my goodness the time it saves me making dinner. I can buy fresh fruits even and put chunks on this thing and BAM! nicely cubed mixed fresh fruits for a quick salad. We use it a good bit for peppers, mushrooms, and onions as well. I’m known to slice my finger so this is also much safer for me to use haha.
I hope you have a wonderful day!!
Learning to wake up early helped me. (I’m not trying to be funny…it doesn’t exactly *save* time, but it certainly frees some. I learned to the extra in prayer.)
Menu planning is another big time and money saver that helps loads here.
….and leaving crucial words out of comments to blogs saves nanoseconds, also.
Okay, I think this is SORT of a time-saver.
When you have overnight guests, and you’re trying to get breakfast ready in the morning, serve Ziplock omelets.
The night before, if you are fixing supper, chop some pieces of ham, peppers, green onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, bits of cheese (unless you buy the grated kind, like me) while you work, or after supper.
Next morning, you’ll need a quart-sized freezer zipperlock bag for each guest, a permanent sharpie, and a large pot of boiling water. Have each person write his or her name on the bag and put 2 large or extra-large eggs in. Squish around to mix, then add whatever ingredients each wants to his or her own bag. Press all the air out, zip it up, and place in the pot of boiling water for 13 minutes. You can do 7-8 at a time. VOILA! Everyone gets the omelet of his/her choice at the same time and you look like a wizard!
I absolutely love this book! My favorite time saving trick is to do things 15 minutes at a time and then take a break. You’re much more productive that way.
my only tip is http://www.flylady.net … not a perfect solution for everyone, i don’t follow the system perfectly but have made it work for me when i was willing to stay organized.
How’s this for a time-saving tip? I skip reading the book sometimes and just see the movie. Completely reprehensible, huh? And not true, I don’t think. Hmmm, wait, I did see the Lemony Snicket movie and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory without reading those books. But maybe since those are kid movies it’s okay? Oh, and Ella Enchanted, but I didn’t even know that was a book until it was too late.
I’d like to read The Kite Runner — before the movie comes out.
My real time saving tip is to let the house be messy for awhile. I usually hit the filth threshold on Friday night (if not before), and then it’s Saturday and we all pitch in. This also lets working husband see just how quickly 3 kids can reduce things to utter chaos. And then he appreciates me more. Help with cleaning + more appreciation = happy mommy.
Good luck on the purging! Power to the Purgers!
Laundry days can be overwhelming, but I don’t get so overwhelmed if I do this. As soon as my husband & I are up, on my way to the kitchen I pop our sheets in the washer. It takes all of 30 seconds to strip the bed and toss them in (well, maybe 60!) I put them in the dryer as soon as the washer is done, and usually by the time I get everyone off to school and am ready to “start” my day, the sheets are already clean and ready to go back on the bed.
The laundry days I don’t do thi1s I feel like I run behind all day. This is a way to get a bonus load in without even realizing it!
Time saver? Have the kids do some of the work! LOL Just started a “helper chart” for my 2 and 4 year old…I’m no longer doing mirrors, putting silverware away, clearing the table, getting the newspaper, etc! LOL
I would love to win! Please stop by my 2 blogs to enter to win some books too!
As far as time saving tip – hum . . . . I need them too! Well, I make the kids lunches at night after they go to bed – saves time in the AM! I listen to the bible on CD after I drop the kids off to school – when I’m driving to work/running errands – that way if I don’t get to read it that day I don’t feel so guilty!
Oh, what a lovely blog you have here! Win or not, I still want to make time to read this book, so I’m definitely paying attention to the time-savers you’re getting. (What a great idea! *S*) One of my online time-savers has to be using IGoogle, for I can get a quick update for my blog feeds, my email, recipes, and a lot more, depending on my heart’s fancy.
Happy UBP!
Hi! Time saving tips? Well, I can think of a few, but the one I use most is to cut down on cleaning time I spray down the stove and countertop with cleaner right after cooking dinner. I let it sit while we eat and afterwards it is a breeze to wipe up quickly because the cleaner has had a chance to work its magic!
My family HATES crock pot meals, so this is my solution. When making meatloaf I use twice the ingredients, which takes no more time. Then I cook half and put the other 1/2 of the mixture in a freezer bag. Flatten it and it will stack nicely in your freezer. It’s easy to stick it in the fridge the night before and roll it up to fit in your pan. I’ve done it with meatballs, lasagna, alfredo sauces, cookies etc. I also make pancake batter and then put the leftovers in a sanitized ketchup bottle. It’s a great way to make silver dollars without having to make a whole batch of batter and throwing 1/2 of it out.
We also put out bowls, spoons, piece of fruit and the cereal box the night before. It helps cut down on decision time in the pantry before school.
One more tip – bigger kids have required reading time at school. I let my older one read her required books to the younger ones at bedtime. I head down and finish cleaning up from dinner and spend time with hubby. I spend plenty of time reading to the little ones during the day. This way they get to have a special time with their older sibling and I get a few extra minutes with hubby. I could go on & on, hope you find some time for you!
My tip is obvious, just don’t overload yourself. Give up some of those commitments! Great giveaway! count me in. bebemiqui82(at)yahoo(dot)com
I would love to read this book! My tip, pick up the house for about 5 minutes at the end of everyday and at the end of the week it won’t seem so insurmountable!
My time saving tip is to put a shelf by the entryway. I keep my purse, keys, library books, grocery lists, and everything else that needs to go out the door. This saves loads of times looking for things. I loved reading all the tips. Please enter me for the book I haven’t read it yet (no time).
I love to read and have the Kite Runner on my must read list. I have toddler twins and always need more time. My best time saving tip is to use a timer. (I picked this up from flylady.net) For instance, if I set out to check email I set the timer for 15 minutes because otherwise I get distracted and end up losing an hour to blog hopping. (Oh, wait, thats happening right now…) The other benefit is if I set my timer for 10 minutes to do something then I try to beat the clock and see how fast I am. (Yes, I am a loser.)
Other time savers…I always talk on the phone/return calls while folding laundry or picking up toys. I do as much as possible online (bill pay, shopping, groceries) which saves trips to the store. I delegate. I stop caring how clean every corner of the house is. And, the biggest thing, is that I really try to use as much of the flylady system as possible. It’s made the difference between sanity and the asylum.
i would love love love to win!!! Thanks for the chance!
Let’s see…a time saving tip…well, i menu plan 2 weeks ahead of time..this enables me to easily make up a grocery list and makes shopping easier…saving me time and money!
[...] And the Winner is: MOMMY BRAIN! Now, the cool thing about this is that Mommy Brain won the LAST Clean Sweep(stakes) here at Pragmatic Compendium, but she asked me to pick another winner because she had just won a [...]
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