#AMonthofFaves Tips and Tricks for Managing Life and Home

Life is hectic – and has been hectic for me this year. But – that’s life – so here are a few tips and tricks that I use to gain back some seconds, minutes, and hours for myself.

Remembering Events & Appointments

💓 Cal Mobile App | 💓 Google Calendar. Cal pulls all my calendar events together in a nice pretty interface (including my work calendar). My favorite feature is that once you input the location of your appointment, it will map it for you and remind you when it’s time to leave for your appointment.

I also use Google Calendar (which syncs with Cal) because I can access it on the internet. Every appointment (mine, the hubster and kids), every work meeting, every event gets scheduled (or synced) in Cal as soon as possible. Set it and Forget it until a reminder pops up. My phone screen also HAS TO have calendar events showing on it.

💓 eWallet is for saving important account numbers and information – like bank account details + login, social security numbers, passport info, insurance accounts, library card numbers etc. I find I need these the most when I’m on the go, so the mobile app is the way to go for me, but there is also a desktop version. “Your important Info – Secure & Convenient in a Digital Wallet.”

Life

💓 Phone Alarm – I tried to get by without it, but I just have to accept that I need it to wake up in the mornings.

💓 eBills & 💓 Bank Autopay. As I mentioned before, I’m of the set it and forget it variety. eBills and Autopay does require that you have enough money in your account to cover the bills when they come due – but that’s why I also put the due dates in Cal. I also set up billing through my bank, rather than through each individual account, so that way, everything is in one place.

💓 eReceipts. A lot of shops now offer this service, and as loathe as I am to provide my email address to them, it makes it so much easier when I want to return items.

💓 Smartphone & Headphones with me at all times – because if I have to wait somewhere, I might as well read, or check blogs on Feedly, answer comments on Girlxoxo via the WordPress app or listen to an audiobook.

Hobbies & Fun

💓 Evernote for Blogging and Tracking Wines I’ve tried and more recently Teas. I’ve found some really good ways to use this little app, and I’m sure there are more ways to use it that I’ve yet to discover.

💓 Dailymile for tracking miles I’ve run. 💓 Runkeeper App for tracking my running outside.

💓 Feedly for subscribing to blogs and websites. I have a wide range of interests, and this is the best method I’ve found to keep updated on the blogs I follow.

Home

💓 Supermarket Fliers for making Weekly Grocery Lists & Menu Planning. I’ve tried to make this process digital, but ultimately, it doesn’t work for me. I have no time to really do the coupon thing, so this is how I save money. There are a handful of places that I buy groceries from. Once a week I sit down with the fliers and look through for which places have deals on what items. I make my grocery list based on the items I need, and what’s on sale. Then I make a meal plan for the week based on what I’m going to buy. Things go well when I do this – fruit and veggies are in the house all week long, I get the best value for my money, and we don’t run out of food mid-week. When I don’t do this – bad eating choices happen.

💓 AllRecipes Dinner Spinner App. Or else, I’d make the same things for dinner all the time.

💓 Magnetic Notepad on the Fridge. Food & household items that we need get written here by everyone in the family.

Work

💓 Get to Work Early. I would rather leave work early than late, so I try to get in as early as I can. 7AM is the latest I want to get there. And in case I need to stay late to catch up on things – I’m still leaving earlier than I would have I got there at 8 or 9AM.

💓 Email Inbox as my To-Do List. I use folders to organize my work email. Anything not moved to a Folder needs to be worked on. That’s my system. Sometimes the email gets crazy, but I try to corral it weekly to get back on track.

Do you use some similar tricks to manage your life? Do you have any tips, apps or tricks you’d like to share?