Things to Make My Life Easier

Life is hard but when we find things that can make our lives easier I think we would share the wealth!  I fully believe the motto "Work Smarter and not Harder".  So here are some things that are making my life easier.  Some cost money and some you probably already know, but for giggles and grins here goes!

• With Caitlyn starting Kindergarten we have been picking out her clothes on Sunday night for the week.  We pick out everything down to panties, shoes, socks and bows.  I will not allow her to stray from this outfit for any reason because I do not want to start any habits.  Sunday nights can be challenging when we are getting everything ready for the week (including dance clothes) but I am so thankful every morning when she brings her clothes down or comes down already dressed.  I'm just wondering why I don't do this for myself yet?
• Just last week I started ordering 2 meals a week from a lady that makes homemade meals in her home.  I had heard about her last year and pondered doing this but felt like I needed to be making meals for my family.  Honestly, that didn't happen very often and we ended up going out to eat or "the bewitching 5 o'clock hour" (when everyone wants your attention, the dog, the kids, the meal, the mail, the laundry, the phone, someone at the door, etc) happened at our house while I tried to make dinner and it wasn't pleasant at all.  I ended up stressed and on top of that I had dishes to do and papers to grade and was extremely tired.  All I really wanted to do was play with my children.  Buying a couple meals a week allows me to do this.  I come home, warm up the oven and hang out with the puppies and the kids.  It is so much more relaxing and the dinners are fabulous!  This is a great business endeavor for stay-at-home moms!
• I bag up carrots, goldfish, veggie chips, grapes, and any other snacks that I can for easy grabbing during the week for lunches and snacks.
• I make lunches and prepare snacks and water bottles at night.
• Keep shoes in a basket at the front door until we can put them in the right place every couple weeks.  We can always find shoes in our closets or at the front door and we don't have to search all over the house or trip over shoes.
• Work from a list 
• As I'm working or cleaning downstairs and I find things that belong upstairs I put them on the stairs and vice-a-versa upstairs.  Then when I make a trip upstairs I always make sure I don't go empty handed and if I'm really lucky they have already made their way upstairs without my help!

Things I try to do and would really help me out if I did them on a regular basis:

• Clean off the counter every night
• Do the dishes every night
• When I think of it, do it, right then!
• Put the laundry away immediately.
• Do a load of laundry every day.
• Stay off the computer until after 9:00.

What are your tricks to save you time and make your life easier?  I would love to know!