Saturday Productivity: The Double Ups

Last week I posted my personal Saturday Productivity posts here. Number 5 on the list was to Double Up during laundry. For me this is a no-brainer, and hopefully it's something that you already do. How they work is I start the laundry, set the timer on my phone, and instead of sitting in front of the tv while I wait for the laundry to be done (we use a laundry facility), I get things done!

Here are my Double Up Duties. Some weeks the laundry gets done partway through these, but that doesn't mean I stop doing them. Most weeks it's the to-dos that get neglected, or bumped back. I do not do them in the same order every week, so don't feel like you have to if it's just not working for you. Also, you might not have to do some of these, but have other things that do need doing.

•  Clean the House

I start with the bedroom because I want it clean and ready to go by the time my husband gets home. This is purely for selfish reasons, I don't want to finish everything and start with my relaxing only to have to get myself back in cleaning mode at 5:00 p.m..

I work my way through the house leaving the bathroom for last. Mostly because I will shower after all the cleaning is done, so I clean the shower while I'm showering (I've found this to be wonderfully efficient for me).

I don't mind vacuuming at 6 am if that's when I'm ready to vacuum because I have neighbors who don't have a problem vacuuming at 11 pm when I need to be sleeping. However, sometimes I don't get that far in the process and vacuuming has to wait until after my husband wakes up in the afternoons. Which I don't mind as long as the rest of the house is clean.

• Clean out the fridge and start the dishwasher

This next step sets me up for the one after it, as well as the final Saturday morning duty I have. I clean out the fridge for leftovers or expired food. Then I finish loading the dishwasher from last night with the newly empty containers and start the dishwasher. This can be part of the cleaning the kitchen part of cleaning the house, but I like listing it as a separate step, just so I can cross two other things off my to-do list for the day. 

• Meal Plan and Grocery List

After cleaning out the fridge, I will go through what is left as well as what we have in our freezer and staples in the cupboard. Using what we already have, I make a meal plan. This involves looking up recipes sometimes, as long as I don't get distracted by cat videos or sewing/knitting blogs, I am allowed to get on Pinterest to look at my Food to Make or Accomplished board or search using the foods I have on hand for recipes. (This week's search was 'broccoli'.)

On pay weeks (my husband and I both get paid the same week, him on Tuesday, me on Friday) I will do the staples stock up. This includes things like flour and sugar, 'cream of' soups, rice, toilet paper, detergent, toothpaste, etc. I also try to meal plan for the two weeks we have until the next paycheck, but this doesn't always never happens. 

Then, I go through the planned meals, what will be used from staples and the freezer, and other small things we might need (like toilet paper) and make a basic grocery list. I then will look through the recipes for the week and add anything we need that we don't already have (sometimes I run into a spice that we don't already have, little things like that). 

This list is ready to go when it comes time to get groceries later on. 

• Tackle the To Do's 

I have some wonderful hobbies, a great job that I love (sometimes hate), and lots of other things going on. I like being busy. It's part of what my dad calls the "Go Gene". So I use this time to tackle the to-do list.

My list usually includes things like finishing up a custom order, getting pictures taken of things for the etsy shop, facebook, or here. Writing blog posts, getting packages ready for shipping. I also am a moderator for a swap group on Ravelry and this is a great time to check in on it for the day.

Since technology is great, I can also use this time to write posts on the Facebook business page, listings on Etsy, and here on the blog, and schedule them for the week. That way I don't have to scramble late on a Thursday night to post something on Facebook.

• This is also a great prep time for getting everything together that I need for out of the house errands if it's a grocery week. 

• During all of the Double Ups I listen to podcasts. One podcast I listen to has multiple episodes a week, and several of the others I am behind on. These couple of hours during laundry are great for catching up on podcasts. Plus, my phone is mobile, I can put it in my pocket or connect to the speaker and still listen while I'm scrubbing the toilet or putting away laundry in the bedroom. I am not chained to the living room like I would be with a t.v. show! 

Saturday Productivity Tips

I've been feeling like I've been super productive on Saturdays lately. I try really hard to do this because it frees up the rest of the week for relaxing and hobby related stuff after work. No one (at least not me) wants to get done with work on Tuesday (or any day really) and go straight to work again getting the house clean, or doing the laundry, or doing the dishes, or figuring out what to do for dinner. All of those lovely household duties that come with being a grown up.

This is why I spend my Saturdays, mostly the mornings, being as productive as humanly possible. It will set me up to have a smoother week in the after work hours, allowing me to enjoy the things I want to enjoy and have time to spend with my husband now that our schedules have a 4 hour overlap in the afternoons.

If you missed it earlier, these are the things I get done every Saturday and still have most of the day to relax and enjoy:

• All household laundry (up to 9 loads if it is sheet and towel day)
• Clean entire house (kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, living room, and 2 bedrooms being used as an office and spare room) side note: this one usually happens completely every other week when my husband is still on shift. If he is off shift, I can't do things like vacuuming because he is asleep and I don't want to wake him up!
• Dishes
• Meal Planning
• Grocery shopping

Right now with my schedule, I can get these all done by 10:00 a.m. on a good day. Folding and putting away laundry is the exception, but I talk about that later.

Here are the things that have worked for me, take the ones that you think will help you and let me know your tips for being productive!

1. Keep your daily scripture and prayer routine.

I read scriptures first thing in the morning during the week, before I head to work. Then I say my morning prayer and head out the door.  On the way to work I will listen to a talk from General Conference, or from the LDS General Conference Classics podcast.

Just because it's the weekend doesn't mean I get to skip a day, or wait until later, to do this. Starting the day off (as well as ending it) with God is the best thing you can do for yourself.

2.Don't Turn the T.V. On

Most people word this tip as "turn the t.v. off", not me. I think one of the best things I can do for myself is to not turn the t.v. on in the first place. I set a time, and it varies based on the day and what needs to get done, that I have to wait to reach until I can turn the t.v. on. The goal is to have as much done as possible before sitting down and getting caught up in a show which leads to my productivity grinding to a halt.

3. Don't Sleep In

Now, I'm putting this up front, this one you will need to read and adapt to your own situation.

During the week I wake up at 4:30 a.m. (yes, you read that right) to have enough time to not feel rushed in my morning routine and still get to work on time. On Saturdays my wake up time does not change. I leave sleeping in for Sundays.

Waking up at 4:30 on Saturday allows me enough time to do two things. First there is absolutely zero competition for washers in our apartment complex's laundry room that early on a Saturday, I can get up to nine loads of laundry done by 8:15 am when other people may start deciding to get up and do their laundry.

Secondly, I am able to get the entire apartment clean, including running the dishwasher and getting most of the laundry put away, before my husband gets home from his shift at 7:30. This frees up my day, and leaves me free from worrying about being too loud as I move stuff around in the kitchen and bathroom as I clean them.

4. Start the Laundry First

The first thing I do is start the laundry. Friday night I make sure I have everything in a basket, or at least a pile, and first thing I do when I wake up is take it to the laundry room and get started. Then I sit down and do my scripture routine.

I set a timer on my phone so it rings when the laundry load is done and needs to be switched to the dryers. I set another timer to remind me when to take the next loads over and start them so they will be done when the dryers are done. (Our laundry facilities have a half hour washer cycle and an hour dryer cycle.) As loads come back in to the house they get folded and put away immediately.

I keep this cycle going until all the laundry is done being washed and dried. Folding and putting away is the only exception to this routine. I am allowed to keep the loads that come out after my husband gets home for folding while I watch t.v. later in the day. They get put away when he wakes up in the afternoon. This is because on heavy laundry weeks there is overlap in the time laundry finishes and his normal sleeping hours. I don't want to disturb him so he can get a good sleep and be ready to work, so I don't go in the bedroom. Much less open and close drawers and the closet.

5. Double Up during Laundry

Since I have my laundry on a timer, I know I will not forget to get it or change it over or anything like that. Laundry does not take all of your focus, you start it and walk away. So I use this time to get other things done. I don't sit around reading (after I finish scriptures) or watching tv. Or mucking about online. I get everything else done that I can with the goal that once that last load of laundry gets folded and put away I am ready to go get groceries (My final 'chore' for the day).

Here is my post on the Double Ups to get you some ideas of what I do while I'm waiting on the laundry.

6. Get Groceries! (and other Errands)

I save this one for the last because I need laundry done before I leave the house. This is only because we use a laundry facility and I don't trust people to leave our clothes alone if I happen to be half an hour late getting that last load out of the dryer. 

If I'm in the mood, and it's still early enough, I will go to a class at the gym. I usually work out in the afternoons when I get off work, but not on Saturdays. If I don't go to the gym, I head straight to errands like going to the post office, and shopping. Mainly grocery shopping. 

I first hit up the local Farmers Market for in season veggies. I bring cash only, in a limited amount,  and if I run out of cash I run out of things to buy. On weeks where our budget is tighter, I will skip the Farmers Market and go straight to the Aldi. 

At Aldi, I get everything we might need that they carry. Meat, fruit/veggies, eggs, milk, staples, etc. I use Aldi because it can be much cheaper than Wal-Mart (last comparison I hit Aldi total price for 20 items after only 6 items in Wal-Mart). 

Whatever I can't find at Aldi that we need I go across the street (literally) to Wal-Mart, or if I know Wal-Mart won't have it (yes, it happens) I head to Kroger. Since we have a Kroger card we will get fuel points and some pretty sweet coupons every now and then, so sometimes Wal-Mart isn't even on the list. 

Then, when I get home I am not allowed to sit down or turn the t.v. on until EVERYTHING is put away. Not just the things that need to go into the fridge or freezer. All the staples, the toilet paper, laundry detergent, whatever I bought. It needs to be put away. 

FYI: I do not actively coupon. I do not foresee myself doing that. Buying only what we need and things that are on sale is working fine for us right now. 

Finally, since I do stock up on staples, there are some weeks where I do not need to go shopping. I will either go to the gym, or use the day as a no-drive day to save money on gas. Other things that might need to be done, like mailing a package, can wait until after work on Monday. 

7. Put on the Lounge Pants and Get Busy

At this point, I have reached all my necessary duties. The house is clean, we have the food we need for the next week or two, the laundry is done and put away. I can turn on the tv because from here on out, I can watch tv while doing things without it being a big deal. I mean, folding laundry just begs for tv!

 One final tip, I use the commercial breaks to put he folded laundry away. If it's a weekday, commercial breaks are used for quick chores like loading or unloading the dishwasher, cleaning the toilet, and such.