11 time-saving solutions that really work

Fall is here — and with it, a faster pace, hectic schedules and days that seem shorter. Here to help: Some smart time-saving strategies from the Merryfield team!

1. Prep meals the night before Try cooking steel-cut oats in a slow cooker overnight so breakfast for the family is ready to go. (Our own Kim McDevitt, RD, combines 1 cup steel-cut oats to 4 cups of water, adds cinnamon and a teaspoon of coconut oil, then cooks on low for 7 hours). And pack lunches for the family the night before to avoid last-minute stress.
2. Order groceries online for pick-up. Save time by selecting stuff online — and using the past purchase feature helps, too!
3. Or go to the grocery store — on weeknights. The quietest time at supermarkets? 7 or 8pm on weeknights, particularly Wednesdays, the least crowded day. Cruise through the aisle in record time rather than coping with crowds.
4. Create an “essentials” bowl. Instead of endlessly searching for keys, your phone or wallet, park it all in a bowl near the door when you get home. No more frantic hunting when you don’t have time!
5. Use a real alarm clock. iPhones are amazing but as a bedside alarm, they compromise the quality of your sleep, keeping you up late scrolling Instagram or sucking you into email first thing when you don’t have time. Set an old-fashioned alarm clock, a few feet from your bed, to encourage you to get up and get going.
6. Use the OHIO method for email and voicemail. “Only Handle It Once” and deal with messages upon receipt, so you don’t waste time circling back later.
7. Rely on pre-cut produce and veggie purees. Save time on meal prep with organic, easily available options from Earthbound Farm Organic, Once Upon a Farm and Love Beets.
8. Set time limits on screen time and apps.  We do it for our kids; why not ourselves? Set a time limit on your computer, say 9 pm, or limits on attention-grabbing apps (hello, TikTok) so you can control how many minutes you waste, er, spend.
9. Put on a playlist or podcast to power through chores. Folding laundry is way more fun when listening to Bruno Mars or Welcome to Our Show (with our Co-Founder Zooey Deschanel!). You might even pick up your pace!
10. Create an emergency kit for the car. Stash your glove compartment with a bag with items you might need in a pinch: Hair ties, brush, hand sanitizer, deodorant, dry shampoo, aspirin. That will avoid time-consuming detours to the drugstore while you’re out.
11. Earn rewards automatically. Another way to save time and get rewarded automatically? Connect your Merryfield app to Amazon and more digital retailers!