The team at Organise.Curate.Design. are always looking out for new and cool ways to make life easier. Whether it be a physical tool that saves you time or an app that makes you feel more organised and put together, we’ve heard of it and one of us is most likely trialling it. We all sat down to answer some questions about our own personal Life Hacks and how you can use them in your life too!
What is your ‘holy grail’ item for making life that little bit easier?
Caroline: My holy grail item would have to be my online calendar. I’ve been using an online calendar for years now and it is my go to when I feel overwhelmed or need to get my life in control. I use my calendar to set reminders, plan my day and plot out my goals and this method flows right through my entire life not just home or business. If it wasn’t for my calendar I would have no idea what I was meant to be doing every week.
Alana: Whilst Caroline and Ruby have summed up my two ‘holy grail’ items during the day (yes we all use calendars, and yes we all happened to use handbag pouches), what has truly made a difference to my everyday life is meal prepping. For me, Sunday’s are reserved for fresh food markets and grocery shopping and preparing my meals for the week. That way my bank account is happy and I get to minimise my decision fatigue towards choosing what to eat every day. I recently posted the exact planner I use here.
Ruby: I have a small pouch filled with ‘emergency’ items which I move from bag to bag depending on which one I am using that day. It has painkillers, bandaids, sanitary products, a phone cord, a little bit of cash, a pen, tissues, hand sanitiser, moisturiser, and a pair of glasses. Having this little pouch has helped me out more time than I can count, and has proved useful for friends as well!
What is a life hack you use every day?
Caroline: I’ve got lots of ‘life hacks’ that I use every day. I have tray’s in the boot of my car to make it easier to get groceries from the car to the house in less trips. I’ve got magazine holders in cupboards under the sink and in other areas of the house to hold items and save space and I’ve also got smaller bags the size of small pencil cases in my hand bag so my bag isn’t a mess and I can find what I need. If something needs organising, I’ve likely got a solution for it.
Alana: Leaving my phone outside of my bedroom, with a loud enough alarm that I can hear has completely changed my morning. It means that as soon as my alarm goes off, I am straight out of bed and out of the bedroom, minimising the temptation to snooze (though no one is perfect and I have ‘snoozed’ many times). It has also dramatically decreased the amount of time I spend on social media in both the morning and evening.
Ruby: I have a cute little pot I put my keys in as soon as I walk through the door, right next to my shoe rack so I never lose my house or car keys (something that used to happen more often than it should). I also changed my computer to be totally cloud based earlier this year which has been a life saver. I did a thorough deep clean and deleted everything I didn’t need anymore, and uploaded the rest to my Google Drive, into clear folders. I then factory reset and updated my software on my laptop and set it to upload everything on my Desktop to the Drive – now I won’t lose anything I need on my computer again!
What tip/trick do you think everyone should know?
Caroline: Right now, in the current circumstances of COVID19 my tip is to have your essential items in 2-3 areas so you have what you need. I personally have a packet of antibacterial wipes, hand sanitiser and tissues in the glove box of my car, in my handbag, and also some at home. I had these in place BEFORE COVID19, mainly because I’m a Mum and kids are always getting sticky or need something cleaned up, or they are always eating and sometimes can’t wash their hands before their next snack. So my tip is to be prepared and think ahead, as you never know when you’ll need those items.
Alana: Making little efficiencies in every corner of my life is usually the goal; hanging my socks in pairs when putting the laundry out, hanging my clothes in order of colour from darkest to lightest and keeping a small storage box in the boot of my car for my shopping bags (means I never forget them when I leave home and they are kept tidy in the back).
Ruby: When you’re writing out a to-do list for your day, especially when working from home, try to include everything you have planned, even if it’s a regular task. Being able to tick “Make Breakfast” or “Water Plants” off your to-do list helps with gathering momentum and gives you the push to keep going with the tasks you might not be as excited about. I always do my to-do list as a dot pointed list so I can get the full satisfaction of crossing off the entire line when I finish a task.
Whichever Life Hack fits into your life the best, we think they are awesome ways to discover new efficiencies and ease in your everyday life.
If you happen to implement any of the above tips, we’d love to hear about how you found them!
