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Have you ever found out you were out of something you regularly use, just when you need to use it? Things that pop into my mind (because we have run out of them) are toilet paper, soap, shampoo, and laundry detergent. While in many cases it is possible to manufacture a reasonable substitute, how great would it be if you never ran out?

You can ensure this…with a simple schedule of supplies. Here’s how to make one:

Make A List

Make a list of all the things (non-food) that you use regularly. This would include things like shampoo, soap, toilet paper, cleaning supplies; anything you use regularly.

If you buy these things at different stores, put a notation as to which store you buy them at. This will help streamline your errands later on.

Corral Your Existing Items

One of the time-saving steps to having a list like this is only having to check one or two places to see if you need things. Take some time and find a place where you can store the extras you have on hand. I keep a basket in my bathroom closet for the toiletries, and the cleaning supply extras (not the ones in use in each bathroom) are on the floor of the same closet.

Do An Initial Stock

Next, take your list and make note of the things you need in order to have a supply on hand. Go to the store and purchase these items, and store them with the others. Make sure you have enough quantity to last for a month. For example, have six bars of soap if that is what your family uses in a month.

Stock Up Once A Month

On a set day every month, take your list (I keep the master list taped to the back of my closet door) and note what you need to replenish the stock. Then shop for it. Make sure the people in your family know you will only do this once a month.

The Benefit

The major benefit of doing this, besides having things you need on hand, is that you will find the amount of errands you run decreases. By shopping for the things once a month, you won’t have to run out three or four times a week to purchase something you ran out of.

As a side note to you sale-shoppers out there…you can also use this method to stock up on things when they are on sale. For instance, if my daughter’s shampoo is on sale, I will buy four bottles and keep them on hand, rather than buying one sale bottle and three regular-priced bottles on consecutive months. Watch out, though: make sure you are not stocking up to the point you will never use it!

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This is a guest post by Daniel Offer. If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guest post guidelines here.

Time really is precious. Do you find yourself wishing for an extra hour in the day to make your life more manageable? Instead of waiting for spare time to magically land on your doorstep, try focusing on those small pockets of time in-between other tasks. Here’s how to get the most out of 10 minutes, whether it’s to knock jobs off your ‘to-do’ list, or to kick back, relax, and unwind.

Clear Out a Drawer

Clearing out a drawer is one of those jobs people love to put off. It’s not a hard task, but you might have more fun watching paint dry. The next time you have 10 minutes spare, set the timer, work fast and furious, and sort that drawer. You’ll be surprised just how much you get done when you completely focus on the task in hand. When the 10 minutes are up, stop, stand back, and admire your work.

Get Moving

If exercise is on your ‘to-do’ list, but you haven’t quite got round to it yet, that spare 10 minutes is the time to start. You can do any activity you fancy. How about a short walk, some skipping, or even marching on the spot? Spending just 10 minutes a day exercising will add up to over an hour of extra activity each week.

Stretch Away Tension

Stretching is a great way to relieve tension. Start by reaching your arms in front of you with your palms linked together, and pull your arms forwards, feeling the stretch in your shoulders. Then put your arms behind you, palms together, and pull backwards. To stretch your legs, stand on one leg with the other bent behind you, and grab hold of your foot. You may need to lean on something for support. After just a short period of stretching you will feel the tension leave your body.

Organize your Emails

If you get inundated with emails, then you need to get organized. Spend 10 minutes deleting any unwanted emails, and moving important ones into relevant folders. Getting organized now could save you from palpitations the next time you need to find an important email.

Earn Some Extra Cash

The web is full of survey sites willing to pay for your opinion. Companies need to know your views, and will pay you for filling out surveys. Some survey sites are better than others, so do your research and find out which ones are worth your time. Don’t expect to earn big bucks. Some sites award vouchers, but others will pay you cash after you have reached a certain limit. If you dabble daily, you should find that over a few months you end up with a nice little payout.

Meditate

If you’re feeling stressed, use those 10 spare minutes to unwind. Find a quiet space, close your eyes and focus on breathing deeply. Breathe in slowly through your nose to a count to four, and slowly out through your mouth, to a count of four. After 10 minutes, you should feel a lot calmer than you did before.

The next time you have 10 minutes spare, whether it’s before a meeting, or waiting for the kids to get home from school, use that time productively, or gain some much-needed relaxation. If you can find 10 spare minutes every day, within a week you will have got yourself that extra hour.

Daniel Offer manages his time as best he can whilst running Emoinstaller, a Facebook Emoticons project. Emoinstaller allows you to use extra Facebook chat emoticons in your instant messages. Emoinstaller provides over 900 high quality Facebook emoticons.

Photo by mlpeixoto

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