Ok, I’m gonna be mean now! If you were to make just ONE recommendation from the many tips and tricks in your book, which one would most encompass the “minimum effort, maximum return” mantra you talk about? Your biggest “Eureka” moment…
It seems there is no end to this lady’s generosity since she has happily provided a copy of Simply Wonderwoman for one lucky reader to win. Yay! The giveaway is open internationally. To enter simply leave a comment telling us your best tip or trick for saving time or getting organised. Your very own “Eureka” moment if you like. Additional entries by Tweeting, Facebooking, Linking to this Giveaway on your blog, following this blog etc. Just let me know which, and I’ll pop an extra entry into the hat. (You know how it works 🙂 The Giveaway closes midnight GMT on Friday 27th April. Winner announced here shortly thereafter, so be sure to check back.
Good Luck!!
What a great giveaway! I think my favourite way of keeping things organised in my life is making to do lists with a rewards system if I complete everything I need to do. They can be little rewards like a piece of cake or watching something I really want to on TV or sometimes bigger rewards like a new dress or even a trip away, but I only get the rewards if I do whatever needs to be done in the time I set myself. It’s a great way to keep motivated!
My own personal Eureka moment was learning how to work the oven timer… silly I know. But when man is away and its just me, I can sort out my dinner what ever time of day I happen to remember about it, and it’ll be ready BEFORE 9pm!
What a great giveaway! I don’t really have any eureka moments. I’d say I’m one of those in need of this book. However, one thing that has helped me is “A place for everything, and everything in it’s place”. When something has a specific place I tend to put it back. Anything with a wishy-washy home, or too far from where I used it tends to hang around. Fairly basic, I know.
Anyway, I’m also a follower of this blog, so fingers crossed.
What a great giveaway. For a way to save your rug after getting red wine spilled on it, I use Windex window cleaner. Even on white or beige carpet, you can spray the Windex directly on the stain and then soak up the wine using paper towels.
My eureka moment was realizing I write the same things on my shopping list every week so I made a standard shopping list using Excel with tickboxes for the things I buy regularly. I laid it out in the order I walk round the store and now I can get my shopping done in record time. There are empty entries for the things I buy occasionally so they just added into the right place tick off what I need and I can be out of the store in less than 1 hour for a ‘big shop’. Would love this book as I need all the help I can get sometimes!
What a fantastic interview and an exciting giveaway!!! Two things that really help for me are making a meal plan (which helps with the weekly shop) and using my slowcooker (hot dinners ready when I get home from work) – such amazing time savers!
What a great give-away and I love the story behind how you got your exclusive interview!!!!!!!! I need all the organisation tips I can get to manage my brood. I think the only tip I’ve got that I find works for me is to set myself a job and set the timer on my phone for 15mins and work until the alarm goes off – I find I can get as much done in 15mins as in an hour because there’s no procrastination – great for when you’ve got 15mins before going to pick the little one up from nursery/school!!!
i don’t have one, that’s why i need this book, lol!
I’m so far from organised and having eureka moments that I’m like Bunny. We used to stick a sheet of paper to our window when my son was younger. It had a list of, “Do you have” items such as clean hanky, lunch, Ventolin puffer, whatever – well, we still have it though we’ve upgraded it for secondary school (it now includes diary and is it signed and do you have a bus ticket, none of which applied for primary school) and I had a fun time when he once ran me through the list before I went to work. I failed. I need help.
Reading the interview I just started getting curious about what other tips Joanna has in her book. I’ll definitely try the one with the oven. I get scared away every time when all that smoke comes out. I’d love to win your giveaway 🙂
I need more tips as i want more time for crafts and want to spend less time doing chores around house.
Thanks for your interview 🙂 loved reading it
Simona of http://sewingadventuresintheattick.wordpress.com/
I’m an avid list maker…I think it helps to get stuff out of your head so it’s not whizzing round in there distracting you. Also, we TIVO our favourite TV programmes so that’s all we watch on TV. You save loads of time not watching rubbish and you can fast-forward through the adverts too. Bonus! Of course, I also have handwork in my lap whilst I’m watching so I’m making a quilt or a sweater or something at the same time.
Love the idea of steam cleaning the oven – I hate the messy job!
My Eureka moment is one of those that is blindingly obvious in hindsight… Tidy up as you go, don’t leave it for later! That way you can do fun stuff when you want rather than having to tidy up and then having no time left! Now all I have to do is apply it to my sewing room…
My top tip is picking an outfit and putting it all out the night before a busy day. It gives you a precious extra 5 or 10 minutes either in bed in the morning or to sit down with a cup of tea and think about what’s to come.
Thanks for the interview. The book sounds amazing!
Thanks for organising this giveaway! My best suggestion for getting things done is to just start doing them. One thing at a time and soon enough you’ll be half way there and eventually you’ll be done. Sometimes getting scared of how much there is to get done is just another way of procrastinating. If you can’t organise it just start with one thing, at least you’ve one thing less to do then!
I used to feel guilty sometimes whenever I sat down to do something crafty when I should be doing something else (like cleaning)then but I now realize being creative is my therapy, and it helps me to be balanced. This seems like a lovely book I would love a copy.
cutekipepeo(at)gmail(dot)com
This book looks amaaaaazing. I would love to have a copy!
Oh I’m sooo glad I found your blog (as usual I don’t remember how I got here!), but I’ve loved reading a dozen posts so far. This book sounds FANTASTIC, and hopefully I can find it here in Canada. Also, your draftalong is EXACTLY what I’ve been looking for. It’s been on my mind for the last year, but I only just found a book to use, and I’m working on my pants block with StephC at 3HoursPast. I’m also eager to get going on my first Sorbetto pattern which I only printed off last week! I’ll be following along for sure!
I do something similar with putting everything on a peg on the fridge that needs to be done, ie bills to be paid. That and have everyones activities on a calendar. The book sounds great
Thanks for the great interview, I would love to win a copy of this book as I strive to be more organised! One of my favourite tips I have ever found is to put duvet covers inside the corresponding pillowcase…saves so much time trying to find a matching set and makes the airing cupboard so much tidier 🙂
Oh my, my life is pretty chaotic right now, I could do with some simplicity! Besides making to-do lists, I have found that putting important things from my to-do list into my timer complete with a time frame to to it makes it more likely that I actually do it. 😀 I also try to do similar activities at the same time (like, all important emails that need to be answered, or paying all the bills once a week)…
Also, I follow you with bloglovin!
Gosh what a wonderful interview & I’m embarrassed to say this is my first encounter with Simply Wonderwoman – I guess that could mean I am in need!!
My tip that I don’t practice often enough is to get my work outfit ready the night before to save me faffing around. AArgh – but Trina’s also said this too. I hope that this means it is a “VERY GOOD TIP”!
I would love to win this book! The Mr and I try to get organised about scheduling by giving each other access to our office calendars (in Outlook) and having a family Google Calendar. It helps a lot. For the kids, we save a lot of time in the morning by packing the school bag the night before.
My current favorite organizational tip is to make a list of chores for my kids for when they come home from school. It helps to remind them that they need to tidy up any new messes before my husband and I come home.
Thanks for the great interview!
My favorite tip to put things you need all the time always in the same spot: keys, cooking utensils (also, set out all the things you’ll need to make a meal before you start, and get the chopping done before you start cooking). I learned this the hard way when I was very young and worked as a bartender – it’s amazing how much being able to blindly grab something helps.
My hubby and I saved time packing our lunches by washing and cutting all of our veggies on Sunday night. Then when the week starts it’s easy to grab a handful of veggies and throw them in our lunches (and healthy). We sometimes do this with fruit as well (if it is the kind that keep well with pre-cutting).
Great interview! I’m in sore need of the book – I could tell you all sorts of tips but I never seem to put them into practice! One thing I do know is that the more storage you have for your stuff to live the more likely you are to put things away immediately – but it has to be easily accesses!
What an interesting interview. I find that I deal with each letter from school/rainbows/ballet etc as soon as it comes in then I put any reply in the appropriate bag so that it automatically gets taken to the right place the next time we go.
My tips are about laundry and ironing because I loath doing it.
-I try to sort my laundry during the week
-To reduce ironing I try to hang everything so it doesn’t get wrinkled
-I hang my tops and skirts on hangers. When they’re dry I can put them straight in the wardrobe.
I enjoyed reading everyone elses tips. So clever!
I could definitely use this book as I live in an episode of “The Life Laundry” (remember that tv programme?). My only tip is to aim for “one touch”… it works best with office-based mess, but if you e.g. open a letter you should deal with it there and then, and not put it down until you finish, then move on to the next thing. So… open an email and answer it; pick up the dirty socks and put them straight in the washing machine. Never leave stuff half-done as it takes more of your time to deal with it. Sadly, it doesn’t work for knitting or sewing projects!
My favorite time saver is to make lists and keep them all on my iPhone. Lists are labeled things like “get for home”, “get for school”, and “grocery”. I even have a list for patterns that I want to get when they go on sale, and update the list to show which ones I’ve already purchased. I don’t want to purchase the same one twice! Lists. An organizer’s best friend.