18 smart time-savers

By Sharon Franke for Good Housekeeping

If you're beyond busy (and we know you are), here are 18 easy, fast ways to beat the clock all day long!

1. If you're always searching for a pen, stock one in every handbag, and keep another in your checkbook.

2. Store buttons in clear pill dispensers so you can easily spot the one you need.

3. Schedule your next haircut before you leave the salon. (Try one of these 5 Best Haircuts Ever).

4. Keep scissors in every room so you won't waste time trying to find them if you have to open a package, cut a tag, or wrap a gift.

5. Buy stamps, print labels, and arrange package pickups online at usps.com.

6. When you find a useful number in the phone book, highlight it so it pops out the next time.

7. Skip the photo store. Order prints from an online service such as Snapfish, the top scorer in GH Research Institute tests.

8. Reserve (and renew) books online instead of driving to the library to do it in person.

9. Stash lint rollers in lots of places (the laundry room, closets, your car's glove compartment) so you can zap fuzz and pet hair in seconds.

10. Keep note cards, envelopes, and stamps in a zip-top plastic bag in your purse so you can dash off a thank-you note while standing in line at the supermarket or waiting in the school parking lot.

11. Store receipts in a designated pocket of your purse or wallet, so you'll have the one you need at your fingertips if you decide to make a return. You'll need these 10 Must-Have Pieces for Fall.

12. Use a Web grocer like Peapod. Once you create an account and a shopping list of the items you buy often, placing an order takes just minutes.

13. Before you leave home for a scheduled flight, print your boarding pass from the airline's Web site.

14. Avoid movie lines. Buy tickets online ahead of time from a service such as Fandango or Moviefone.

15. Do all your banking online. (It's safe, really.)

16. Wear a cordless headset when you're on the phone so you can multitask.

17. During TV commercials, don't just nosh--instead, pay your bills (that is, if you don't already pay them online).

18. Store your ATM card in a brightly colored case so it's easy to spot in your tote bag.



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