20 Productivity Products That Are Giving Us LIFE

Organization, Productivity

Wish you had more hours in the week? With the help of these productivity products, you'll feel like a time organization pro. Ready to save a TON of time? Let's do this!

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Raise your hand if you wish you had more time to do the things you love. We see you! And we feel you. To many people, productivity is about spending hours knocking out big, complicated tasks. To us, productivity is handling your must-do tasks more efficiently, so you have more time to spend on things you enjoy. (Bring on The Office binge sessions!)

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While we can't wave a magic wand and add more hours to your day (we wish!), these productivity products can save you some serious time. Whether you're looking for a clever gift idea for the person who has it all or a gadget that will help your home run more smoothly, we've got you covered, Freebs. Let's do this!

PRODUCTIVITY PRODUCTS TO SAVE TIME IN THE KITCHEN

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Living a frugal lifestyle means cooking lots of meals at home. It doesn't mean spending hours in the kitchen every day doing it! (PSA: If you haven't already, be sure to check out our Shelf Cooking blog for tons of easy recipes, time-, and money-saving tips.) Here are four kitchen gadgets we recommend to whip up meals in no time:

Instant Pot – This magical appliance really does it all! In just a few minutes, you can prepare a meal for the whole family. All those minutes saved = more time for book club or yoga!
Silicone Baking Mat – Save yourself the mess and the time of scrubbing your baking sheets and pans! We love a good silicone baking mat. And bonus: they're good for the environment and your wallet, too! No more tinfoil or parchment paper in bulk, you guys.
Vegetable Slicer – We don't know about you, but we don't love chopping veggies for dinner. It's kind of a drag! But with this handy slicer, it's actually pretty fun. It saves tons of time, too!
Automatic Pet Feeder – We know you have furry mouths to feed, too. So, save yourself a little time with this genius invention. You can pour several meals at once and program it to do the rest. Go ahead and grab a water dispenser while you're at it!

Using all of these productivity products in your kitchen could literally save you hundreds of minutes this year! Not too shabby, huh? Now, let's talk about phone apps!

APPS TO AMP UP YOUR PRODUCTIVITY

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We know you're on your phone all day anyway, so why not put it to work? These handy apps will help you live your best life:

Calm – Stop what you're doing and take a few deep breaths. No seriously. Okay, are you done? Don't you feel a little bit better? It's incredible how much quiet time can refresh your soul. And while it might seem counterproductive to pause when you're trying to be more, well, productive, it works! Trust us. 5 minutes of self-care per day might change your life.
Forest – Do you have trouble staying off your phone and focused on work? If so, check out this app called Forest! It offers a healthy dose of guilt to keep you on task. Just set a timer for the amount of time you want to stay off your phone. A virtual tree will start to grow right before your eyes (it's like magic). But, if you pick up that phone before the time is up, the tree will die. (Nooooo!) It's strangely motivating.
Audible – You know that book you keep meaning to finish? Listen while you do the dishes or wait in the carpool line. While you're at it, why not try a book about productivity?
Google Calendar – We're big fans of writing our to-do list down on a good old fashioned paper, but we love having our calendar available from anywhere, right at our fingertips! Best of all, Google Calendar is free.

Oh, and if you'd like a wall calendar to accompany the digital version, we've got one you'll love. Grab a copy of our 2021 Focused In calendar! It's under $20 and oh-so-pretty.

PRODUCTIVITY PRODUCTS TO HELP YOU MAXIMIZE YOUR TIME

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These productivity products are designed to help you make the most of the time you have, which pretty much feels like magic. Doing more with less = a win! If you want to stay (or start being) productive, check these out:

Productivity Planner – Okay. We may be biased, but we're pretty big fans of these productivity planners. Not only do they have the world's most gorgeous covers, but the insides are FILLED with everything you need to supercharge your productivity and get your life in order.
Grocery Delivery Subscription – Think about all the time you spend grocery shopping each month. Loading the kids up, driving there and back, braving the crowds. If you pay for a monthly membership with Shipt, Instacart, or Walmart+, you can get your groceries delivered for FREE. It is worth it because you'll save money, too. No more impulse buys on the cookie aisle!
Smart Speaker – Having a smart speaker is kind of like having your own personal assistant. Make your grocery list while you do the dishes, or catch up on the news while folding laundry.
Productivity Boot Camp – Again, we may be biased, but you guys! If you haven't already, you need to check out our Productivity Boot Camp. You'll learn how to implement our famous block schedule system and so much more! This program has literally changed thousands of lives.
Under-the-Desk Bike – This may seem weird, but stick with us. What if you could get your workout in while you're responding to emails or sitting on conference calls? You totally can with one of these desk bikes. Boom! We just saved you a few hours each month.

Now all you need is someone to do your chores. We've got that covered, too, so keep on reading, Freebs!

PRODUCTIVITY PRODUCTS THAT MAKE CHORES A BREEZE

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Ironing, vacuuming, dusting….yay! Ummmm…not so much. But guess what? Chores CAN be fun. And they don't have to take hours! Try one of these products to cut a few corners:

Clothing Steamer – Who has time to iron?! No thanks. Save yourself hours each month with one of these handheld steamers! SO much easier than lugging out that old ironing board.
Microfiber Hair Towel – This might seem like a random productivity product, but hear us out! Wrap your hair in one of these super-soft towels after you hop out of the shower, then go about your business. Do your chores, read a book, do you, boo! Then, when you're ready, you can dry or air dry your hair in a lot less time! Go ahead and grab the three-pack.
Robotic Vacuum – If you're looking to splurge a little, we suggest saving up for a robotic vacuum. They often go on sale around the holidays, so keep an eye out for the best deals. You can set your vacuum on an auto timer, so it cleans while you sleep or run errands. It's the next best thing to having a house cleaner, so it pays for itself pretty quickly!

Pro Tip: Get your kids to help with the chores, too! We believe in raising capable kids, and with the right systems in place, you can teach your kids responsibility and independence while saving yourself a ton of time! Get the lowdown on age-appropriate chores and learn all about our clipboard system!

THESE GENIUS PRODUCTS JUST MIGHT SAVE YOUR SANITY

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You know those products that make you say to yourself, “why didn't I think of that?!” Well, these things definitely fall into that category. Check out these smart, sanity-saving gadgets:

Sock Clips – The mysterious case of the missing socks? We're still trying to crack that case. We'd love to know where all those dang things went. Hopefully, someplace fun! Anyway….save yourself the headache of hunting down all the runaway socks. These super affordable clips will help solve that problem.
Purse Organizer – “Mom, do you have a bandaid?” “Honey, do you have any chapstick?” We have to keep up with it ALL. And when you're trying to carry the whole world in your purse, things can get a little messy. Save yourself the time and hassle of sorting through all the clutter! This purse organizer is a game-changer!
Bluetooth Tile Trackers – Whether you're always losing your keys or your wallet, these handy little tiles are about to become your new best friends!
Smart Plugs – No more arguing over who's getting out of bed to turn out the lights! Smart plugs are life-changing, you guys! Tell your smart speaker to turn off the lights or any other device that's connected, and boom! That's it. Saving 30-seconds here and there adds up!

Oh, and you know that person in your family who has everything? Bookmark this post! The next time their birthday rolls around, you'll know what to do!

SHARE YOUR BEST PRODUCTIVITY TIPS

We hope this roundup helps you find ways to stay productive and make even more of your time! Let's hold each other accountable, shall we?

We'd love to hear what works for you! Drop your best productivity tips or hacks in the comments below, or join the conversation on the Fun Cheap or Free Facebook page!

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Looking for more posts that will help you become a productivity pro?

Learn what to do every Sunday to plan your week!
Tackle that closet or junk room that's been bugging you. These tips will help you learn how to organize small spaces with ease!
Find your motivation and keep it! Here are some tried and true tips for staying motivated.

You've got this!