Real Simple BBB --> What would you outsource to save the most time?

[ewpmsw]

I've outsourced yardwork before and now pay someone to help me with it periodically. It's too much for one busy human being during spring/fall leaf season.

I will probably use a maid service a few times after DD #2 arrives, just to keep my sanity. I wasn't thrilled with the job one service did after first DD was born, so am on the fence. I have much higher standards for cleaning that I'm paying for than cleaning that I'm doing last-minute before company arrives, KWIM? I'm a SAHM, so can't justify housecleaning help to DH under normal circumstances. If I worked outside the home, I know I'd the extra help housecleaning would be invaluable.

[JTsMom]

This is really a tough one for me. I'm assuming that whatever we choose is done to our exact preferences, right? So if I chose shopping, my dream shopper will go to whichever stores I want, use coupons, pick the most perfect produce, unload it all the way I want it, etc.?

[hillview]

Housekeeping for sure. We have a house cleaner every week. LOVE her.

Yardwork, we have a smallish yard and my parents (who live downstairs) enjoy working back there. I have on RARE occasion mowed the lawn and it was easy. I would outsource this if my parents didn't like it.

Laundry, I run the washer and dryer mostly and DH or the babysitter puts it away. I hate to put it away. It becomes a re-org project for me and then I refold etc.

Cooking...I wish I took more time (had more time) to do this. I like to do it but often don't have time to do it how I want to do it.

Grocery shopping, I like to do this and HATE it when someone else does it.
HATE it (unless it is to get say a pint of something very specific).

Mom's Taxi Service, I don't mind this and we don't do a lot of it yet. I like to drive (vs have someone else drive me) and I don't let our sitter drive the kids.

reading this I apparently have OCD.
/hillary

[Wondermom]

Housekeeping! If anyone's contemplating outsourcing this, kill two birds with one stone (sort of) and find a cleaner who'll also do laundry (at least as many loads as can be done in that time). Our housecleaner washes all of our sheets and towels while she's at our house once a week. If she finds unfolded clothes in the dryer when she arrives, she'll fold them. This usually amounts to 2-3 loads while she's there, but it's such a great *bonus* to get out of a housecleaner. I don't worry about the sheets and towels. I just have to keep up with our own clothing laundry, which is still a bunch when your 2-year-old is learning not to pee on himself.

[salsah]

Easy: Housekeeping! If you don't keep up with it every single day, it explodes...ask me how I know!

Yardwork, you only have to do once a week or so and only part of the year(where I live)

Laundry, I don't mind if someone would just put it away....oh wait, that's my job.

Cooking...you mean I'm supposed to cook?

Grocery shopping, well it's still shopping and I like shopping.

Mom's Taxi Service, well, I like driving and I don't mind being out and about, so I'm okay with that one too.

this is exactly how i feel.

as far as saving the MOST time, housekeeping by far takes the most time (not just the once a week industrial cleaning, but the picking up, making beds, washing dishes, wiping down the counters, table, chairs, and floors after each meal, type of housework.) i would love to have a house keeper!

but the option was for house cleaning (the once per week dusting, vacuuming, mopping, kitchen, bathroom scrubbing), not house keeping, so i would outsource yard work. i think the yard work would take me longer than the house cleaning would.

ETA: since it seems that a lot of people aren't answering the question as the op asked, "to save the MOST TIME", but rather most posters are saying which they would outsource for any reason, i'll give a second answer. outsourcing for any reason, if i could only pick one, i would pick yard work. it is the only one on there that would be seriously neglected if we didn't have someone do it for us. neither dh or I know how to do yard work, neither one if us has ever done yard work, neither one of are motivated enough to stay on top of it.

[mamicka]

Laundry. It's only a few minutes here or there to put it in the machine but the time spent folding, sorting, putting away, looking for something that may be in the wash or may be clean, stepping over the piles, etc... definitely laundry is the most time consuming here.

[ThreeofUs]

Housecleaning by a nose over landscaping. I'm completely behind on both.

[bigpassport]

I voted housecleaning because that's the most important to me, but if I could have two votes I'd add one for yardwork.

[pinkmomagain]

Maybe cause my kids are a bit older, I voted Mom's taxi service. I don't know about saving the most time, but it is pure torture running the kids around after school. The hours between 3pm-7pm are soooooooooooo hectic. And of course it coincides with cooking dinner, my 4yo's meltdowns, and homework squeezed in too.

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

Cleaning. DD may be getting a 25% raise, and I will be going back to work soon, so that may actually happen!