Saving just a little bit of time every day can make a big impact on your life over time. Luckily, there are a few home projects that can help you save time and energy on a daily basis.

A good place to start is by looking at your daily chores to see what can be automated or made more efficient.

For example, if you spend several minutes pre-rinsing dishes every night, it might be time to invest in a new dishwasher.

Modern dishwashers are both efficient and effective, so there’s no ­reason to pre-rinse your dishes before throwing them in.

If you spend a lot of time managing your lawn, swapping from grass to low-maintenance ground cover may be a good choice.

While grass offers a classic look, it requires regular maintenance that can take up a lot of time. If you don’t enjoy lawn maintenance, or if you just don’t have the time, look into low-maintenance landscaping, like gravel, native plants or turf.

Adding some smart home features to your home is another easy way to save some time. You can get a robotic vacuum/mop to clean your floors or a smart thermostat that automatically keeps your home at a comfortable temperature.

If you want to take on a larger project, or if you are already planning a remodel, you have even more options.

For example, you can swap out carpet or hardwood ­flooring (which both require specific cleaning to maintain) for a lower-maintenance tile or vinyl flooring.

These materials are durable and easy to clean, so you won’t have to spend extra time ­maintaining your floors.

Similarly, you can upgrade from a higher-maintenance countertop material, like butcher block or concrete, to a fuss-free, low-maintenance material like quartz.

Unfortunately, not every aspect of your home can be easily automated or made to be low-maintenance.

In those cases, you can hire pros for the work on an ­ongoing basis, which can help reduce the mental load associated with the task.

For example, you can hire professional cleaners to clean your home every week at the same time, so you don’t have to worry about that task getting done. This philosophy can be applied to cleaning, pest ­control, lawn maintenance or any other ongoing tasks.

Home maintenance, while important, can sometimes feel like it’s taking up all of your time. By prioritising efficiency and bringing in help when needed, you can save your ­energy for the things that matter most. – Tribune News Service