by Kara | Jul 16, 2024 | Grocery, Health, Home, Organizational, Outsourcing, Residential
If you’re responsible for family meal planning, including grocery shopping, meal prep, and cleanup, you know how many hours it can take in any given week. What if you could manage those tasks more effectively and save yourself a lot of time along the way?
The good news? You can. With an efficient planning process, some household support, and a customizable family meal planner template, you can become a meal planning pro and get back hours in your week.
5 Steps to Successful Meal Planning
Planning meals in advance delivers a host of benefits. In addition to saving time, it makes grocery shopping more efficient and takes the stress out of meal prep. As a result, you can approach each meal knowing exactly what’s on the menu and how long it will take to pull the meal together.
Weekly or monthly meal planning is a great idea for any household, but getting started can be a bit overwhelming. There are many factors to consider, and you may not know much about selecting a meal planning template. However, by following the detailed steps below and getting familiar with meal planning best practices, you can plan delicious, nutritious, and stress-free meals every day.
[Related: 
]
Here’s how to get started:
1. Set a solid meal planning foundation.
Before you sit down to populate a monthly meal plan template, you’ll need to determine what meal planning will look like for you and how you’ll make it a part of your routine. Setting this foundation ahead of time will ensure meal planning doesn’t become something you do only once and then abandon.
Some of the questions you’ll want to answer during this step include:
- Are there any nutritional goals I want to accomplish?
- What kinds of cuisines and food groups do I want more or less of each month?
- Do I want to plan meals for the week or the month?
- How much time do I want to spend on grocery shopping and meal prep?
- What menu alternatives can I use when there’s no time for meal prep? Leftovers? Preprepared meals? Takeout?
2. Build your family meal planner template.
Fortunately, you won’t have to create a family meal plan template from scratch. Several meal planning apps, printables, and free meal plan templates exist online. You can also access editable weekly and monthly meal plan templates in our family meal planning guide.
Whether you select a weekly or monthly template, make sure it includes enough space for menus, recipe ideas, and notes. Your template should also be printable so you can share it with your family and anyone helping with grocery shopping and meal prep.
3. Involve your family in the meal planning process.
Family meal plans work best when they incorporate everyone’s food preferences and nutritional needs. Get input from family members about what they want to see in the meal plan. You can also post the whole plan in a central location so everyone knows what’s on the menu and can help when needed.
[Related: 
]
4. Get support from a household assistant.
Considering that household chores can take more than 21 hours per week, it makes a lot of sense to lighten your load with household help. In addition to the other household activities a household assistant can perform, such as doing laundry, running errands, and supervising vendors, your assistant can manage the following meal planning tasks:
- Grocery shopping
- Pantry and fridge inventory planning
- Meal prep and cooking services
- Researching new recipes based on your dietary preferences
5. Refine your meal plan periodically.
Like anything else, periodic improvements to your meal plan will make it more efficient and dynamic. For example, you can add new recipes and evaluate menus for more nutritional balance. You can also optimize meal prep by adding slow-cooker meals and freezing portions of meals beforehand. Each month, you’ll become more skilled in creating menus and getting everything on the table with less fuss.
Make Family Meal Times Less Stressful and More Enjoyable
If you’re ready to add time back into your schedule and prepare nutritious meals your whole family will love, make meal planning a regular part of your household management activities. It’s an excellent way to eat the foods you want without the stress of last-minute shopping and meal prep.
We want to help make meal planning as easy as possible for you. Get on the road to becoming a meal planning pro by downloading The Ultimate Guide to Family Meal Planning: Strategies, Templates, and Resources.
by Kara | Jun 27, 2024 | Grocery, Health, Home, Organizational, Outsourcing, Residential
If you’ve ever considered hiring a personal assistant for your home, you’ve likely thought about what your assistant would do, how many hours it would take, and the logistics of getting them onboarded. After all, hiring the right personal assistant for your home isn’t something to take lightly. The ideal assistant must manage tasks according to your preferences, work independently, and take initiative where it makes sense.
Thankfully, that’s all possible. There’s an efficient, no-fuss way to find, hire, and onboard a home personal assistant so you can lighten your load and get more time to do what matters most to you.
The Time Spent on Household Chores
Time is one of life’s most precious resources; you want to use it wisely. But spending too much time on household chores leaves you with less time for your family, friends, career, and self-care. And if you have children at home, you may feel even more stretched. In a recent survey, 62 percent of moms said they got less than an hour a day to themselves.
Household tasks eat up more time than you might think. A five-year time-use study conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found that unpaid household chores took an average of 21.5 hours per week. Just imagine what you could do instead of spending that many hours a week doing things you may not even enjoy, such as running errands, doing laundry, and waiting for the HVAC maintenance technician to arrive.
[Related: ]
Hiring a Personal Assistant for Your Home Adds Time to Your Day
There are many signs you’re ready for a personal assistant: You’re stressed, overwhelmed, and have little to no time for personal interests. Most days, it seems there’s too much to do, you feel responsible for doing it all, and you rarely, if ever, get a break.
However, a personal assistant can address those issues by taking the following tasks off your hands:
- Shopping for groceries
- Running errands
- Doing laundry and dropping off dry cleaning
- Preparing meals and cleaning up
- Organizing and tidying rooms
- Making reservations
- Scheduling and rescheduling appointments
- Coordinating deliveries and making returns
- Supervising repairs
And that’s not all. An assistant can also help you complete dream projects for any space in your home and property—whether you want to reorganize your patio or redecorate a spare room. By managing these projects so you no longer have to think about them, a personal assistant makes your life easier and more enjoyable.
[Related: ]
Getting Started with a Pepper’s Personal Assistant
Pepper’s personal assistants are quick learners, able to work independently, and eager to bring you ideas for keeping your home tidy and organized. You don’t have to do everything yourself, and getting started with your new personal assistant is easier than you may think.
We can have you up and running with your assistant in less than three hours with these five steps:
- Step 1: Discovery call to discuss your needs and how a Pepper’s personal assistant can help (about 30 minutes)
- Step 2: Deep-dive discussion about exactly what you want in an assistant, including your preferences, pet peeves, and must-haves (about 45 minutes)
- Step 3: Onboarding forms for your hand-picked personal assistant (about 15 minutes)
- Step 4: Initial kickoff and introduction call with your new assistant (45 minutes)
- Step 5: First-day tour with your assistant (one hour, in person)
At Pepper’s, we’re committed to helping you save time and spend it how you want. Once your personal assistant begins work, you can expect a weekly 15-minute check-in to discuss progress and any new projects you need help completing. We take care of everything else, including your assistant’s payroll, employment taxes, and health benefits.
Add 21-Plus Hours Back into Your Week
Hiring a Pepper’s personal assistant for your home means you won’t have to worry about mundane household tasks again. You’ll also get those dream projects completed and have more control over your time.
See how a Pepper’s personal assistant changed one busy woman’s life and home. Check out Chores and Beyond: A Case Study Exploring the Full Potential of What a Household Assistant Can Do for You.
by Kara | Jun 26, 2024 | Grocery, Health, Home, Organizational, Outsourcing, Residential
Outsourcing household chores isn’t a privilege reserved only for the rich. You also need time for yourself, and you shouldn’t have to spend all of it on mundane housekeeping tasks. While life is full of less-than-glamorous chores, no one needs—or wants—a calendar packed with nothing but running errands, doing laundry, and preparing meals.
Having a household assistant doesn’t mean being waited on hand and foot—it simply means having help to manage the tasks you don’t have time to complete.
What does a household assistant really do?
Depending on your lifestyle and schedule, household assistants can assist with any number of chores in your home, including the ones you dislike most. Your assistant can manage all of the following:
- Running errands or shopping
- Planning and preparing meals and washing dishes
- Doing laundry and dropping off dry cleaning
- Tackling home maintenance tasks
- Organizing and tidying
- Managing appointments
[Related: 
]
Common Misconceptions About Household Assistants
Many people think household assistants are just for celebrities, but anyone can benefit from the help of an assistant—especially if you’re also juggling a career, family, and other responsibilities. In fact, one Harvard professor says that outsourcing household chores can make you feel as happy as getting a sizable salary increase.
Perhaps you have a lot on your to-do list, but you’re not sure you have enough for a household assistant to do. In reality, there’s no shortage of tasks your personal assistant can take care of for you.
In more than a decade of service, Pepper’s assistants have never struggled to find things to do. In fact, there are probably a few things you didn’t expect a household assistant could handle, such as:
- Managing home renovation and redecorating projects
- Planning travel, including packing and unpacking
- Planning parties, including setting up and cleaning up
- Scheduling and supervising vendors
- Caring for pets (e.g., dog walks, vet visits, and trips to doggie daycare)
- Paying bills
- Decorating for holidays
And that’s only scratching the surface. A private home assistant goes beyond chores and day-to-day housekeeping to ensure your time remains exactly that: yours.
Why choose Pepper’s Personal Assistants?
We understand getting household help isn’t just a matter of finding someone to take care of your to-do list. You also need to connect with someone you trust who understands your preferences. You don’t want just a pair of hands; you need the right person—one who can handle your responsibilities as well as you would.
This is exactly what we strive for at Pepper’s. We offer a tailored approach to home maintenance and management, helping busy professionals—not just the uber-wealthy—get the helping hand they need.
[Related: ]
But Don’t Take It from Us …
We believe the best household assistants find joy in making your life easy, taking ownership of household tasks, and conducting themselves with integrity at all times. And that’s exactly what you get with Pepper’s. Here’s a sampling of what some of our clients have to say about working with a Pepper’s personal assistant:
“We went on vacation, and everything went really well. It was so lovely to have the peace of mind while traveling that the house was fully taken care of. Our personal assistant managed my household and vendors flawlessly, and we had groceries and a full meal ready for us after a long journey back.”
—Anura, client
_______
“My PA is really good at organizing. It’s one of her superpowers. Some of the simple reorganizing things that she has done have made a big impact. For instance, she finally can see stuff in her cupboards. Master genius on this. Another example is how she organized all the cat stuff in the garage and took the initiative on her own. She’s bright and cheery—no moaning, whining. Very great.”
—Emma, client
________
“With our personal assistant on our team, our lives are more manageable and less stressful, and thus, we have time to better prepare for our challenges and joyfully celebrate our victories. She contributes daily to the success of our family!”
—Case Study: How One Mom Got Back Her Time
Outsource household chores—and much more.
Getting household help isn’t unrealistic or unattainable. It’s also not reserved for celebrities, high-profile influencers, or the super-wealthy. You, too, can get household help and make more time for what matters most in your life.
With a household assistant, you no longer have to feel overwhelmed by the responsibilities of managing a home, family, and career. You can tackle everyday household chores and the dream projects that have been on your to-do list for a while.
See how a household assistant made a dramatic difference in the life of one busy professional. Download Chores and Beyond: A Case Study Exploring the Full Potential of What a Household Assistant Can Do for You.
by Kara | Jun 24, 2024 | Grocery, Health, Home, Organizational, Outsourcing, Residential
When you’re responsible for managing your home and all the related chores, it can seem like your to-do list just keeps getting longer and longer. Not only are there daily and weekly tasks to perform, such as doing laundry and shopping for groceries, but you also have home renovation projects you would love to get off the ground—and off your to-do list.
Though you may be feeling overwhelmed with working, raising a family, and managing your household, you can make life more manageable with a household assistant. In fact, a Pepper’s assistant can take on everyday chores and so much more, including managing vendors, planning travel, and helping make your dream projects a reality.
Day-to-Day Responsibilities of a Household Assistant
If you’ve been wondering whether you need a household assistant or have enough work to keep an assistant busy, consider this: Research has found that the average person spends nearly two hours a day on household chores. And 80 percent of people will spend nearly a year of their lives on these chores!
Though you may have a lot of household responsibilities on your plate, a skilled assistant can give you some of your time back and ensure everything gets done right. Your household assistant can do all of the chores you would love to never do again, including:
- Preparing meals and cleaning up
- Shopping for groceries
- Making returns
- Doing laundry and dropping off dry cleaning
- Making and rescheduling appointments
[Related: ]
Go Beyond Typical Household Chores
Household assistants can work wonders performing everyday household tasks, but they can also help with one-off and longer-term projects. Whether you’ve got a spare room you would like to reimagine or some items in storage you want to organize, your assistant can help.
These projects can include:
“I want to mention what a fantastic personal assistant Billie is to me. We were on vacation last week, and she managed my household and vendors flawlessly. With very little direction, she redecorated my office. I asked her to make it nice and functional and—my goodness—did she ever!”
—Anura, client
[Related: ]
Shrink Your To-Do List and Add More Time to Your Day
By outsourcing household chores, you can get tasks done without rushing and feeling frazzled at the end of each day. Working with a Pepper’s household assistant allows you to spend more time with family and personal interests and less time carrying the mental load of everything that needs to get done in a day.
Pepper’s assistants are trustworthy, considerate, and resourceful, striking the optimal balance between keeping you informed while working independently. Your assistant will take your to-do list and keep track of your ideas, favorite stores, and must-have grocery items. Even if you’ve never had household help before, you’re likely to find a Pepper’s household assistant is exactly what you need to reclaim your free time.
“The gift of this is that I’ve been ‘managing’ myself … and learning a lot of things about some of my own work habits, which has allowed me to actually make some changes. Because many of my other tasks have been managed and handled by [my PA], I have a sense of peace while I’m investigating this other part of my life. Very, very valuable.”
—Libby, client
Manage Household Chores and Much More
Delegating your household chores means freeing up time to do what you love and worrying less about constant home upkeep. With a Pepper’s personal assistant, you won’t just have reliable help for daily chores; you’ll also have a partner to help you manage the home projects you always wanted to complete but never had the time to do.
To discover the full potential of a household assistant, check out Chores and Beyond: A Case Study Exploring the Full Potential of What a Household Assistant Can Do for You.
by Kara | Feb 14, 2024 | General, Outsourcing
When you hear the term “personal assistant,” you might immediately think of someone in an office, taking notes, forwarding phone calls, or bringing coffee to the executive meetings. Similarly, the title “household manager” could inspire grandiose thoughts of large estates where the household staff includes chauffeurs, personal chefs, and maids.
These are accurate connotations, but the tricky thing is that these are also words used to describe who we are at Pepper’s Personal Assistants. While personal assistant, household manager, and concierge are all titles our team can proudly claim, Pepper’s Personal Assistants is a service designed for the average individual during their busy day-to-day life.
Here’s What Pepper’s Does Differently
The goal of Pepper’s Personal Assistants is to give professional individuals their personal time back, whether to indulge in self-care, catch up on some well-needed sleep, spend time with loved ones, or simply take a moment to themselves. We are made up of a team of thoroughly vetted, trained, and talented individuals who all have one thing in common: we thrive on providing excellent service.
When you hire a personal assistant from Pepper’s, you can delegate certain household tasks and assignments to them to help you get organized, tackle projects, and get ahead of the game. Think of Pepper’s Personal Assistants as the additional pair of hands you always needed, or the solution to wanting a few extra hours in the day after you get things done to relax.
After you choose from one of our two service packages, a dedicated member of our personal assistant team will come to your home to support you with a variety of tasks depending on your specific needs and the time allotted.
From grocery shopping and meal prep to bill paying, pet care, and laundry—we can handle it. Our goal is to know what you need before you do, to help you reclaim your time, and bring you peace of mind.
Our Service Packages
Pepper’s Personal Assistants offer two different service packages depending on your unique needs and time requirement, the Task Assistant package and the Personal Assistant package.
Whichever service package you choose, we’re happy to help you get some things off your plate and free your time up for what’s more important.
[Related: ]
Successful People Need Support
We get it. You’re a hard-working professional who might be struggling with balancing work, tasks at home, your social life, and the ever elusive “me” time. Asking for help can be hard, but with Pepper’s Personal Assistants it doesn’t have to be. We care about your wellbeing and health, which can be negatively impacted by stress and a heavy mental load.
Contact Pepper’s Personal Assistants Today
Find out more about our unique service packages, the types of tasks Pepper’s can take care of, and our onboarding process on our service page. Reclaim your time and get back to living your best life. 
and find your ideal assistant.
by Kara | Feb 14, 2024 | Outsourcing
The most successful people know that one thing’s for sure—even if you want to, you can’t do everything yourself. This is where outsourcing comes into play. Whether you run your own business, are a single person working from home, a new homeowner, or a parent juggling the needs of your family, outsourcing can truly change your life for the better.
[Related: 
]
Done right, outsourcing tasks to an outside company or individual can increase productivity, and free up precious time for you to be more engaged in what matters most to you. This type of investment is incredibly valuable, as it allows you to make the most out of the 24 hours in each day.
How Do You Decide If You Need to Outsource?
So how do you decide which tasks are worth outsourcing? Consider things like your skill level, your budget, and your schedule. Here are a few questions you should ask yourself when you’re considering what to outsource.
- Am I putting off this task because I lack the resources or energy? If the answer is yes, you should consider outsourcing..
- Do I have the skillset to do this task efficiently? If you have the ability to do this task yourself, and it will end up taking more time, energy, or money to outsource it, you might want to reconsider.
- Do I view this task with dread rather than excitement? Sometimes there are things that, although not necessarily difficult, are for whatever reason incredibly stressful. If something is contributing to burnout, take a load off and relax through outsourcing.
- Is outsourcing this task a good investment? Think about if the task you’re considering outsourcing is a worthy investment to free up your time.
- Can I better spend my time on a higher level task? You might be great at doing things around the house like meal prep, laundry, and paying your bills—but is it worth your time? Your time saved through outsourcing could be better spent with your family, growing your business, enjoying the outdoors, or focusing on yourself.
[Related: 
]
What Types of Tasks Do Successful People Outsource?
You can definitely get more out of your 24-hour day by hiring others to take care of certain tasks. And personal outsourcing has never been easier. Personal household assistants, virtual companies, and delivery services are ready at the click of a mouse to help give you back some precious time to spend with yourself and your loved ones.
The following categories are just some that successful people everywhere outsource.
Landscaping and Gardening
Do you have a garden or yard? Maybe you’re growing some fruit and vegetables in your garden, or have a large, beautiful lawn but don’t have time to keep up on the maintenance. Outsourcing these tasks to someone with the right tools and equipment can ease your mind.
Bill-paying and Taxes
Consider setting up automatic payments for recurring monthly bills, and hire someone to take care of the more complex financial tasks such as taxes and account organization.
Meal Prepping and Groceries
As of 2016, the average American spends 37 minutes a day preparing, serving, and cleaning up after meals—and we know that number has probably only increased in the last six years. This doesn’t even take into account the time we spend grocery shopping and meal planning. Wouldn’t it be great to get that time back? Look into meal delivery services or hire someone to grocery shop and meal prep healthy, delicious food for you during the week.
Housecleaning
Does it feel like your home is never clean longer than a day or two before things start piling up again? If you can afford to hire a housecleaner, you could use that time for some serious self-care. Besides, who doesn’t love a clean house (especially when someone else cleans it)?
Handyman Tasks
Unless you enjoy learning how to fix things, or you’re naturally talented at repair, outsourcing handyman tasks like fixing a leaky faucet or a tricky light fixture can save you a lot of strife.
[Related: 
]
Pet Care
From at-home grooming and pet food purchasing to vet appointments and long walks, these types of errands can make having a dog or cat feel more like a chore than a companionship. Outsourcing tasks like these is a win-win situation for everyone, including your furry friend!
Hire a Personal Household Assistant Today!
Pepper’s Personal Assistants are experienced, skilled, and ready to take care of the things many successful people outsource every day. From bill-paying to grocery-shopping and everything in between, our personal household assistants can drastically improve your daily life by giving you back the time you deserve.
Interested in learning more? to get started and learn how long-term, recurring household support can increase your happiness.
Featured image via Unsplash
