10 tips to live a fuss-free lifestyle in Singapore

Life in Singapore is often hectic and leaves us with little time for daily chores. If you're feeling overwhelmed by your laundry list of things to do (excuse the pun), we're here to help. Here are some ideas to work towards fuss-free living in Singapore.

Tip 1: Beat the crowds by cycling home

Is rush-hour traffic wearing you down? Grab a shared bike from Ofo, oBike or Mobike, hit the bicycle paths along the Park Connector Network, and you'll be home in no time. You'll also feel re-energised after some exercise, as you shake off the office blues while pedalling home.

If you rather head back in air-conditioned comfort, consider carpooling using Uberpool or GrabHitch. It's environmentally-friendly, fuss-free, and there's loads of promo codes to help you save money. And you might even make a new friend by the time you reach home!

Tip 2: Plan your route before you leave

No one likes to be trapped in a traffic jam, or be stuck during a train breakdown. A fuss-free lifestyle means getting around easily, avoiding delays and transport hassles if possible. If you're driving, plan your route using Google Maps, and check the road conditions before setting off. For public transport commuters, download the nifty MyTransport app from the Land Transport Authority (LTA). Not only does it show the bus timings and traffic conditions, it also alerts you to any train delays as it happens.

Tip 3: Order in and skip the queue

Need to grab bite before heading home? Do it the fuss-free way by ordering from one of the many food-delivery services serving a wide variety of cuisines. Check out FoodPanda, UberEats or Deliveroo for the widest range, or indulge in some comfort food from McDonalds or Pizza Hut.

Sometimes, you might chance upon the occasional promo code and score a free meal. Don't delete those marketing emails before going through them!

Tip 4: Visit the library from your fingertips

Can't find the time to visit your neighbourhood library? Browse the National Library Board's (NLB) extensive ebook collection from the comfort of your home. If you haven't done so, create an NLB account and login to the ebook resource portal. You can even read it on your mobile phone by downloading the Overdrive app or Adobe Digital Editions app.

Tip 5: Shop for groceries on the go

Much like many other daily activities, you may not have time to shop for groceries on a busy day. Make grocery shopping a fuss-free experience by visiting Fairprice Online, Cold Storage or RedMart and ordering your daily necessities there. These services also deliver to your home, so you save on the hassle of carrying back bulky bags of groceries.

Tip 6: Brew a cuppa in under 1 minute

Getting to work in the morning is a chore for some. Save some time on brewing the perfect fresh coffee by investing in a Nespresso machine. Instead of fussing over a conventional coffee maker to heat up and drip water through coffee grounds, you'll get your daily cuppa in less than a minute.

Tip 7: Maintain a clean desk policy

A fuss-free lifestyle means reducing barriers to getting work done, so you stay constantly abreast of your to-do list. A clutter-free desk reduces distractions at work and helps you stay focused on the task at hand. But how does one keep those bulky documents out of sight?

Start by taking notes on a notepad app, instead of unsightly yellow post-its stuck all over the place. Work on digital documents, and only print them when you really need a physical copy. And reduce the number of personal items on your desk - like those presents from the Christmas gift-exchange in office years ago.

Tip 8: Invest in quality products that you use often

While it's always good to be prudent in spending money, some things are worth investing in. For instance, the office chair that you sit on for hours on end. An ergonomic chair offers great lumbar support, and will probably save you many trips to the chiropractor in the future.

The same thing goes for many objects that we use daily. For a fuss-free lifestyle, you may want to invest in a high-end computer, a comfortable pair of spectacles, a warm jacket or even good shoes for walking around town!

Tip 9: Engage part-time help for cleaning chores

After a long tiring week at work, you want a fuss-free weekend to relax. Hire a part-time cleaner to help with your cleaning chores, and spend some time recovering from the stress of daily life. Many options abound, from the traditional cleaning agencies to online services like Sendhelper and Helpling.

You can also let a machine take over the job. Home robots like the Roomba will work tirelessly even when you're not at home, ensuring that you come home to a clean home everyday.

Tip 10: Outsource your laundry to the professionals

Laundry is a chore that few enjoy. In the sweltering heat of tropical Singapore, we constantly need to change clothes and send them to the washing machine for cleaning. After that, it's off to the dryer, or to hang out in the sun for drying. Once dry, there's still folding and ironing to be done, unless you don't mind walking around in creased and crumpled clothing. Quite easily, the task of washing clothes can take hours every day to complete.

Send your laundry to a laundromat and spend more time with your loved ones instead. With affordable prices and door-to-door pickup and delivery, Keep Calm And Laundry On provides professional laundry and dry cleaning services in Singapore. Even better still, new customers enjoy 20% off on the first order!

These 10 tips are designed to help ease your burden and enjoy a fuss-free lifestyle, in the face of our ever busy lives. If you found them useful, share them with your friends and share some of your own tips in the comments below!