5 apps to save time, simplify your life and get things done

Nowadays, the greatest commodity is time, so why waste it going to the post office and sifting through piles of paper to find that important telephone number? These effective apps will assist in saving those precious minutes for something more meaningful. Like enjoying another glass of eggnog!

Have an app pick up your favorite food

WunWunis a delivery service that connects people to their favorite restaurants, grocery stores and other retailers, so if you forget an item or you’ll be late to pick up an order, a helper will do that for you. For the app to operate, the desired place has to be located at a physical address and the package must be something that can be delivered on a bike. Currently operating in New York City and San Francisco, with expansion planned for the rest of the country.Free,iOS; tipping recommended

Save it for later

Pocket collects all those interesting articles and videos you missed during the day and stores them for your reading and viewing pleasure later. What’s particularly useful is that it doesn’t require a Wi-Fi connection, and Pocket syncs with different mobiles and devices. Free, iOS and Android

Say bye-bye to the Post-It

With this service, your desk will be free of sticky notes and scribbled messages written on the backs of envelopes. The Clear app organizes all your daily tasks, like a to-do list, and gives priority to the most pressing of assignments. Though this feature is not new to the market, Clear’s interface is almost entirely controlled by gestures. Free to try for 14 days, $4.99 to buy,iOS

End real-world junk mail

Your real mailbox is flooded with junk too, like clothing catalogs, mass-delivered fliers and other unwanted offers. The PaperKarma app helps end the letter clutter: Simply take a photo of a catalog using your smartphone, and the app will send a request to the publisher or marketer to take you off their mailing list. Free, iOS, Android, Windows Phone

Send a gift without post office hassle

Lines at the post office only get worse as December goes on. Enter theShyp app. Snap a photo of the package you want to deliver, enter the destination and request apickup. The service will come and take the item, pack it and ship it to anywhere in the world. Shyp is only available in certain U.S. cities but plans to expand soon. Free,iOS