Monday morning roll call!
Someone asked me the other day what one of my favorite "mom hacks" was.
You know, the tips and tricks you use to make life easier.
Here's what I said:
It's actually a trick I learned from my mom. We have a drawer underneath our double oven that was going unused. My mom recommended that we turn it into Camille's art drawer. It houses her washable crayons, coloring books, construction paper, and sticker pads. She has access to it whenever she wants to be creative. She is in charge of putting her supplies away all by herself!
And here's one more:
I always try to be one step ahead of what the girls will want or need.
For example...
+ Ten minutes before Camille is up for her nap, I put a snack and cup of water out for her. Then, whenever she wakes, snack is ready.
+ While the girls are safely in their high chairs, I run back to our bathroom and draw the bath. I also put their jammies and fresh diapers next to the tub so they can get dressed right out of the bath and I'm not running around the house with naked shivering babes.
+ Before I go to bed, I fill up a cup of milk for Camille's breakfast.
Tiny tiny things that make life run a smidge smoother!
OKAY, YOUR TURN!
What are your "mom hacks"?
My 3 year old loves play doh, but I don't like the mess. So, we use cookie trays to put our play doh on so it won't get everywhere. It's a win win!
ReplyDeletego to Amazon and look for playdoh mats. Ours is a huge circle that covers the whole coffee table. when they are done and all the big chunks are up, I just bunch it up and dump the playdoh scraps in the trash(or floor since I'm sweeping anyway)
DeleteI keep extra (filled) water bottles in the car all the time. This eliminates the "I'm thirsty" every time we go anywhere. We also devoted the low cabinet closest to the fridge to their cups so that they can get water any time they want to throughout the day. Both are simple, but allow them some levels of self-sufficiency from a young age!
ReplyDeleteWe take swim lessons at 4 pm one day a week. I love to bring pjs and shower everyone after lessons and get them changed right into their pjs...same goes for evening swims in the summer. Seems a little less chaotic then trying to get everyone cleaned up at home.
ReplyDeleteSo funny because I was just writing a post about this -- it was supposed to be a five on friday but life got in the way. I actually have two products that make life just a tad easier as a momma. One of them is more of a beauty hack, but a mom-must. Nicole by OPI Drying Drops -- sometimes just painting my nails makes me feel more put together when I feel like I have NOTHING together and I don't know how any mom paints her nails without these! They make your nail polish dry in seconds so you can get back to playing with the kids. Something silly but that has proven to be useful time and time again. ;) The other item is Kinetic Sand. My three year old will play with this for an HOUR. I put it in a tupperware and she puts all of her little Mickey and princess figurines in it and it keeps her busy for record time.
ReplyDeleteI bought these drying drops today-- thank you for the tip!
DeleteMy 4 year old has quiet time now instead of nap time. I create a playlist for him that always ends with the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Hot Dog Song (just like in the show). He knows that when the song comes on, his quiet time is over. He does a great job staying in his room until then and he really looks forward to his quiet time every day.
ReplyDeleteWhen I get home from the grocery store, I wash, cut up, and divide up fresh fruit into small Pyrex bowls or 4 ounce ball jars. This makes for an easy snack or side for lunches. And I've found we don't let our fruit go to waste!
ReplyDeleteSome good ideas here!
ReplyDeleteI have a lingerie bag that I keep on a hook on the back of both kids' doors. All of their dirty socks go in there and when I go to do laundry I toss it in the basket. NO MORE LOST LITTLE SOCKS IN THE WASHER!
This is the most genius thing I have read all day!
DeleteBeen doing this since my son was born almost 3 years ago & LOVE it! It is a proud thing that I can say I've never lost a baby sock. Lol!
DeleteI do the same thing with my 6m old twins! It makes sock control easy!
DeleteFirst, I LOVE this post and will come back and print out all of the comments for future reference or you could create a PIN for this on Pinterest.
ReplyDeleteMy tricks are 1) I make a large batch of smoothie and then freeze it in quart containers. This makes enough for my hubs, little one, and me. I just let it thaw in the fridge overnight and pour out in the mornings. 2) I keep a spare set of pajamas with a diaper and socks in our vehicles at all times. This allows us to get our little guy ready for bed any time we might be out later and not have to worry about stripping off clothes, etc. if he falls asleep on the way home.
Yes!! Excellent topic! Definitely staying one step ahead is key. My daughter has school 3 days a week so I have 3 bento box things and make all of her lunches for the week on Sunday night. I also go ahead and make 3 little bags of pretzels or whatever extra and have those ready too. I use the Medela 80 oz. bottles that are tall and skinny to keep medicine syringes (for vitamins, liquid Tylenol, etc.) in inside our medicine box so they aren't floating around. In the playroom each kid gets one box of age appropriate toys and I rotate what's in the box. This way there aren't a million toys I'm constantly picking up. We keep out Christmas cards so my toddler can look through them and name all the people, she loves it! I have one box in the pantry with to go toddler food for easy snacks. She knows it is her box and I let her pick out of it. Individual bags of goldfish, Annie's multipack cheese bunnies, honey grahams ( 36 bag variety pack at Costco) , packets, individual boxes of raisins to name a few. Can't wait to hear other's mom hacks 😀
ReplyDeleteLove the smoothie idea!!
ReplyDeleteMy daughter has curly hair and instead of buying detangler spray I made my own with conditioner water and coconut oil add all to spray bottle shake before using
ReplyDeleteI think I read this is Moms on Call - but put a bath towel in a bouncer so that you can take the baby straight from the bath into the bouncer seat and then wrap them in the towel. You don't need 2 adults and can use 2 hands to take the slippery baby out of the bath! Also, my best friend taught me to "pretend" to wipe my nose [and say "Mommy get her nose"], and then wipe the baby's nose [Mommy gets baby's nose]... My daughter hated it when we wiped her nose and would fight us! But she let us do it with this trick!!!! We have related this over into other things [within reason]. These "hacks" are not super duper smart/technical, but they really helped me when I learned them!!!!
ReplyDelete*related = relayed :)
ReplyDeleteLearned this from another mama: Using a straw in go-gurts is a life changer- no more messes, and it helps work on oral motor too!
ReplyDeleteInstalling a lower shelf in my kids' closets with bins so they could put away clothes themselves. I put their laundry piles in their rooms. Depending on their age, each bin has a picture or writing for what goes in each bin. Nicer outfits get hangers, but they can put every day wear away. The lower shelf is about the height that it can be used for pants as they get older.
This comes from my mom, as my daughter is not old enough yet. Use an entire loaf of bread to make pb and just Sammies, put the sandwiches back in bread bag and freeze. Take one out in the morning, perfectly thawed by lunch.
ReplyDeletePb and j sammies :)
DeleteI love this....and one of YOUR mom hacks that I use, and recommend to all of my girlfriends having their second babies are your busy boxes that you made from toys at the dollar store. The novelty of the new box is a sure way to get at least 15 minutes - as most of the time - Leo ends up like the plastic box the most!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE this post! I've written down a few genius ones! My hack isn't 'Mommy' specific, more general. I spend 30 minutes after my son goes to bed to prep for the morning - make our lunches, lay out clothes, pack gym bag, etc. Our mornings go SO much smoother with everything done ahead of time. Also, my son has a "Play Drawer" in our kitchen that has every spoon, spatula, whisk, etc that he can play with without question. He leaves every other drawer alone because he has his special place.
ReplyDeleteI found I was always cutting up and then throwing away the fruits/veggies on my son's tray after a meal and then cutting up the same things for the next meal that day...So I usually put his high chair tray in the refrigerator after a meal to use for the next one (lunch to dinner, or saving fruit from breakfast for lunch). I usually wipe off whatever won't keep well and add other new items for the next meal but I think it's helped us throw away less food and definitely saved time! We also usally give him a pouch in the bath tub at night. Sort of like an after dinner snack haha. Love reading other mama tips! Fun topic!
ReplyDeleteTake a noodle (pool toy) and cut into smaller pieces then make a slit down it and use it as a door stopper/protecter! My daughter was always locking herself in a bedroom or bathroom or slamming her fingers in a door and I would be busy nursing the baby so this really helps avoid both of those problems!! :)
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