Hello!
Coming at you with a bit of a different post – but I hope it’s helpful.
I wanted to share some “hacks” – tips? tricks? ideas – that can make your life easier as a mom. I am frequently alone with my kids at home so that means I’m doing meals, bedtime, bath time, errands, etc, alone.
I wanted to highlight some ways I keep our life organized!
Mealtime
Sometimes it feels like all I do is feed kids (: SO I want to keep it easy and keep our kitchen clean!
- Make a list of meals you always can make and tape it inside a cabinet – this helps when I have no idea what to make for dinner or lunch! Sometimes you just forget recipes until you see them.
- When my daughter was younger I would put her in her high chair and let her draw when I cook – then I don’t have to worry about bad things happening when I can’t see her.
- All dishes go into the dishwasher immediately after mealtimes.
- Wash dishes *twice* a day – during nap and after bedtime. A clean kitchen makes me happy!
- MEAL PLAN!!! I panic when I don’t have a plan. And it’s virtually impossible to “wing” dinner with severe food allergies for my son. (More coming on that in a future post!)
Bedtime
With my husband’s work schedule I often do bedtime alone if he’s working. So I’ve got it down to a science that I can do easily with both kids! (3 and 9 months for reference) My solo bedtime is honestly faster than bedtime with both of us because I am very very efficient and don’t dawdle lol.
- Lay out PJs *before* you put kids in the bath or start the bedtime routine. I always pick out PJs, fresh diapers, and their sleep sacks and lay them on my bed (where we cuddle and read!). We love our Woolino sleep sacks!!!
- Have an efficient bedtime routine. Ours is: nurse baby while toddler plays, put sleep sacks on, read a book or tell a story, we “talk” (LOL). Then I put the baby down then I put toddler down! They each have a Hatch sound machine that goes on when they go into their cribs. Then I shut the door and walk out.
- If we have to go somewhere right away in the morning I put both their outfits on their dressers before they go to bed.
On the Go
Ok so I don’t carry a diaper bag. There, I said it! I leave everything I need in the car and throw it in the stroller if needed. Here’s how I keep it organized…
- Two pouches – one for each kid – with another outfit, underwear for the toddler and diapers for baby brother. I also put some applesauce pouches in my daughter’s pouch, a bib, and a toy or two for when we go out to eat. I recently got these monogrammed ones from Etsy and I’m obsessed!
- A large pouch with a changing pad, wipes, Clorox wipes, paper towels, and garbage bags. I use a wet bag because I don’t want the wet wipes/clorox spilling in the back of my car.
- I keep toys in a bag in the backseat so they can easily be cleaned up! I use one of our countless Lululemon bags from all my purchases over the year. I keep the bag on the floor in the backseat and ask what my toddler wants when she gets in the car. The baby is happy with whatever 🙂
Miscellaneous…
- A Shipt or Instacart subscription is life changing! I can easily order things that appear at my door within hours. It’s honestly more affordable than ordering takeout when I have nothing to eat for dinner.
Some of the above tips are probably very obvious, but they have helped me so I hope they help someone else. I always thought I had to lug a huge diaper bag around – everyone does! – but then I realized I could make my life easier by leaving those pouches in the car. Just simple things like that can really make your life easier.
Hope you have a great day!
