Mom Hacks

I've been a mom for a little over 5 years now, so in some ways I'd consider myself still new-ish at the "mom life". I definitely do not have it all figured out. I mean, does anyone? I feel like you get to a point where you think you figure something out and then everything changes again.

I have been learning over time the things that work for me when it comes to being efficient. Again, sometimes they stick for a while and then they shift because our lives, schedules or seasons change. That can be a bit frustrating and hard, but I’m learning to be OK with it.

I always love hearing and seeing what things make that “mom-life” flow a little easier for people. Everyone’s different, so sometimes things that work for someone else may not work for you. But, it’s always neat to get a look at how things function for others. It can give you ideas & tools to help with rhythms, schedules, parenting, and general everyday tasks!

And let’s be real, somedays you could have all the tips & tricks and everything would still be chaotic, that’s just life.

Here are a few of my current mom hacks that are helping make things a wee bit easier for me somedays. And let’s be real, somedays you could have all the tips and tricks and everything would still be chaotic, that’s just life.

My Current Mom Hacks

Laundry I try to do a load every day (or every other day). This helps to keep it from getting out of control - you know, when there’s piles of laundry wherever you turn? Am I good at this? Not always. And some days the laundry seems like it’s never ending. But, the weeks where I do stay on task of doing a load a day make things easier and I feel less like I’m drowning in a sea of clothes.

Before Dinner Baths Instead of doing bath time before bed, do it before dinner. I have to thank my friend for this tip! This has become a favourite of mine, especially in the colder months when you're looking for something to do with the kiddos in the late afternoons. You know, that limbo time right before dinner when people are melting down? No? Just us? Insert bath time. On those fall/winter days I try and get dinner in the oven and then while its cooking I get their bath done and jammies on. Or if dinner requires lots of stirring or other prep I will give them a quick bath before all that. I find it can really change their mood and, let’s be honest, mine too.

Coffee Timer Lately I've been making use of the timer on our coffee maker and I love it! I’ve used it before but lately on a much more consistent basis. I'll get everything ready the night before, put the coffee and water in the machine, and set it for the morning. This way I can literally just pour my coffee when I get up and then get on with breakfast and all the tasks that have to happen to get my oldest ready to go out the door for school. Plus, if there's cranky children who need extra attention in the morning, it’s just one less thing I have to do!

…if there’s cranky children who need extra attention in the morning, it’s just one less thing I have to do!

Utilizing the Freezer About a year ago we were given a small deep freezer & to say I’m super thankful for this is an understatement. It’s been super helpful to have the extra freezer space. Obviously it’s great for those extras (you know, when things go on sale) and having things on hand in a jiffy. But, also for meal prep, saving leftovers, and even cooking in advanced. It came in really handy last year when we had a new baby and people brought us meals etc.

A few of the things I try and have on hand is cookie dough and muffins. I like to bake up batches of muffins and shove them in the freezer to grab as needed. It makes things super simple. The same goes for cookie dough. Often times when I make a batch of cookies I only cook 1/2 dozen or so. Then I'll scoop the rest of the dough out into balls, put on a cookie sheet, and freeze. Once frozen, I remove the dough from the cookie sheet, place in a container or ziplock bag, and put back in the freezer. This is so great because it makes it much easier for the days my kids would like a cookie treat. We can take out the dough, plop them in the oven and have fresh cookies in about 10min. And we all know there's nothing like a fresh cookie straight from the oven!

Meal Planning There are seasons when I'm good at this, and seasons where I'm not. At all. Let’s just say, I have really struggled with meal planning especially during the past winter season when the pandemic hit, combined with that newborn fog. For whatever reason, I just hated it and it seemed like the worst chore for me. However, when I am good at meal planning it is so incredibly helpful! It saves me from that awful question an hour before dinner: "what are we going to eat". Plus, it's also good on the budget too.

I’m happy to say that this fall I’ve started to get back into the swing of things when it comes to this - thankfully! My friend Kate is basically the queen of meal planning and she has lots of great tips when it comes to this. If you’re needing help in this department you should check her out here. Another helpful resource is Kendra from The Lazy Genius. She is another person I like to follow in regards to helping with meals etc. Not to mention, I love her podcast!

Grocery Pick-Up Ok, so before this year we really hadn’t done grocery pick up. Maybe once or twice. The reasoning? For the most part, it is because I really don’t mind going to the grocery store. I kinda like it. However, since January we’ve been using it quite a bit. It all started with having a newborn and adjusting to life with 3 kids - plus, hello Canadian winter. I really didn’t want to be trudging 3 kids to the grocery store (one being a newborn). So we decided to give it a try and started doing it before the baby arrived and I loved it even more. Then when COVID happened we’d try to get slots when we could (because it was a week or more out to get an order) or my husband would be the grocery store runner. All that to say, through the majority of this year we’ve kept up with ordering online and then just picking up. Some weeks one of us will actually go in, but using this option is super helpful. It saves us time and can be really great for trying to stay on budget!

I realize these aren’t earth shattering discoveries, but they are some things that are helping our home rhythms and routines function a little better. OK, your turn! I want to hear what little things help make your life a bit easier!