Of course we love our little ones more than life itself — but we also love our sanity. And when you’ve cleaned paint off the floor so many times that you start to wonder if you should just leave it there, it may be time for a helpful life hack or two.
That’s why we’ve compiled 12 tips to make life just a little bit easier. We know being a mom can get stressful, but these helpful suggestions will make your day a bit more manageable, one step at a time.
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1. Use a shoe organizer for a clean, entertaining car ride
A shoe organizer on the back of a seat helps keep kids occupied during long road trips and also provides you with a great spot to store road trip essentials. Stuffed animals and coloring books are in hand's reach for your little travelers, and you can store snacks, sunscreen or bug spray along the lower compartments to have on hand whenever needed.
2. Prevent outlet danger
It’s a fact of life: little ones are curious. Turn around for five minutes and they’re putting something in their mouth… or in an electrical socket. Covering your sockets is extremely important to keep your children safe. A cheap fix is applying two band-aids over the outlets and voilà – you’ve created a safer environment for your little ones in seconds!
3. Avoid slips and falls with a hot glue gun
We want our kids to be active... but not at the expense of their safety.
Avoid trips and falls in your house by using a glue gun to create non-slip shoes. Just apply dots or a zig-zag pattern along the bottom, allow time to dry, and your child will be able to play on tile or hardwood with safe socks and slippers!
Avoid trips and falls in your house by using a glue gun to create non-slip shoes. Just apply dots or a zig-zag pattern along the bottom, allow time to dry, and your child will be able to play on tile or hardwood with safe socks and slippers!
4. Create labeled laundry bags
Whose socks are these? Do these jeans belong to Jimmy or Jason? Organizing laundry can get confusing, especially when you have numerous kids running around the house. A simple solution? Color-coded laundry bags! Designate a different color for each of your children. Then, toss the entire mesh bag into the laundry, saving you hours of organizing all of your family’s laundry.
5. Take a photo on family trips
Amusement parks are a lot of fun for kids — but sometimes their excitement can carry them away, and before you know it, they've run out of your sight. A five-second tip that could come in handy when visiting crowded locations? Take a photo before you start enjoying all the fun. If your family gets separated at any point in the day, you will have a recent photo of what your child was wearing that you'll be able to provide to lost child services if needed.
6. Put a turntable in your fridge
We’ve all been there. You open your fridge and notice a funky smell, only to realize last week’s leftovers have grown moldy in the back of the fridge. Whoops!
As much as we try to regularly clean our fridges, food, leftovers and condiments can pile up quickly. A quick, cheap, and easy solution? A turntable! Store whatever you need and just spin it around for easy access.
As much as we try to regularly clean our fridges, food, leftovers and condiments can pile up quickly. A quick, cheap, and easy solution? A turntable! Store whatever you need and just spin it around for easy access.
7. Create a coloring book drying rack
We love our kids' artistic creations. The mess that can be left afterwards, though? Not ideal.
That's why a drying rack is the perfect organizer for any kid's play station. Throw in coloring books and paintings that can dry off after art time, and store markers, crayons, paints and brushes in the cubby. Arts and crafts just got a lot tidier.
That's why a drying rack is the perfect organizer for any kid's play station. Throw in coloring books and paintings that can dry off after art time, and store markers, crayons, paints and brushes in the cubby. Arts and crafts just got a lot tidier.
8. Save time with magnetic drinking cups
This tip will save you time, get your kids to drink more water, AND it means less dishes for you. It’s #winning all around! Simply apply some self-adhesive magnets onto the back of your kids' drinking cups and stick them to the fridge. Now little ones can grab a cup of water any time, hassle-free.
9. Add zip-ties to your stroller
Want more traction for your stroller while on slippery ground? Try attaching some cheap zip-ties around the wheels of your stroller. The ties will add an extra groove on the wheel, helping you roll the stroller over gravel, ice, and bumpy sidewalks with ease.
10. Soundproof your home with pool noodles
“No slamming the doors!” Feel as though you’ve said that line one too many times? You’re in luck: we’ve found a cheap solution that takes just minutes to make. Simply cut a pool noodle and stick it on the edge of doors in your home. Your ears will thank you.
11. Ask for extra Starbucks cups for mess-free painting
Next time you’re treating yourself to a frappuccino, ask your barista for a few extra cups... they’ll come in hand for your next paint party!
The plastic lid is the perfect solution to ensure your kid has the proper amount of paint on their brush, and it guarantees that paint doesn’t end up all your table. And the best part? Once those masterpieces are created, you can simply rinse out the cups and pop em’ in the recycling bin. Talk about an easy cleanup!
The plastic lid is the perfect solution to ensure your kid has the proper amount of paint on their brush, and it guarantees that paint doesn’t end up all your table. And the best part? Once those masterpieces are created, you can simply rinse out the cups and pop em’ in the recycling bin. Talk about an easy cleanup!
12. Use cupcake liners for mess-free popsicles
When the sun is shining on a hot summer day, popsicles can be a refreshing treat. However, when they start melting too fast and start dripping all over your children’s fingers and clothes, it can create a messy situation. Thankfully, cupcake liners are a cheap solution.
Just pierce your child’s popsicle through the liner, and save yourself from doing another load of laundry!
Just pierce your child’s popsicle through the liner, and save yourself from doing another load of laundry!
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