POSTS TAGGED : organization

5 Life Hacks Every Mom Needs to Try

As a mom you’ve probably become the queen of multi-tasking. It just goes along with the job. You may have never thought you could brush your teeth while helping one child brush her’s and helping the other put on her socks. Nonetheless, you get it done and rather well. It really should be an Olympic sport. If it was you would definetly get a medal!

If you really want to go for the gold, check out these 5 lifehacks every mom needs to know:

  1. Read While You Wait- How many times a week do you find yourself waiting in your car for your child? Whether it’s a school pick-up or some kind of activity that’s running over, the mom taxi is in full effect and the meter is running. While it may be nice to have the quiet time to just think, you could use this car time more wisely. Use it to catch up on your reading. If you’re like me, you’ve been reading the same book for months because you never have time. When you do, you’re just too tired. That’s why I started bringing a book along with me all the time. Over the past few weeks, I’ve read more than half of a novel I’ve been dying to finish. It beats playing on my phone and using up all of  my data!
  2. Fluff & Fold While They’re Showering– My kids are at the age where they’re old enough to take a shower by themselves. But, they still need a little help. So, I can’t go too far. One night, a pair of pants in the laundry basket starting staring at me while I was on a standby shower help. When I asked the pair of purple butterfly leggings what she was staring at, she started telling me I should be putting her away. Truth be told, I probably should have put her away days ago. That’s when I got to thinking. This is a perfect time to get the laundry put away. I’m right near the bathroom so I can run in and help, but I’m also using my downtime wisely. Score one for mommy!
  3. Exercise & Prioritize– Call me a nerd, but I love a good list. While it may be a little stressful to see everything that needs to be done written down in black and white or on a phone screen, it’s a great feeling to cross those items off the list when you’re done. If you get a few minutes to sneak away and exercise, make your lists while on the treadmill. Use the notes feature on your phone to prioritize away. This way you’re shedding some pounds and organizing at the same time.
  4. Turn the Lonely Socks Club into a Theatre– Do you ever wonder what happens to socks between the washer and the dryer? One makes it up while the other escapes for greener pastures. In my house, there are so many socks who are in the lonely socks club. They usually sit at the bottom of my laundry basket waiting for their match to return from wherever they disappeared to. They don’t. Ever. So, I usually throw them away. Then, I got an idea. Why not turn those lonely socks into sock puppets for the kids? Grab some googly eyes and a glue gun and go nuts! It’s not only fun for the kids, but also gets gives those lonely socks a purpose in life, one that doesn’t involve your laundry basket or the garbage.
  5. Art Work Wallpaper- It seems like kids produce artwork just as much as they poop. That amounts to a lot of pieces of paper just lying around the house. Of course you can’t throw any of them away, because they’re all special…right? Okay, we all know we toss a few in the garbage, but there are still a lot left over. If you have a play area or maybe a little nook in your child’s room, turn their artwork into wallpaper. Make sure it’s a not a wall that you have a relationship with or that you especially love. Chances are it will get a little worn out. But when kids see the new “wallpaper”, they’ll feel special to see their masterpieces hung up…all over the place. Your OCD about too many papers around will lessen, even if it’s just for a little bit. It’s a win-win if you ask me.

Okay, so these are the lifehacks that I particularily enjoy. I know there are hundreds of others out there to choose from, but a lot of them are a little high maintenance to be considered a life hack if you ask me. The ones I listed here don’t require a lot of effort or a degree in Pinterest. They’re just simple, everyday hacks for your everyday momma. So, time to hack away!

Putting the “O” Back in Organization

I am a self-proclaimed organization freak.

Granted a lot of that went out the window once I became a mom. Nevertheless there is nothing like finding a good mess and organizing it.

I know…I’m a freak.

So, let me tell you what gave me a big “O” in the organization department lately…

I was googling some stuff and came across a fantabulous way to organize kids’ coloring books, drawings, paintings, markers, etc.

For the longest time, I had them “neatly” organized in a bin. Oh no no no.

That was embarrassing compared to what I discovered.

Check it out…this was my kids’ coloring bin before.

messy bin

“The Bin” Before…Ugh

Stickers, coloring books, papers, and who knows what else piled in the bin.

How many coloring books are in there?

No idea.

What kinds of stickers?

Kinds that stick.

What type of paper?

Blank?

Now, I introduce to you my kids’ new coloring station…

"New Bin"...A.K.A. a little slice of heaven

“New Bin”…A.K.A. a little slice of heaven

It’s enough to bring a tear to my eye.

Stickers, coloring books, folders with school work…all neatly organized in a dish drying rack!

I couldn’t believe it when I first saw it.

I would have never thought of using this to put my kids’ things in.

The books not only stand up perfectly, but there’s also a handy dandy utensil cup that can be used to store markers, crayons, paint brushes, etc.

I think I’ve died and gone to OCD heaven.

I can not tell you how happy this made me.

I know, I need to get a life.

But, if you have coloring books and stuff just making a mess, try this little tip.

It seriously will put the “O” back in your organization…at least for awhile.

 

Searching for the Big "O"

   If you’re like me, you’re always looking for it. No matter how hard you try, you just can’t seem to achieve it. Sometimes you think you’ve got it, but you don’t. You used to be able to do it all the time. But, then the kids came, and well, you just don’t have the time because it just dropped down on the priority list. I’m talking about the big “O”. For those of you who have been reading the “Fifty Shades” trilogy like me, I’m not talking about that “O”. I’m talking about organization. Sorry to burst all your bubbles if you thought this was going to be a sex post. Maybe you should go back and spend some quality time with Christian Grey!

  Anyway, do any of you other mommas out there always feel like you are in a constant state of disorganization? It seems like no matter what I do, I just can’t seem to get things in order. For those of you who know me, you know that I used to be sooo organized pre-kids. Some may say I was even borderline OCD, but I prefer to say I was just E-O, that’s extremely organized for those of you who don’t know. Now I’m just S.O.L. If you don’t know what that means, look it up. 

   Let’s start with the housework. When did the house become such a mess? Oh yeah, that’s right, I have kids. It feels like there are just not enough hours in the day and not enough of me to go around. There are days I feel like I need a clone just to do all the grunt work. Wouldn’t that be a dream? That might even be better than a date with Christian Grey. Okay, maybe not! But, you get my drift. It seems like I am constantly loading and unloading the dishwasher. There are constant piles of laundry that need to be put away. Don’t get me started on the house cleaning! Dust bunnies have seemed to take refuge in every corner of my house. They used to just vacation here, but now they’ve moved in and they’ve brought their cousins. I don’t like it one bit. Then there’s just the stuff that’s lying around everywhere. Crayons, books, magazines, random toys, catalogues…I could on and on. Where did all this stuff come from? Sigh.

   Now I know a playroom is just that, a playroom, but why do I have to feel like I’m going to step on a land mine at any second? Sometimes you need protective gear to enter. Blocks are usually scattered everywhere along with crayons, teapots, tea cups, and lots of stuffed animals.I know it’s their room, but it would be nice to be able to walk without almost breaking your neck. Sigh.

  My DVR is even in need of organization. I am currently 16 episodes, make that 17 episodes, behind my favorite soap opera. I need to lock myself in my room with some major snacks in order to organize this bad boy. I’ll put that on the list of things that are not going to happen any time soon. Sigh.

   What happened to free time to just get things in order like pictures or, God forbid, time to finish my “Fifty Shades” trilogy? For the love of Pete, I’ve been reading this third book forever! Oh yeah, I have kids.

   Since it seems like true organization is not in my future anytime soon, I might as well suck it up. I know there are plenty of you out there who are in the same boat. For those of you who have kids and are still completely organized with a spotless house, no laundry to put away, and dinner on the table with a different “Food Network” recipe every night…I hate you. Just kidding…okay, not really. But, please share your secrets to success, unless you’re some kind of robot, because that would be the only explanation. Ciao Ciao for now…I’m off now to continue my quest for the big “O”. Sigh.

Memory Book Bust

   Before I had kids I remember thinking I would be one of those Moms who would put Martha Stewart to shame when it came to pictures and scrapbooks. I would have the best little memory book for baby, documenting every breath, every moment, every word. Two kids and one big reality check later, I have not lived up to my expectations.
  
   With child number one, I kept up with the memory book for the first year or so. Despite being a picture whore, there are hardly any photos in the book where it says, “insert photo here.” Where are those precious pictures? On the computer or on my phone, of course. For those that know me, you’d think I’d have those pictures printed out and date stamped. Wrong. The majority still need to be printed. I made a mental note for that to be my winter project this year. Well, it’s almost summer and I’ve gotten nowhere.

   Here’s the big epic fail. With child two, I think I only have the first two months of that damn memory book done. Every time I think I’m going to catch up, something comes up. What you ask? I have no clue. Maybe a dirty toilet, a load of laundry, writing this blog, perhaps just life in general. I just know it’s not getting done and it’s starting to get me mad.

   I don’t want my kids to look at their books when they get older and have them be crappy. I’ll have plenty of memories to tell them, but it would be nice if they could see and read about their little lives. I don’t want them to think I didn’t care enough to get it done.  But, it’s kinda hard when you have one who wants to eat the pictures and another who wants to use them as a canvas.

   So what’s a mom to do?  It would be great if good old Martha would come over and help me. I have some other projects she could get crackin’ at while she’s here! Since that’s not going to happen, it looks like it’s just me,  my pictures, my printer , and my memory that have a lot of work to do. Does anyone really keep up with these things?

Ciao Ciao Mr. Clean!

   Do you hear that? Those are the dishes in the sink that are screaming to be washed. Ooh..hear that too? Those are the clothes that just want to jump out of the hamper and into the washing machine. Yep, those are just some of the chronic chores that really try to put a dent in my day sometimes. If you know me, you know I am a neat freak with a tinge of OCD mixed in. But, ever since I had kids, I’ve had to let a lot of that go. I’ve come to accept that my house will never be what it was before the kids came along. That’s painfully evident in the new storage ottoman we bought to replace the glass coffee table. Sigh.

   With the house getting messier by the minute, you would think I would be cleaning 24/7. Although there are some days I wish I could just ship the kids out, crank up my Bon Jovi CD and curl up with Mr. Clean, many times I don’t get a chance to lift a finger until they go to sleep, which in my house can be 11 o’clock, but that’s a different topic for a different blog! So what am I doing with all my time you ask? Am I watching what soap operas are left on TV and eating bon bons (how stereotypical, I know)? Am I playing angry birds or words with friends? Nope. I’m trying to spend as much quality time with the girls as possible. Many days that means putting everyday chores aside for the time being and giving them my full attention.

   As a mom, it’s hard to find the perfect balance between obligations, chores, fun, and parenting. If anyone has found it, please clue me in! I think a lot of women, myself included, think we have to have the perfect house with everything in its place. We have to meet all our obligations and wear ten-thousand hats. Why can’t we just be moms and let the rest just fall into place? Why can’t we spend all day reading and playing with our kids and let all that other stuff just wait? Is that so bad? This is not to say you should let your house look like the ones on “Hoarders”, but you don’t need to have the Good Housekeeping seal of approval either.

   If my older daughter wants me to read a book I’m not going to say no just because there are dishes piling up in the sink. The dishes will be there, unless the maid comes and does them. Just kidding. I am the maid. If you push your kid aside, they might not be there the next time around. So, here’s to letting Mr. Clean find a new BFF! Read a book to your kids or take them to the park. Then once they go to bed, reward yourself by raising a glass to being a good mom. Just make sure you don’t leave it in the sink!

Finding a Routine

   It seems everyone has a routine. Get up, go to work, come home, have dinner, etc. I kinda had one down pretty good for the past two years or so, but now it’s time to find a new one. Here’s the question, is there anything routine about your days when you’re a mom? After having two children in the house for about two weeks now, I can tell you the answer is no. When you have a job to go to with set hours, I think it’s easier to set a schedule because you are forced to. But, when you’re home and your job, A.K.A. taking care of your kids, has no start time and no end time, it gets complicated.  Nevertheless, I am still looking for a routine (don’t laugh!).
   I can tell you what has been routine so far…changing lots of diapers, doing lots of laundry , serving as the dairy cow, and trying to share my time as equally as possible with two kids while still trying to find time for the hubby and myself. As all the mommas know, this is far from easy. Although it may sound like I’m complaining, I’m really not. I’m just stating the facts. I know what I signed up for. I read the fine print and am on board with the program. I’m just trying to figure out how to make it go as smoothly as possible, if that is possible! For me, the hardest part of having two kids has been splitting my time between everyone. My two-year-old wants to play 24/7. We had lots of play time before her little sister arrived and now I’m trying to preserve some of that. So, when the baby naps, we have our special time. That is not always enough for her. Of course she wants attention when I’m feeding her sister or holding her. But, I can only serve one customer at a time. So, she is reluctantly learning the importance of patience.
  Then there’s my newborn. Right now, her needs are pretty simple. She needs to be fed, changed, bathed, and most importantly loved. She sleeps a lot, which is a great help, and is pretty much content in her swing or bouncy chair. While her needs are simple, they are time consuming as well. If you’ve ever breastfed, you know it takes time and each feeding is different. Throw in some quality time with the pump and it can be a full time job.
   After the kids, comes time for the hubby and time for me. But, how does that fit into the big routine? With everything else going on, these two things seem to be a luxury. With the kids wanting all your attention, it becomes a challenge to find time to carve out for yourself and your spouse. For us, it means catching up on a favorite show in the DVR and chit chatting here and there. For a little “me time”, I’ve snuck in some favorite magazines and phone calls with friends. The time may is not as much as before, but at least it’s something.
With all of these pieces of the pie, how do you fit them all in on a daily basis to form some kind of routine? If someone has the answer, please let me know! For now, having no routine is my routine.