Mom Life Hacks

I am busy all day, every day, which is how I like it. However, I am not burned out, stressed or too tired because of these life hacks I discovered.

I load and unload my dishwasher by grouping the same utensils together before I put on the rinse or clean cycle at night. I leave breakfast dishes in the sink until everyone is finished and then load the dirty items in the dishwasher, instead of doing it after each person finishes. I do laundry six days a week, first thing in the morning or I start it the night before by using the delay wash feature to schedule when I want my washing machine to run. I also fold laundry throughout the day, a few minutes at a time, instead of folding all at once.

My kids were assigned chores from when they were two-years-old and started receive an allowance in kindergarten for chores completed. The chores range from making beds, setting the table, laundry, helping with a younger sibling, unloading the dishwasher and taking out the recycling.

I use a hamper for my husband and I that has three canvas bags on a metal rolling cart. The dirty laundry is put into the correct bag after undressing instead of being sorted before being washed. I iron a bunch of clothes at the beginning of each week. I take clothes that wrinkle out of the dryer as soon as they are finished. I even set a time for the dryer's cycle so the clothes don't sit in the machine getting wrinkled.

I keep cleaning wipes in every bathroom in my home as well as a cleaning caddy filled with glass spray, toilet cleaner, paper towels, etc. My husband keeps a no wiping needed tile spray in the shower that he uses in our stall shower before he showers.

I also use bullet journaling most days to accomplish chores, errands and general to-do things, including my writing goals. I list a few places I have to be each day and a few things I hope to accomplish that day. It's the best feeling for me to cross things off in my bullet journal. The front of my journal has a master list of goals, household chores, weekly errands, etc. I implement them each night into the following day's entry.

I go through all my paper and digital coupons at least a day or two before I go food shopping. I also create a list from the store's circular and group items on the list by the aisle they are in. If I'm out and waiting somewhere, I take out expired coupons and place coupons I will be using that week in the front of my coupon organizer. I only food shop once a week and rarely even stop at a store to pick up a food item throughout the week.

My husband cleans our shower while he's in it. I wipe down my bathroom vanity top and toilet a few minutes before bed or first thing in he morning. I then do another chore in the bathroom throughout the day until it's all cleaned.

I use Pinterest for quick, easy recipes and meal plan at the start of the week. I make sure all ingredients I need for recipes that week are on my shopping list too. I often cook at lunch time or after I pick my kids up from school, so dinner is ready in time before the kids have an evening activity we have to bring them too. We also utilize family dinner time with the extended families each week. One weekend night, my mom cooks and we eat dinner with my family. One weekday night, my mother-in-law cooks and brings it to our house before I go to work.

Lastly, when I run errands, I group them into a morning and only go places near one another. I only go to the bank once a week when I have a few transactions accumulated. I look up store and restaurant locations to make sure I'm going to ones closest to home or near another errand. I minimize my kid's afterschool activities and rarely sign them up for weekend activties, which is family time for us. I despise shuffling kids places that aren't near one another on a frequent basis. It tires the kids out too and then everyone is cranky.

I hope these tips help you. I've had a lot of success with them since I got married and had kids. Good luck!