Being a mum is busy. There is so much to do and seemingly not enough time to do it all. Today, we will go through a few of the tips that some parents have found helpful when it comes to getting through all those little bits and pieces that make up any given week.
Meal Prepping
You may already have experience with this, or be doing it already, but it bears repeating regardless. If you have the time one day during the week – weekends tend to be common, but any day you have free will do – preparing meals for the coming week can make those nights vastly easier. It can be made somewhat easier by spacing it out – on your free day, make a bigger batch of what you would make that day anyway and freeze the extra in the right-sized portions. The next free day, do the same and let that stash slowly build up. If you’re doing this for the whole family, you’ll need lots of storage space, but if your plan is to only do this for bubs while you make your own food each day, it can be a real time saver anyway. Haakaa has quite a range of safe freezer storage options, from silicone trays (in many sizes!) right through to glass jars, meaning there’s an option for pretty much any need. The silicone Easy-Freeze Tray, in particular, is a star when it comes to meal prep. It has a handy label slot on the side so you can see at a glance what exactly is in it and when it was made, while each compartment is separate from the others, letting you pop out cubes of pre-made baby food with no trouble at all. Available in a range of sizes (4 x 90ml, 6 x 60ml and 8 x 40ml compartments), these trays can even continue to be used when you no longer need them for baby food for things such as homemade stock cubes!
Toy Rotation
If you find that your kids have ended up with more toys than they can reasonably play with, try setting up a toy rotation. Pack everything away other than a selection for each child – how many toys will be included will be entirely up to you. After a couple of weeks, it’s time to put those toys away and a new lot to be selected. It can help keep clutter to a minimum and means they get to re-experience their other toys when it’s time to choose new ones. There are always favourites, of course – some kids get really attached to a particular toy. If this is the case, then certain items might have a permanent pass, but otherwise, feel free to choose how many stay out at any one time.
The Quiet Time Box
Sometimes, you just need to get the noise down to manageable levels, and that’s where having a quiet-time box can come in. Fill it with the quieter things – puzzles, colouring books, things like that – and open it up when the sound needs to be reined in a bit. Of course, you don’t have to call it that. Instead, it can be something special, used not just when some quiet is needed, but as a way to gently calm before bed while still providing good entertainment. What goes into it will depend on you, your children, and all the little things that add up towards preferences, but because it’s so customisable, it’s a great idea to have on hand.
Craft Supplies
In a similar vein to creating a quiet time box, having a space where you have craft supplies ready and waiting to go can be another lifesaver – especially when it’s winter and you’re all cooped up inside. This is another one that is customised to whatever it is you need and have to hand. Blank paper (it doesn’t have to be specifically art paper, just anything that can be glued, drawn or painted on), safety scissors (always use them under supervision!), glues or pastes, paints, brushes, pencils, pens, scraps that can be used for building things (think things like straws, special pebbles, things like that), stencils; the list is almost endless. Having them all tidied away in their own station, perhaps separated into different boxes or containers (one for paper, one for drawing implements, for example) means that when you decide it’s craft time, you can quickly grab what you need and get started.
On-the-go Shopping Lists
When it comes to shopping day, trying to remember what you need, for many of us, ends up resulting in things being forgotten. Having a list you can add to as you need throughout the week (or month, depending on your shopping schedule) can make life so much easier. There are a couple of different ways you can do this. Some may prefer using an app on their phone – there are many options depending on your OS of choice. This way, you can quickly add what you need. Others may prefer the convenience of a notepad and pen. Popping a piece of paper on the fridge door, along with a pen or pencil in close reach, may be easier than trying to find your phone when you realise something has run out. And anyone can add to it, not just people who have access to your app – and it’s unaffected if you lose your internet connection for any reason. Notice you’re low on something? Just write it down using your chosen method and then forget about it. It might seem too easy, but keeping a running list makes it significantly easier to get through your shop, get everything you need, and reduce the temptation of things you don’t.