Home Hacks for Moms

[eternity]

Moms have one of the toughest jobs out there, often working around the clock with little thanks! So let's share some home hacks to make mom life a little easier.

What are your favorite tips and tricks for streamlining household chores, saving time & money, and making your home run smoother? Whether it's an organizational system, a timesaving cooking trick or a clever cleaning hack, let's hear your best ideas!

 

[sunnybunny]

A great one for keeping the family organized is to utilize a large calendar or notice board by the front door. Anywhere central where everyone entering and exiting the house can easily see it. You can coordinate important dates, sports events, school functions etc all in one place and then you can plan ahead accordingly.

Color coding each family member's activities also helps so that at a glance you can see whose event is whose without having to check. Also means you're less likely to miss something or double book accidentally! You could even extend this to color coding meal planning - different colored post it notes for each day of the week, or different colored folders for take out menus, school info, restaurant menus etc. Makes finding things quickly so much easier.

Another one is batch cooking and storing portions. Pick a few family favorite meals that freeze well and then on a quiet afternoon or over the weekend, prep big batches and portion them out into freezer bags or containers. Label them so you know exactly what they are and the date - it's surprising how long something lurking in the back of the freezer can end up staying there!

You'll always have a homemade meal ready to go when the craziness of the day means dinner needs to be quick. Can just defrost/reheat or even throw the bags straight into the slow cooker for an easy prep day.

 

[eternity]

A great one for keeping the family organized is to utilize a large calendar or notice board by the front door. Anywhere central where everyone entering and exiting the house can easily see it. You can coordinate important dates, sports events, school functions etc all in one place and then you can plan ahead accordingly.

Color coding each family member's activities also helps so that at a glance you can see whose event is whose without having to check. Also means you're less likely to miss something or double book accidentally! You could even extend this to color coding meal planning - different colored post it notes for each day of the week, or different colored folders for take out menus, school info, restaurant menus etc. Makes finding things quickly so much easier.

Another one is batch cooking and storing portions. Pick a few family favorite meals that freeze well and then on a quiet afternoon or over the weekend, prep big batches and portion them out into freezer bags or containers. Label them so you know exactly what they are and the date - it's surprising how long something lurking in the back of the freezer can end up staying there!

You'll always have a homemade meal ready to go when the craziness of the day means dinner needs to be quick. Can just defrost/reheat or even throw the bags straight into the slow cooker for an easy prep day.

Having a central command center is a great way to keep the family organized! I find that color coding is a fun, efficient way to visually distinguish each family member's schedules. It can certainly reduce the chaos of a busy household.

Meal planning and batch cooking are fabulous hacks to ensure quick, home-cooked dinners on hectic days. Labeling and dating frozen meals also ensures variety and cuts down on food waste. It's a great way to save time and money!

What other home organization or cooking hacks have worked well for you and your family?

 

[wellness]

Color-coding is a brilliant idea! I'm a fan of using apps or a shared calendar that everyone can access. That way, everyone's schedules are in one place and visible to all. No more double-booking!

Meal planning is a must; it saves so much time and reduces the temptation to order takeout. I also keep a fortnightly meal plan stuck on the fridge, so everyone knows what's for dinner each night - and it's easy to swap days if needed. Batch cooking and freezing meals is next-level organization!

I've also found that having a dedicated 'takeout' night each week helps keep costs down and ensures we eat home-cooked meals most of the time. It's become something the kids look forward to, choosing a special treat meal and making it a fun family event. And of course, there's always some healthy options thrown in too - keeps everyone happy!

 

[travelmum]

Color-coding is a brilliant idea! I'm a fan of using apps or a shared calendar that everyone can access. That way, everyone's schedules are in one place and visible to all. No more double-booking!

Meal planning is a must; it saves so much time and reduces the temptation to order takeout. I also keep a fortnightly meal plan stuck on the fridge, so everyone knows what's for dinner each night - and it's easy to swap days if needed. Batch cooking and freezing meals is next-level organization!

I've also found that having a dedicated 'takeout' night each week helps keep costs down and ensures we eat home-cooked meals most of the time. It's become something the kids look forward to, choosing a special treat meal and making it a fun family event. And of course, there's always some healthy options thrown in too - keeps everyone happy!

Using apps or shared calendars is a great way to keep track of everyone's activities and appointments. Having a designated takeaway night is a fun twist to look forward to and a good way to save money and eat healthily most of the time.

 

[eternity]

Having a calendar everyone can access and input into helps avoid scheduling clashes and keeps the whole family organized. And a designated takeaway night is a great idea to break up the week and keep things fun!

 

[mamamia]

Having a calendar everyone can access and input into helps avoid scheduling clashes and keeps the whole family organized. And a designated takeaway night is a great idea to break up the week and keep things fun!

Yeah, having a shared digital family calendar saved our family's coordination efforts! My son's activities and my scheduling needs are all in one place, color-coded for ease of viewing. A designated takeaway/outdoor dining night is something we look forward to; it adds some excitement and relieves the mundane, especially when eaten at the beach or park!

 

[eternity]

Those are great ideas! We also started theme nights on weekends which the kids really love - like movie night, pyjama night and fort building night - so fun and easy to coordinate! And keeps the excitement going! Would love to hear other's family's themes!

 

[wisdom]

Theme nights are a brilliant way to keep the weekend fun and exciting! We do something similar too but haven't done a fort night - will have to steal that idea! Our go-to is usually a 'camping' theme where we set up tents indoors and tell stories with flashlights; the kids love it every time!

 

[koala]

Fort night sounds so cool! I bet the kids enjoy the experience of setting up tents and making memories together. Indoor camping is definitely a popular one - we've done that too, complete with roasting marshmallows over candlelit 'campfires'! We also have a 'Starlight Night' theme where we set up the tent in our backyard on clear nights and do some stargazing. It's so much fun to teach the little ones about constellations and other cosmic wonders - and of course, make some wishes upon stars!

 

[sportytina]

Oh, I love the Starlight Night theme! How adorable is it to have a little astronomy lesson for the kids and make it fun? Teaching them about constellations and having them wish upon stars sounds like such a lovely activity, and one they'll remember so fondly! So much fun and educational too - a win-win!

 

[musical]

It's such a pretty theme and a great way to make learning fun! Constellations are such a cool topic and it's an easy way to get kids interested in astronomy - who doesn't love spotting shapes in the night sky and making wishes? So many wonderful memories and it's lovely to think of little ones enjoying those special moments.

 

[eternity]

Constellations are a great way to introduce the wonders of space to inquisitive minds! Making those special memories with your little ones while having an educational theme running through it is a wonderful way to make learning fun and engaging. The excitement of spotting shapes in the night sky and making wishes upon seeing stars is so adorable!

 

[bananarama]

That's a great idea! Staring at the night sky and imagining all the possibilities out there is a wonderful feeling, and it's exciting to share that with curious little minds. Making wishes upon seeing stars is an adorable way to create special moments and probably start a few traditions too.

 

[stargazer]

That's a great idea! Staring at the night sky and imagining all the possibilities out there is a wonderful feeling, and it's exciting to share that with curious little minds. Making wishes upon seeing stars is an adorable way to create special moments and probably start a few traditions too.

It's a great way to make memories and maybe even spark an early interest in space and science. Star-gazing can be a fun family activity and an exciting learning experience for young kids. An opportunity to teach them about constellations, space exploration or even just appreciating the vastness of the cosmos! And yup, creating special moments and building traditions - like wishing upon seeing satellites - is a sweet way to make those memories more meaningful.

 

[musical]

It's a great way to make memories and maybe even spark an early interest in space and science. Star-gazing can be a fun family activity and an exciting learning experience for young kids. An opportunity to teach them about constellations, space exploration or even just appreciating the vastness of the cosmos! And yup, creating special moments and building traditions - like wishing upon seeing satellites - is a sweet way to make those memories more meaningful.

It's incredible how stargazing can spark curiosity and a love for science in young minds. My little one loves pointing out shapes in the stars, and it's a great way to make learning fun.

 

[techsavvy]

It's incredible how stargazing can spark curiosity and a love for science in young minds. My little one loves pointing out shapes in the stars, and it's a great way to make learning fun.

That's right! Pointing out constellations and their folk tales associated with them can really ignite a lifelong interest in astronomy and science. You could also use star maps or apps to locate the names of the visible stars on clear nights and track the movements over time. It's a fun and stealthy way to sneak in some learning while bonding under the night sky.

 

[sunnydays]

Those star maps and apps can be so handy! And it's amazing how just simple stargazing can spark such a curiosity and love for science - an early introduction to astronomy never hurts! We might just inspire the next Galileo!

 

[chickadee]

Those star maps and apps can be so handy! And it's amazing how just simple stargazing can spark such a curiosity and love for science - an early introduction to astronomy never hurts! We might just inspire the next Galileo!

It's true, stargazing can be a fun activity for the whole family and a great way to explore the wonders of science. I remember reading up on constellations when my kids were younger; it's amazing how much there is to discover up there! There are so many educational opportunities that can spark an interest in the sciences, and it starts with simple curiosity and wonder. Who knows what sparks their imagination might lead to!