It always makes me laugh when people say “you seem to have it all together.” I think they would feel differently if they lived in my house. That’s one of the problems with social media though. We compare our lives with others highlight reel. And unfortunately no matter how hard I work to try to show you the “real reel” it’s just impossible to get a full scope of ANYONE’S life in and through instagram.

But as I reflected on this question a little more with my friend Courtney last week I realized that I have a lot of “mom hacks” that make things a little more simple. Let me also just say- I am not a perfectionist and I often live by the saying that “done is better than perfect.” I don’t really sweat the small stuff (which can drive Brian crazy) but truthfully the details just don’t bother me. This has proven to be a really good thing at times and a not so great thing at times.

Working in corporate America for 10 years while juggling being a wife, mom and heavily involved in my church required that I adapt some little hacks in life if I wanted to continue pursuing growth and caring for myself while also serving my family. Honestly- most of these things seem super simple to me and you’ve probably heard most of them before, but hopefully you can find at least one thing to start implementing in your home. And truthfully even if this helps just one mama out there, it’s worth it.

Mom Hacks that have helped me through the years:

Push your alarm clock up- Make it a goal to be up an hour and a half before the kids. For some this might be 6 am and for others this might be 5. If you get up earlier and spend some time filling your cup you will be more prepared to serve and care for your family. I always spend time with the Lord and get in the Word, move my body for 30 minutes, make a to-do list for the day/review our schedule and go on a 10 minute prayer walk before the kids are up.

Make it a goal to read 10 minutes or 10 pages a day- I know a lot of moms desire to read and learn. Growth (even as a mom) is important! How can we cultivate and encourage growth in our littles if we aren’t pursuing it ourselves? Set your timer for 10 minutes and just read as much as you can in that time.

Use timers- If you are competitive with yourself like me, you might find this tip helpful. Have something you need to do at the house? Set a timer and see how quickly you can get it done by “competing” against yourself. I use my Apple Watch timer a LOT by setting the timer and just seeing how much I can get done. It gets me moving faster!

I love baskets- Baskets are an easy way to organize and hide toys. I do “tidy ups” WITH THE KIDS right before they go down for naps and right before bedtime. Baskets make your home fill more put together and get those toys out of sight. We actually turned our downstairs coat closet into a mini toy room. I have it organized with baskets + a shelf and the kids go in there to play. When we do tidy ups we put the baskets in there.

Get your kids helping with chores- I have recently started getting Emmaline (4) and Corban (2) to help with chores around the house. They help unload the dishes and load it back. Emmaline also makes her bed each morning. These help her learn the discipline of caring for things while helping me.

Meal Prep- I try to meal prep a few things a week to help with lunches. I love having things that are gran and go! Some examples: Boiled eggs, veggie soup, chicken salad, etc.

Get your kids ready first- One thing I recently learned is to get my kids ready first and then allow them to play or watch a show while I am getting ready. If your kids are like mine they probably give you SOME sort of trouble when getting ready for school, church, etc. Taking the time to get them ready first and content (because we know we will likely run into SOME problem) will then help make our whole morning smoother because I am not frustrated that we are now running late because of their tantrum. A lot of times my frustration is triggers by these little things that cause us to be late.

Buy and wear hats- I know what you’re thinking- really Caroline? But seriously! Feeling put together as you head out the door will help you feel more productive as you head into your day. But lets be real- most days we don’t have time to wash, roll brush and fix our hair. (Honestly- I rarely roll brush or blow dry my hair but that’s another topic!) Having some easy to wear (but cute) hats to throw on will make you feel put together, cute and save you a ton of time. My favorite hat brands: Lack of Color and Gigi Pip

Let some things go- I don’t stress about our playroom. Its upstairs and out of my sight so I don’t worry about how it looks. I just believe some things aren’t worth getting worked out over.

I hope these tips are helpful friend! If you found any of them beneficial do me a favor and pass this on. And because I am always on the look out for other “mom hacks” let me know if there is something you’d add to the list!

With JOY,
Caroline