Mom. Wife. Busy Life.

Category: Tips & Tricks

  • Morning Routine Tips for Moms

    It can be tough getting out the door every morning as a busy mom! There’s so much to do. Read our Morning Routine Tips for Moms to help!

    Morning Routine Tips for Moms

    The morning can be a bit chaotic if not planned out well. Do you find yourself in a frazzled mess every morning trying to get everyone fed, dressed, and out of the door on time? If so, this is for you! Follow these seven steps to speed up your morning routine and get out the door faster!

    Morning Routine Tips for Moms

    Set items out the night before.

    This includes your clothes, children’s clothes, shoes, keys, wallet, purse, phones, backpacks and other school belongings. It’s easy to waste time in the morning trying to figure out what to wear as well as looking for lost wallets, keys, and school items. Save yourself some time and place these items out the night before so you aren’t caught looking in the toy boxes for your keys. If you have young children, consider a hanging closet organizer to organize their clothes for the week. Have siblings help other siblings get dressed if they are old enough.

    Stay off of electronic gadgets.

    Over the past few years, I’ve changed the way I use technology. I’ve been very guilty of checking my email in the morning and even scrolling through Facebook to check updates when I should be getting ready for the morning. After deciding to place strict limits on my electronics time in the morning, I easily gained an extra 15-20 minutes of time and stopped feeling rushed. I use my extra time to snuggle or read with my girls, as well as play outside in the backyard for a few minutes before school. Sometimes I’m able to tidy up a room in the house or do a load of dishes!

    Prepare school or office lunches the night before.

    Mommy confession: I hate packing lunches. I giggle often at how my husband and I beg each other to make the kid’s lunches. It’s definitely not on our “favorite things to do” list and ends up costing us 5-10 minutes in the morning to figure out what to pack in their lunchboxes for school. Prepare your child’s lunch or your own lunch for the office at night and they’ll be ready to go in the morning!

    Establish a good morning routine with the kids.

    Young children thrive on routines so if children know what they are expected to do in the morning, this will save you a LOT of time. It will also help cut down on the screaming and yelling that may go on when trying to get kids to listen in the morning! My girls LOVE Daniel Tiger on PBS. One of our favorite songs on Daniel Tiger goes like this, “Clothes On, Eat Breakfast, Brush Teeth, Put On Shoes, and Off To School!”  This song helps them to remember the steps of getting dressed and out the door each morning! (Thanks, Daniel Tiger for making our life easier around here!)

    Take baths and showers the night before. 

    Save time in the morning by giving the kids a bath or taking showers the night before. It takes me about 20 minutes to blow dry my hair. I have thick hair and to get it completely dry, I spend a lot of time on my hair when I could be enjoying my morning. By taking a shower and blow drying my hair at night, I save about 30 minutes altogether in the morning.

    Invest in a Keurig.

    If you have room in your budget and you are a coffee drinker, consider investing in a single cup coffee maker. My husband and I have had a Keurig for several years and it would be very hard to go back to a traditional coffee maker! These are great to have if you are on-the-go and need to make a quick cup of coffee and get out the door in a hurry!

    Keep breakfast simple. 

    There’s no need to cook a hot breakfast for the family each morning, unless you just really love doing it. Serve cereal a few days a week or toast with fresh fruit every now and then to give yourself a break and to save time!

    Enjoy these time saving tips for a more successful morning each day!

  • Spring Cleaning Tips for Busy Moms

    Spring is here! When the spring season approaches, several moms that I know use the warmer days to catch up on much needed cleaning.

    During the winter season, the family is usually cooped up inside and that means messes are inevitable.

    When my kids are entertaining themselves inside our home, I can expect tiny messes here and there.

    My husband and I are getting better about teaching them to clean up their messes as they go, but we are still far away from mastering this goal!

    1. Open the blinds and let natural light in.

    When I get up in the morning, the first thing I do is open up my blinds to let the sunshine in.

    There’s something about natural light that lifts my mood and helps motivate me to get my day started, especially on days when I know I need to focus on spring cleaning.

    2. Gather your cleaning supplies.

    Grab everything you need to get your spring cleaning done and place it in a specific area. By doing this, you’ll have everything ready and on hand to get your cleaning done, without having to search for cleaning products and supplies.

    I always have my broom and dust pan, vacuum, paper towels, and a few other items on hand when I start cleaning.

    3. Turn on your favorite music.

    Music is a huge part of my cleaning routine. When there’s music, you can be sure I’m going to get energized and pumped about cleaning my house.

    I turn on my iPod and sing and dance around the house while cleaning. Music gives me the extra boost I need to get the job done!

    4. Send the kids outside to play or ask them to help.

    If your kids are old enough to head outdoors to play in the backyard, send them outside to play while you get some cleaning done!

    You can also ask them to help with household chores if you feel like the task is too big. Many hands make light work!

    5. Declutter.

    Before you can get to the deep cleaning in the house, it’s a good idea to remove clutter from problem areas that need the most cleaning.

    For me, my kitchen counters always need decluttering before I can get to the actual deep cleaning.

    Set a bag or box aside during your spring cleaning and place any objects that no longer serve a purpose or bring you joy in your home.

    6. Spend time on the most used areas first.

    It’s easy to get sidetracked while spring cleaning, mostly because there’s always a lot that needs to be done.

    Focus on the problematic areas first, the areas that you spend most of your time and the ones that seem to be the most important to you and your family. For me, the area that I start with is the kitchen.

    I focus on the sinks, the microwave, the stove and oven, the refrigerator/freezer, pantry, and the floors. Then I move to the bathrooms, the living room, the bedroom, and then all other rooms.

    The garage is usually the last place I work on.

    7. Remember that spring cleaning takes time. Celebrate small victories.

    Spring cleaning can be hard work. Over time, things in the home pile up and get dirty (especially during a busy winter season).

    Focus on getting what you can done and then give yourself plenty of breaks during your spring cleaning.

    Spring cleaning can take days and even weeks, so don’t stress if you can’t get it all done in one day!

    Hopefully these tips will help motivate you to start your spring cleaning!

  • Ways to Earn Money as a Stay at Home Mom

    Are you a stay-at-home and wanting to contribute more to the family finances? Well now you can!

    There are plenty of options for stay at home moms to earn money. Here are some ideas to get started:

    Start a blog

    Share your experiences and insights on motherhood, homemaking, or any other topics you’re passionate about. You can monetize your blog through advertising, affiliate marketing, or selling products and services.

    I started a money saving blog, The Frugal Free Gal, the first year I became a stay at home mom in 2008.

    I currently own three blogs, the one mentioned above, this one you are reading now, and Roscoe’s Recipes, a southern recipe website that I work on with my husband. I do monetize all of them!

    I enjoy blogging at home because I am able to keep a very flexible schedule. I can attend social events during the week such as Bible Study, school events, meetings, and more. With three kids, a flexible schedule is very important to me.

    Do you want to start a blog? Read my post How to Start a Blog and Monetize It, Too!

    Sell your photos or become a photographer

    Do you love to take pictures? Turn your photos into cash!

    I recommend using Shutterstock for selling your photos. I’ve been a contributor for several years and enjoy the extra payments that I get from selling my photos.

    Another way to earn money through photos is by becoming a photographer.

    There are many families that love to have their family portraits taken at a reasonable cost. If you aren’t considered a “professional” photographer, offer your services at a deep discount while getting started.

    You can even let some families know that you are in training and need extra practice. There’s so much to choose from: newborn, pregnancy, family portraits, etc.

    Do online tutoring

    Use your expertise to help students excel in their studies. There are many online platforms that connect tutors with students from all over the world.

    Sell handmade items online

    From jewelry to clothes to home décor, there’s a market for just about anything handmade. Platforms like Etsy make it easy to sell your wares to a global audience.

    Provide professional services

    If you have a particular skill or trade, offer your services to clients online. This could include anything from graphic design to pet sitting.

    Be a virtual assistant

    Businesses of all sizes need help with tasks like customer service, data entry, social media management, and more. You can find work as a virtual assistant on various platforms such as Upwork and Fiverr.

    Do transcription work

    Transcribing audio files is a common task for stay at home moms. Companies like Rev and Scribie offer transcription work that can be done completely online.

    Participate in market research studies

    Market research companies are always looking for participants to take part in their studies. This can involve anything from online surveys to in-person focus groups.

    While completing online surveys may not be enough to qualify as a full-time job, it can be a great way to earn some easy money or rewards in your spare time. They are usually free to join. 

    These companies need opinions from moms just like you to make their clients’ sites and products better, and you can get paid or receive rewards in exchange!

    My best advice is to find one or two sites that are right for you.

    Browse through each site to see what they offer and you’ll get a good idea of which site(s) are worth your time, efforts, and energy according to your interests.

    New to surveys? Try out Survey Junkie which can pay anywhere from $2 to $75 per completed survey.

    Do data entry work

    Data entry is a simple task that can be done completely remotely. There are many businesses that require data entry workers to help with things like customer lists and order forms.

    Freelance writing

    If you have a way with words, you can use your writing skills to earn money as a stay at home mom. There are many sites that offer freelance writing jobs, such as Upwork and iWriter.

    Sell products online

    From cosmetics to books to clothes, you can sell just about anything online. Platforms like Amazon and eBay make it easy to reach a wide audience of potential buyers.

    There are plenty of ways for stay at home moms to earn money. With a little creativity and effort, you can find the perfect way to make money from home.

    Earn Cash Back and Rewards

    There are so many ways to earn gift cards and rewards, as well as cash back. I love to save my gift cards and rewards for Christmas and birthday presents! Here are two ways to earn:

    • Earn Swagbucks to earn gift cards and rewards
    • Earn Cash Back through Ebates
    • Get Cash Back on Groceries with the Ibotta App
    • Join Fetch Rewards and earn rewards when you scan and submit your receipts! (Use code 4Y6FF when you join to earn 2,000 points!

    Offer a Service

    What things can you do that people would pay you for? Can you create or design websites, cook meals, cut lawns, clean houses or pick up other kids from school?

    Chances are, whatever tasks you do every day, there are people out there who would pay you do them for them as well so they don’t have to.

    While it may take some creativity to find paying clients, this is a great way to find steady work doing a task you love.

    More Ways to Earn Money As A Stay At Home Mom:

    • Babysit, Petsit, or Housesit
    • Answer Phone Calls
    • Walk Dogs
    • Mow Lawns

    If you find that you have extra spare time and want to contribute and earn money while staying at home, consider the options above!

    5 Ways to Earn Real Money as a Stay-at-Home Mom

  • Five Energy Hacks for Tired Moms

    field on a background of the blue sky

    It seems as though, as busy moms, tiredness is pretty much a way of life these days. You know you should slow down and relax–and you do when you can–but sometimes there are so many commitments and deadlines and projects on your plate that you have to just push through. The next time this happens and you need energy in a hurry, skip the Starbucks. Here are five energy hacks for tired moms to try instead.

    1. Step Outside for Some Fresh Air and Sunshine

    On cold winter days, one of the last things I want to do is leave the house. And yet a blast of fresh, cold air and some sunshine is often just what I need to refresh both my mind and body. Whether it’s a walk around your neighborhood or just a quick trip to your mailbox, a short break outside can really help wake you up. If you can’t get outside, at least sit near a window and try not to dress too warmly.

    2. Get Moving

    Have you been sitting in the same place for a while? Then it’s time to get moving! Stand up, stretch, take a bathroom break and walk around. Turn on some awesome music and have a 5 minute dance party. Go to the gym or turn on a workout dvd. Get your body moving and you’ll get your mind moving too, especially if you make this a regularly habit.

    Related: 10 Highly Rated DVD Workouts To Do At Home

    3. Power Nap

    Naps don’t have to be long to be effective; the key is just finding the right length. Take a 30 to 45 minute nap and you’ll likely be dragging the rest of the day. If you can train your body to take short 10 to 15 power naps, however, they can really give you the burst of quick energy you need!

    Obviously this tip works best for stay-at-home moms with children who still nap, but it can work for working moms too. Just close your office door or go to your car on your lunch break and don’t forget to set an alarm!

    Related: 3 Reasons Getting Enough Sleep is Essential Even When You’re Busy

    4. Choose a Healthier Snack

    While grabbing a sugary treat or an energy drink may wake you up right away, it will only leave you crashing throughout the rest of the day. Fight back by choosing healthy fruits, vegetables and proteins and drinking plenty of water. This method may take a day or two to kick in, but the results are absolutely worth it. Just make sure you have these sorts of healthy snacks on hand to make reaching for them that much easier.

    Related: 15 Quick and Easy Healthy Snack Ideas

    5. Commit to 10 Minutes

    Oftentimes, it isn’t the task that’s the problem; it’s finding the energy to get started. A great way to motivate yourself when you don’t think you have the energy to get the whole thing done is to simply commit to the first ten minutes. After that, you can quit. Chances are, however, once you’re ten minutes in, you’ll just keep going until the task is done.

    Recommended read: Hope for the Weary Mom

    How do you stay energized as a busy mom?

  • 5 Tips to Keep Up With Laundry

    tips to keep up with laundry

    Call me crazy, but there are times I love to do laundry. Now keep in mind, I said “there are times” I love doing laundry, but there are also times when I just simply can’t stand it. As a mom of two girls and as a military wife, we have so much laundry to do on a regular basis around here. The older I get, the more respect I have for my mom who was able to manage laundry for six of us in the house, and she made it look so easy.

    Now that I have to do laundry on my own, it’s not necessarily easy or fun all the time.  I don’t like starting a new week with piles of laundry left to be done. I get into a grumpy mood if I see mountains of laundry in my laundry room on a Monday morning, so I do all I can to prevent that from happening. I find that I actually enjoy doing laundry when I keep up with the laundry throughout the week.

    Here are a few great tips to keep up with laundry during the week! This will help you keep your sanity as a busy mom and wife!

    5 Tips to Keep Up With Laundry

    1. Wash, dry, and hang up/put away at least one load of laundry every day.  

    This is easier said than done, but you can make it happen. Doing one load of laundry everyday will help prevent a mountain of laundry by the end of the week. You’ll enjoy a weekend free of doing laundry if you can keep up with it during the week. Save the weekends for fun with the family!

    2. Use a separate hamper for each member of the family. 

    Designate a hamper for each member of the family. Teach young children how to toss their dirty clothes into the hamper after taking them off. This prevents dirty clothes from being thrown all over the place and saves you time from going around and collecting dirty clothes around each room. Place a hamper in your child’s bathroom, too. They can throw their dirty clothes in the hamper before bath time. If you want to save a lot of time and avoid sorting clothes, consider investing in a laundry sorter.

    3. Use towels more than once. 

    Towels usually don’t get too dirty after bath time. In fact, you can go a few days of using the same towel before it’s considered dirty in my opinion. Cut down on washing towels by simply hanging them to dry after bath time. After a few days of use, it’s safe to say they can go in the wash. If you run out of space hanging towels, these over the door racks will give you more room to hang towels!

    4. Wear clothes more than once. 

    Some of us may throw our clothes in the hamper as soon as we take them off for the day, but are they really dirty? Chances are, if you weren’t outside running in the clothes or doing yard work, consider them clean and ready to wear again in the near future. Before tossing clothes into the laundry, decide if they are worth wearing again once more and hang them back up in the closet or put away in the drawer. There’s nothing wrong with wearing clothes again if they aren’t truly dirty.

    Related: 7 Ways to Save on Laundry

    5. Use quality products – detergent, dryer sheets, and stain remover. 

    There’s nothing fun about doing laundry twice if they didn’t get clean enough the first time. That’s why it’s a good idea to invest in quality laundry products such as detergent, dryer sheets, or stain removers. Quality products will keep clothes lasting longer, looking their best, and smelling fresh! Currently, you’ll find Lavender Blossom Purex Crystals Dryer Sheets in my laundry room. They not only help to keep my laundry room smelling fresh, they are also perfect for keeping my clothes static free and smelling great! Choose your favorite Purex Crystals fragrance and tuck a sheet in hampers, in the linen closets, and any other laundry storage areas!

    Purex Crystals Dryer Sheets

    Do you have any tips to keep up with laundry during the week? 

    Disclosure: I received a box of Purex Crystals Dryer Sheets in exchange for a post. All opinions are my own. 

  • How to Clean Your Kitchen for Guests

    The kitchen is one of the most used rooms in a house. We make breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks in the kitchen. We microwave food, cook food in the oven, store food in the refrigerator, freezer, and pantry, wash dishes throughout the day, and a variety of other tasks.

    This is the time of year when families spend time together in the kitchen baking holiday goodies and spending time with family and friends. If you have family and friends visiting over the holidays, you’ll want to make sure you clean your kitchen from top to bottom! The kitchen is one of the easiest places to mess up due to how much time we do spend in there. Because of the activity level in and out of the kitchen, deep cleaning can become overwhelming if it’s not maintained over time. To prepare your house for guests, follow these simple tips to get your kitchen looking it’s very best during your guest’s stay.

    1. Declutter. 

    This is the very first step you’ll want to do before you complete any deep cleaning in your kitchen. Counter tops in the kitchen seem to collect the most clutter, from school work, papers to sign, purses, keys, sunglasses, you name it. The clutter collects fast on kitchen counters. Remove all clutter from counter tops. If you have extra time, declutter the junk drawer and inside the cabinets.

    2. Clean out the microwave. 

    You’ll want to focus on cleaning from top to bottom. The microwave can hold a lot of crumbs and other food particles that can fall onto counter tops or the floor.

    3. Deep clean the oven. 

    If you have a self cleaning oven, find some time to set the oven for a deep clean. If not, you’ll need to spend some time cleaning the inside the of the oven and removing any grease spills or other food particles that have fallen into the base of the oven.

    4. Clean out the refrigerator and freezer.

    The refrigerator and freezer can get out of control fast. We store leftovers in there that sometimes get pushed to the back and can sit there for weeks or even months! There’s also fresh produce that can sit for a long period before being tossed. Check your refrigerator and freezer for any expired products and toss them. Then, you’ll want to wipe down the surfaces in the refrigerator.

    5. Wipe down the sinks and freshen the garbage disposal. 

    There’s something about a clean sink that makes the kitchen seem a lot cleaner. When my sink is empty and clean, I’m just happier. Wash all dishes that are located in the sink and around or on counter tops. Then, deep clean the sinks and garbage disposal. I like to cut up a lemon into small pieces and run it through the disposal to give it a fresh and clean smell!

    6. Deep clean the stove top.

    The range top can be a tricky place to clean. If you have a gas range top, food and grease can fall around the burners creating a pretty tricky mess to clean. I remove the grates before I clean our stove top and try to remove as much grease and crumbs as I can. If you have an electric stove top, make sure the stove is completely cool before cleaning. Then, you’ll want to make sure you use a gentle cleaning solution that won’t scratch or damage the surface.

    7. Sweep and mop.

    After all of the deep cleaning has been completed in the kitchen, the last thing you’ll want to do is sweep and mop. Sweep under the cabinets as well as around the refrigerator to remove crumbs, pet hair, and other items on the floor.

    Once you are finished with all of the steps above, your kitchen will be clean and ready for your guests visit! Don’t forget to head to your local Target to pick up the Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes with Micro-Scrubbers to help you clean your kitchen this holiday season. Save 10% on this product by using the Target Cartwheel app!

    What are your favorite cleaning tips for the kitchen? 

  • 5 Ways to Take Care of Yourself as a Busy Mom

    Ways to Take Care of Yourself as a Busy Mom

    As busy moms, we tend to spend a lot of time taking care of everyone around us. We spend a lot of our time taking care of our children. We feed them, bathe them, entertain them, and drive them to and from school or other activities. The list is almost endless. We also take care of household chores, plan and prepare nutritious meals, pay bills, and more. At the end of the day, there seems to be little time left for mom. All of these daily chores and tasks can leave us feeling exhausted, stressed, and overwhelmed.

    It’s important to take care of ourselves as moms because we need to be healthy both physically and mentally so that we can carry out all of the day-to-day tasks for our family. Without a happy and healthy mom, chores and daily tasks can feel almost unbearable and the weight of it all could lead to an unhealthy lifestyle. If you find yourself giving all of your time to your family and putting yourself aside, it’s time to reclaim your life! It’s time to take care of YOU.

    Here are a few ways to take care of ourselves as busy moms to help stay healthy and well.

    1. Exercise.

    This is always easier said than done. It’s easy to let the hours pass during the day because we are taking care of others. Carve some time into your daily schedule for exercise. If you have a baby at home, put the baby in the stroller and head outdoors for a walk. Too cold in your area? Head to the mall and walk the mall. Workout at home with DVDs or join a gym with childcare if it helps you to focus on getting your movement in. Thirty minutes of activity a day can help lift your mood and keep you in shape if you are consistent with exercising. Invest in a bike and get outdoors for a ride in the sunshine!

    Ways to Take Care of Yourself as a Busy Mom

    2. Get dressed.

    Try to get dressed within a few minutes of waking up. Staying in your pajamas for several hours can affect your productivity at home. I know that when I stay in my pajamas too long, my mood can be pretty blah. As soon as I get dressed in regular clothes, I feel much better and more productive.

    3. Practice good hygiene. I often times hear from moms that say they haven’t showered in days. From the day to day demands of being a mom, showering can feel like a guilty pleasure instead of something that needs to be done. Shower or bathe at least once every other day. It can work wonders on your mood and you’ll be left feeling fresh and clean. 4. Eat healthy foods. It’s easy to head to the pantry during or after a stressful day only to find yourself digging around for sugary and processed snacks and foods to eat. Poor eating habits can affect your mood. If you find yourself eating more unhealthy foods, these foods may lead to irritability or mood changes. Stick to eating a healthy diet instead. Instead of stocking up on processed foods, stock up on fresh fruits or vegetables, whole grains, and healthy proteins. Drink water, too. Ways to Take Care of Yourself as a Busy Mom 5. Take some time for yourself. Schedule some time to get out of the house. Go out for the day and do things you love doing. Whether you like to shop, get manicures or pedicures, or even if you just need to head out for a new haircut, get out and enjoy some time alone. It’s o.k. to schedule time away to do things you love. Or, if you prefer, call up a friend and meet up with a friend for the day! How do you take care of yourself as a busy mom?