Mom Hacks By Real Moms

Francesca is a big positivity champion and networker who also advocates healthy living through her Instagram account. 

• Little helpers: We can be so busy that we want to knock out chores as quickly as possible. Kids will slow down the process and won’t do it as well as we do, but it’s key to capitalize on the times that they actually want to help. This practice gives our kiddos confidence now, allows them to be capable as they grow older, and gives us valuable bonding time.

• One-on-one dates: This can require a lot of effort and strategy on our part, but when we prioritize time alone with our children, we give them incredible self-worth. The earlier we implement one-on-one time, the more natural it will be to continue this tradition into the teen years. Remember, dates don’t have to be expensive or even out of the house. Just get alone together and let your child’s interests dictate the activity!

• Bad mood buster: When everyone is in a bad mood, go outside. Give kids a bowl for gathering flowers and leaves and a spoon for location-appropriate digging. Even babies mellow once they’re outdoors. If the weather is bad, turn on music and have an indoor dance party for 15 minutes. Don’t forget to be silly, because this gives kids permission to let their guard down and have real fun!
• Healthier Eating: If you want your kids to eat healthier, make good foods readily available. Kids are just like us– they will often reach for the food option that is easiest! Having fruit rinsed and ready to grab, or personal-sized trail mix containers, are two great options.
• Imagination Station: Screens aren’t forbidden for my kids, but I did create little stations for them to encourage quiet time and use their imaginations. Each child has a clear tub with things like quality drawing paper, scissors, post-its, and activity books. I favor the BSK coloring pencil tins, so every child has personalized supplies. Because knowing that their stations are special is part of the appeal!

• Twice a year, empty out the entire pantry. Yes, the whole thing! I promise it will be worth it. Discard anything that is expired and make a donation bag for any shelf-stable goods you no longer need. On your kitchen counter, separate all of your items into categories such as kid’s snacks, canned goods, pasta/grains, condiments, etc.
• Now that you’ve cleaned out the pantry, it’s time to store everything! Use high-quality labels and clear glass jars to keep your pantry organized. Being able to see what you have makes meal planning and packing lunches so much easier. We love the labels from Bright Star Kids because they are dishwasher safe, and the pantry pack comes with labels for everyday items like snacks, pasta, rice, condiments, plus baking ingredients like flour and sugar.
• Before putting everything back in the pantry, decide which shelf everything will go on. Use clear plastic bins to corral items (you can find these at HomeGoods or TJ Maxx), and use your Bright Star Kids labels to label these bins. I have bins for the kid’s snacks like granola bars, cookies, crackers, raisins, and pouches, as well as bins for macaroni, and cheese boxes, coffee pods, and regular snacks like big bags of pretzels.
• Use a Lazy Susan for condiments. This makes finding what you’re looking for so much easier! Rather than digging through things in the pantry to find a bottle of ketchup, you can have everything in one place. As a bonus, a Lazy Susan also takes up much less space!
• Set up a spot in your pantry that’s dedicated just for lunch-packing gear. I have a clear plastic bin full of lunchboxes and next to it I keep items like peanut butter and after-school snacks. Having this lunch-packing station really streamlines the process of making lunches and keeps everything organized.

4. Judith, mom of 2 Judith or Juju is a Florida-based entrepreneur who loves fashion, baking, and her two adorable kids, Ramiah and Jazeel. Check out her awesome content on Instagram.

• Always keep an emergency bag in the car. Since we are always on the go, we tend to eat on the go also. Having extra clothes, diapers, wipes, and an extra pair of underwear in the car is a must for us. If my kids get their clothes dirty on our way somewhere or have an accident, I am prepared.
• Rotate toys. My kids lose interest in toys quickly, so we have a couple of bins in the garage that we rotate out every now and then.
• Label sippy cups. We love using Bright Star Kids products for labeling our kids’ sippy cups. Because my kids are at the age where they are very territorial, it saves me a lot of headaches of having to break up fights because someone grabbed the wrong sippy cup lol.  Also, because you get to customize the labeling, it helps my kids to learn to recognize their names. It’s a win-win for this mama here!
• Sleep train your newborn. You will not regret it later. Around 3-6 months, I typically start to train them. As they get older, they will have no issues going and staying asleep during the night.
• If possible, wake up before everyone. I try to wake before everyone just to get my mind right for the day. I get up, pray, and try to read my Bible or listen to it while in bed before I start the day. It gets my mind in the right perspective for the day and prepares me for the unexpected.

• Have trouble with baby wipes clumping together or not coming out correctly? Just put a rubber band around the wipes package (this only works with soft wipe packages) and the wipes will suddenly come out easily!
• If you have more than one kiddo as I do, chances are they tend to get sick at the same time and chances are you’ll need to have medicine on hand for both kids at the same time! I used to forget which syringe or medicine cup belonged to which kid until I started labeling them!! Use your Bright Star Kids name labels to label your kids’ medicine syringes and/or cups and you’ll never lose track again!
• Kids hate chunks in their food? Use your blender to blend the bananas when you make banana bread and it will forever be smooth and delicious!
• Tired of puzzle pieces and other small toys getting everywhere?! Purchase zipper pouch document bags on Amazon (there are many brands and choices) and use them to keep all puzzles and toy sets together!
• Peel the backing off of sticker pages before handing them to your kids. The stickers will be much easier to peel off for little hands!

• Splash Mat: If your toddler is anything like mine and throws food onto the floor, this will be key! These mats go under a highchair and catch all the food that your toddler drops. These splash mats make mealtimes more manageable and are easy to clean.
• Suction Cup bowls and plates: My son Carter likes to throw his plate/bowl of food on the ground. Suction bowls/plates prevent him from doing that!
• BSK’s name stickers: Now that we are putting Carter into more activities, these personalized name stickers are so helpful in making sure that his stuff doesn’t get mixed up with another kid’s stuff.
• Putting paint on a piece of paper and then putting it in a ziplock bag: If you want an art activity for your toddler but don’t want to deal with the mess, this is for you. Your toddler can paint while staying clean.
• When flying with a toddler: If you are able to, buy your toddler his or her own seat instead of having him or her sit on your lap. Carter’s first flight was when he turned one. After a flight or two, I decided to buy him his own seat. It was a huge relief! He was able to have his own space and stand up when he pleased.

Meet Marcelli, a US-based Brazilian aesthetics student and influencer and a proud mother to 4-year-old aspiring baker, Helena Check out their amazing and fun content on Instagram.

• Helena is picky and I have some difficulty making her accept some vegetables and even meat, so I always have her favorite homemade vegetable chicken soup frozen. This helps me a lot when I have a busy day or she doesn’t want to eat healthily.
• She loves to help with her school stuff. We prepare the night before because we wake up very early and all her stuff has Bright Star Kids labels for identification. Once, she forgot a coat at school and the teacher could find it because it had the label on it.
• Another important mom hack is to use essential oils before bedtime. We love lavender or another calming oil to help sleep better. If Helena sleeps well, I can also rest better and wake up refreshed for one more busy day.
• And the last one is about my native language which I want her to learn. It is not an easy language to learn, so to help, I put on children’s music and videos in Portuguese in the morning while we get ready or head to school.

Got Your Own Mom Hacks?

Don’t forget to tag us on Facebook and Instagram!  Who knows? We might feature your amazing tips and hacks on our blog, too!

Looking for More Busy Mom Hacks To Try?

Read about our Easy Meal Planning Tips. You’ll love our Genius Fridge Organization Hacks, too! Perfect for moms who love to plan and prep ahead!

Organizing Your Kids’ Belongings?

You’ve got to label everything! Personalize your kids’ school supplies. We’ve also got backpacks, lunch bags, and bento lunch boxes that you can personalize in coordinated designs! The best part? It’s made for you in the USA and shipped super fast! You’re going to love them!