Parenting, while infinitely rewarding and beautiful, can also be one of the hardest things to undertake. Whether it’s trying to clean up after their mess, getting them to eat veggies or driving them to classes and play dates, parenting can be quite the logistical nightmare. But not to worry! Here are 16 small life hacks that can help to make the day-to-day parenting struggle a little bit lighter.
1. Magnet cups.
For kids who always manage to lose cups and want new ones, this is a great way to get cheap cups (from the dollar store) and to keep them nice and organized, as well as within reach!
2. Plug up the holes in rubber bath toys with hot glue.
After awhile, all rubber bath toys start to grow mold. To fix this, use a glue gun to shut that small hole at the bottom of toys, making them last longer and helping them stay mold-free!
3. Keep lint rollers in the craft room.
Every child goes through a phase where they love crafts and have an uncontrollable urge to throw glitter at everything and everyone. To ensure that this glitter-tastrophe can be taken care of, keep a lint roller nearby! It’s a great way to get rid of that excess glitter easily.
4. Baby mop.
Okay, so this one is kind of a joke (but kind of not).
5. Use a shower caddy as a food tray.
Everyone knows that children love to eat, especially if it’s on a road trip. Use a cheap shower caddy from any dollar store and hold everything neatly and cleanly!
6. Shower hat.
This hat does two things perfectly: makes sure that water doesn’t get into a baby’s eyes, and makes for one fashionable baby.
7. If your child has difficulty gripping pencils, use a rubber band.
8. Lotion faucet extender.
Help their little hands reach!
9. Sneak alarm.
10. Forget-me-not mittens.
11. Tooth Fairy money.
12. Baby stroller scooters.
13. The Dot Method for helping you and your kids organize their clothes.
Use a dot to mark clothes that belong to your oldest kid, two dots for the second oldest, and so on. When the clothes get handed down, just add one extra dot to them and you’ll always know who they belong to!
14. Sticker clues for shoes.
15. Make a stair slide.
16. Use a lock to keep kids from getting into any electrical accidents.
17. Make a chore chart.
18. Hang bibs on the back of a high chair.
19. Use a shoe organizer to hold games and toys in the car.
20. Use small to-go containers for pacifiers.
21. A fitted sheet is perfect for creating shade and keeping bugs away.
22. Keep track of medicine doses right on the bottle.
23. Use a muffin liner to stop sticky fingers.
