10 Hacks for Your Day – Accomplishing the Most as a Mother of Littles
Four kids, including a newborn? I get asked all the time how I get it all done, so today I am sharing 10 hacks for your day for accomplishing the most as a mother of littles.
This post is sponsored. All opinions are my own.
Ever since having Isaiah, I’ve had some mamas reach out and tell me that they are amazed at how much I am able to accomplish in a day with three boys and a newborn.
How do you keep your house so clean?
How do you have time to homeschool with a baby?
I’m overwhelmed with one, how do you get things done with four?
Let me just start off by making one thing clear – you guys only see my highlight reel! When you watch my YouTube videos or my Instagram stories, I’m sharing the good things. The sweet moments. The yummy meals. We all have hard days and my life is by no means perfect. I get overwhelmed, I yell at my kids, and there are times when I’m so discouraged.
That being said, there are definitely some things I have learned in the last eight years since becoming a mom that have made life so much easier. So my hope for today’s post isn’t to pretend like I’m some supermom. That’s not it at all. I make mistakes and I mess up all the time.
My hope is that by sharing these tips with you (like other mamas have shared with me), it will make your days easier and give you some ideas as you plan your own routines.
So today I’m sharing 10 hacks for your day that can help you get more accomplished as a mama of littles!
10 Hacks for Your Day – Rise Early
This is a habit that goes way back to my college days, and if you can discipline yourself to do it, it will change your life. The old saying is so true – the early bird really does get the worm. And I know how hard it is mama! Rising early when you’ve been up all night with a baby is by no means easy.
At this point in my life, though, the desire to have alone time before my kids wake up far outweighs my desire to sleep in. That sweet time with the Lord, alone in His word is so precious to me and it prepares me for the day.
I try to get up every day between 5:45 and 6 am. I have my coffee and devotions, and I also try to get ready each day by throwing on some makeup and something else besides my pajamas. By the time the kids start waking up and coming to my room, I’m pretty much ready for the day.
10 Hacks for Your Day – Start the Day Right
This might look different for everyone depending on what your schedule is. As a stay-at-home mama and homeschool mom, I like to sit with the boys every morning before we do anything else and read from God’s Word.
Taking time to pray together and focus on what’s important as a family is vital. We pray together and remind each other what our mission is as a family, and while my kids aren’t perfect and they still fight and disobey at times, I truly believe that this time brings us closer as a family and it helps us to start the day right.
10 Hacks for Your Day – Baby Wrap
I wish I knew about baby wraps with my first three children! This thing has been a life saver, seriously. While I was still pregnant with Isaiah I had the opportunity to meet with my sweet friend Lisa from Farmhouse on Boone and her sister Laura from Our Oily House. They both talked me into trying the wrap, and it has helped SO much.
Rather than fussing with a swing or trying to pat his little bottom in a crib, I can just put Isaiah in my wrap and go about my normal day. He falls asleep EVERY time and loves being close to me, and I love it even more. I don’t have to check a monitor or run back and forth to a nursery. He’s right there with me and it makes life so easy. Homeschool, cooking, cleaning – I do it all with him in the wrap!
I recommend this brand – I love that it doesn’t cut into my shoulders or hurt my back like a traditional baby carrier!
10 Hacks for Your Day – Keep Homeschool Simple
I realize that not everyone homeschools, but when I shared my Homeschool Room Tour, I was surprised by the amount of messages I received regarding our homeschool books.
Where are the teacher editions?
Don’t you use lesson plans?
Where’s the curriculum?
Here’s my next hack for you – keep it simple! I began using The Good and the Beautiful last year and absolutely fell in love with this curriculum! It is so simple and just as the brand name suggests – beautiful! The pages are illustrated in a way that keeps the attention of my boys and often times they are learning more than one subject at a time, which I love!
Another one of the reasons why I love The Good and the Beautiful is because of the hands on ways the students can learn, it’s not just reading and filling in worksheets. There are so many creative ways this curriculum teaches concepts and my boys love it!
I really can’t say enough about this curriculum and how simple it has made homeschool for us. Homeschooling our children is such a blessing and when the curriculum is amazing, it just makes it that much easier.
10 Hacks for Your Day – Block Out Time for Dedicated Work
Yes, I’m a homeschool mom, but I also work at home creating content for this blog as well as my YouTube channel. My next tip for you is this – don’t try to get work done while your kids need you. Believe me, it doesn’t work.
You will be frustrated, they will get upset, and everyone will be unhappy. Block out time when your kids don’t need your attention. I try to get most of my work done in the evenings or during quiet time, which I’ll talk about in another point.
10 Hacks for Your Day – Prep Dinner Ahead of Time
I try to think about dinner time almost first thing in the morning! What am I doing to cook tonight? What do I need to do to prepare ahead of time? Do I need to get meat out to thaw? What will I serve as sides?
Think about these things right away so that when 5 pm rolls around, you’re ahead of the game and dinnertime isn’t stressful for you. Are you making a big pot of soup? Take time in the morning to chop potatoes, carrots and onions!
These types of things can easily be done while you’re helping with a math problem or watching your kids enjoy an art project. Do what you can in the morning and you’ll thank yourself later in the day!
10 Hacks for Your Day – Clean As You Go
Cleaning for me looks so much different than you it used to look. Before having kids, I would take an entire day and clean the house from top to bottom. Bathrooms, kitchen, dusting, vacuuming…I’d do it all.
Today, with four kids, I’m just not able to do that anymore unless my husband is home to help. When the kids are all home with me, I just clean as I go – meaning I don’t allow the house to get out of control. If I spend time cooking in the kitchen, I’ll wipe down all the counters and clean the appliances afterward.
If I notice the floors are particularly filthy, I’ll take 20 minutes and vacuum. If I’m in the bathroom and I notice the sink is dirty, I’ll take five minutes and give it a quick wipe down. I’ll do the same with the toilets, windows, and dusting.
Believe me, there’s no better feeling than to have the house clean from top to bottom. But at this point in my life, I’ve come to accept that I need to do what I can, when I can. And that’s okay!
10 Hacks for Your Day – Establish Quiet Time
Every day around 1 pm, I lay Caleb down for a nap and make the older boys do “quiet time”. I give them some crayons for coloring, legos, books to read – then tell them not to come out of their rooms until mama says it’s okay.
It doesn’t always work, and they still come out of their rooms and I have to gently remind them that mama needs alone time lol. But this time every afternoon not only allows me to get work done, but it also gives me a break and helps me to be a better mom.
10 Hacks for Your Day – Have the Kids Help Out
I want to teach my boys responsibility, and if they made the mess, they need to help clean it up. They contribute to the dirty dishes, the laundry, even the crumbs on the floors.
My boys are young, but I’m already teaching them to help out around the house, and it really does save me so much time. Gabriel loves to vacuum for me, and Ethan enjoys organizing. Give your kids a small job to do and hold them accountable!
10 Hacks for Your Day – Avoid Screen Time
Our screens steal so much of our time – and if you were to keep track of the time spent scrolling through Instagram, Pinterest or Facebook…you might be surprised. Even if it’s just fifteen minutes here or there, it all adds up at the end of the day.
Not only that, I want my boys to remember me looking at them, listening to them, and investing in them. I don’t want them to remember me staring at my phone. So save the screen time for after the kids are in bed. You’ll be amazed at how much more time you have!
I hope these 10 hacks for your day have helped you! What tips can you share that save you time and help you to accomplish more in a day? I’d love to know in the comments below!
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Andrea, thank you for these helpful tips. You’re always a breath of fresh air. Btw, we use Abeka for homeschooling and love it too! (currently in our 4th year)
~Kimberly
@myjoyfilledhome
These are all great ideas. I have a 1– and a 2-year-old and am slowly figuring some of these things out (like rising early!).
So glad they were helpful to you, and yes rising early is a must for me, otherwise I feel behind all day!
Great blog post friend!! Thanks for the helpful tips ❤️
Thank you so much Sherri!
God Bless you and your sweet family💕
Andrea, thank you so much for sharing your daily life as a stay at home mom. I am currently navigating the beginning of that role. Each day is different as the demands of my child change. Whoever thought stay at home would be boring. It is an encouragement to know other moms stay at home as well.
Erica- newly a mom!
Thank you so much for sharing that Erica, being a stay at home mom is the biggest blessing and I am so happy you agree!