Mom Hacks - Joyful Messes

Staycations Solve Spring Break Problems

This is one of those times of the year when parents almost dread the fact that their kids are out of school. Why? It’s because they have to find something to occupy their time, especially if they still have to work every day. For those who can take the time away from work and spend it with the family, I want to encourage you not to dismiss the idea of a staycation, even during Spring Break, and here’s why. Traveling during Spring Break is EXPENSIVE Tourism is at its peak during Spring Break, so the hotel, entertainment, and hospitality industries look to make a lot of money from travelers. This drives up the prices of everything from gas to food prices. Yes, there are deals out there, but they are usually “get them when you see them” and can run out very quickly. You can create a staycation experience that…

Mom Hacks

10 Photography Tips to Capture Great Photos of Your Kids

As a parent, there’s nothing more precious to you than your children. And there’s something about children that just makes you want to capture every moment. Maybe it’s because they grow up so quickly, or maybe it’s the knowledge that these fleeting moments will never come again. Whatever the reason, capturing great photos of your kids is important – and not just for preserving memories. Photos can also be a great way to show off your little ones to family and friends or to create beautiful cards and keepsakes. Taking those pictures can be a lot of fun, but it can also be challenging. How do you get them to smile for the camera? How do you avoid getting a blurry photo? Read further to learn 10 photography tips that will help you take fantastic photos of your kids! Get down on their level Get down on their level.…

Mom Hacks

Pictures: A TRUE Family Affair

Ah, family pictures! We do them for about every holiday – Christmas, Easter, Halloween, etc. While those we give them to fawn and swoon over them, we chuckle and shake our heads for they know not what it took to get those near picture-perfect smiles! In this article, I want to share a few tips to help your next photoshoot to be one for the record books. Capturing those crucial milestones is important because we can all think of a time when we wished we had a picture of something or someone who may no longer be with us. With this in mind, let’s work through planning that picture-perfect photoshoot! Check your calendar The first thing you want to do is ensure that the family photoshoot isn’t during a busy time when the family has a gazillion activities going on at one time. The worst thing in the world to…

Mom Hacks

Mom Hacks for Building Morning Routines

The joys of motherhood include so many things from the smell of a fresh, out of the bath baby to the adorable noises your baby makes. However having a newborn can really throw your normal routines out of sync! What is a mom to do? Create a NEW morning routine that includes your little one’s natural infant schedule! If you are a mom of a new baby PLUS a toddler, believe it or not this can make it even better! Here are a few hacks to help your mornings go from chaos to calm giving you more bonding moments and less blurry-eyed days! Make a Plan When it comes to morning routines, the best plan is to have a plan! This means starting your morning routine the night before. Now, before you start scratching your head or rolling your eyes in confusion or frustration, hear me out. When you…

Mom Hacks

How to Clean Your Home In Half the Time

Cleaning your home in half the time with kids following you around sounds impossible. And insane! But it’s actually doable. I know it might be quite difficult initially to attempt to clean your house, especially if you’re a new mom. Your newborn would want to cling to you naturally, which can make doing anything difficult. You might find yourself asking how to get anything done with your baby. But what if you have a toddler or worse, toddlers?? Now that can get really challenging! Don’t worry mama, it’s completely normal to feel overwhelmed at first. That’s a given. But there is a way to keep your house clean with little kids. And there are also some tricks in saving you more time in cleaning your home, even with your little ones around. So if you’re looking for quick ways and also long-term methods in…

Mom Hacks

Laundry A Better Way: Dropps Review

Over the past year or so I have found myself looking for ways to improve on tiresome but necessary processes around the house. One of those necessities is LAUNDRY! We all have to do it, some of us have a lot more of it than others, so how can we do it better? I started by looking at the products we used and quickly decided there had to be a better way! Washing Clothes Those messy jugs of liquid laundry detergent that always drip, are heavy and generate a huge amount of plastic waste, had me wondering was there another option? So I did some research and found a couple of options. One was laundry detergent sheets, these are handy, mess free and come in a paper envelope, so there is very little to dispose of. These worked fairly well and are certainly easy to pack for travel and…

Mom Hacks

50 Self Care Ideas For Moms Who Do Not Have a Lot of Time

The demands placed on your life can make you think that you will NEVER EVER have time for yourself, but there are little things that you can do to treat yourself. Despite being an octopus, steal-away moments DO exist. Here are a few things you can do to show love to yourself! Self Care Ideas to Pick From Meditate for 5-10 minutes a day Write down three things you are grateful for Do at least 25 jumping jacks Sit down at the table for breakfast every morning Read for 15 minutes before bed each night Light incense or a candle when you get home Write a letter to someone every day Write down one thing each day you love about yourself Watch 30 minutes of that show you have wanted to catch up on Make the bed each morning first thing Cook a meal for yourself each day Take a…

Mom Hacks

5 Tips for Welcoming a New Puppy Into Your Home

Bringing a puppy into your household is one of the most exciting decisions you can make for yourself, your family, and the dog! That being said, there is a lot to think about to ensure that it goes well. From preparing the necessary supplies and pet grooming items to puppy-proofing your home and spacing out the introductions, keep reading for the five tips the whole family needs to know when welcoming a new puppy into your home. 1. Prepare the necessary supplies. Before your new puppy arrives home, you want to ensure that you have stocked up on the necessary basic supplies that will ensure you have a happy and healthy pet. By having the essentials prepared, you and your puppy can focus on settling in together. Folding Metal Dog Crate In the beginning, you want to be sure to have a crate, food and water bowls, food (including some…

Mom Hacks

How to Keep Your House Clean With Little Kids

It never fails. You put laundry in a basket, and it ends up on the floor. You put toys in a basket, and it gets dumped out. You clean the kitchen, and someone comes in and makes a mess. You feel like the only way to keep your home clean is to clean it and then never enter it again. Your life officially becomes the meme that says, “I’ve cleaned the house, so if you could stop living here, that would be great!” We all know that is not going to happen, but there are some things that you can do to keep your house clean. Give them something to do while you clean—I once saw a mom who put her little one in a box with crayons and let them have at it! Make cleaning a game with a prize at the end—if they can walk, they can help…

Mom Hacks

10 Kids’ Gear Essentials to Keep at Grandma’s House (So You Don’t Have to Pack Them)

Babies love visiting their grandparents’ house for all the pure affection, cuddles, great food (and free rein) they offer. The challenge is traveling to their place with a baby who cries and poops a lot. Mark my words. There will be times when you will inevitably forget packing a few baby essentials you noted down on your travel must-have checklist. It happens to the best of us. Packing for a baby is a mammoth task. For the sake of your sanity and convenience, keep the following items at grandma’s house and thank me later: Playard or Pack ‘n Play A playard is basically an enclosed piece of furniture where babies can play safely. Also known as pack n plays, these things are foldable, making them an amazing option for travel. Folded playards are lightweight and don’t take up a lot of space when stored away. So if your grandchildren are…