Mom Hacks Archives | Joyful Messes

Food & Recipes April 17, 2023

Best Easy Homemade Kids Birthday Cake Ideas

One of the things I held on to for a long time was making my kids birthday cakes myself. I try to make whatever we have at home for their actual birthday and in the past I used to make some of their party cakes too. Caveat – I am not a professional baker, not even by a long shot. But, I was determined and a few of these actually came out pretty awesome so I thought I would share them here. The good news is you can make something special that doesn’t take a lot of skills, you can use boxed cake mix and store bought frosting if you want, no shame from me! (I know some of you are cringing right now, and that’s okay, make homemade if you are up for it, but I’m just pointing out you don’t HAVE to!) Just remember the secret ingredients in these easy…

Kids Activities July 9, 2022

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 June 19, 2022

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 May 14, 2022

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 March 2, 2022

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 have…

Mom Hacks February 12, 2022

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 November 8, 2021

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 November 1, 2021

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 October 18, 2021

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 October 11, 2021

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…

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