Job, family, household – as a working mom, you juggle many tasks at once every day. Things can quickly get chaotic! But with a few simple tips and momhacks, you can bring more structure and order to your daily life. Here are six proven strategies to help you save time and navigate your day with more ease.
Tip 1: The 2-minute rule
Creating order is easy – but maintaining it is the bigger challenge. Sounds familiar? You tidy up your kitchen or closet perfectly, only for the chaos to return after just a few days. The reason? Organization isn’t consistently integrated into daily routines.
That’s where the 2-Minute Rule comes in: Anything that takes less than two minutes should be done immediately rather than postponed.
- Put dirty dishes straight into the dishwasher
- Wipe up a spilled drink on the kitchen counter right away
Small, postponed tasks quickly pile up and become major time wasters. This simple momhack helps you keep things organized in the long run!
Tip 2: A designated spot for essential everyday items
Especially in the mornings, when time is short, we often rush around the house searching for car keys, school supplies, or wallets. A well-organized “Daily Dock” puts an end to that!
Create a central storage area at home for all essential items to avoid stressful searches. Here are some things that belong in your “Daily Dock”:
- Car keys, house keys, wallet
- A calendar for important appointments
- A notepad for shopping lists or messages
- A designated space for mail and documents
- Possibly a storage and charging station for smartphones
Use small storage boxes for keys or a key rack. Stackable trays on dressers or in drawers help keep documents and notes organized. This way, you start your day more efficiently.
Tip 3: Weekly grocery shopping & meal planning
Save time and energy by doing one big grocery run per week is a good momhack! A fixed shopping list, including fruits, seasonal vegetables, pantry staples like potatoes, rice, or pasta, and proteins like meat or fish, ensures you always have the essentials at home. Don’t forget to stock up on bread, cheese, and spreads as well.
A weekly meal plan not only makes grocery shopping easier but also helps with stress-free meal preparation.
- Plan your weekly grocery shopping
Tip 4: Meal prep & freezing meals
Prepare large batches of sauces, stews, or meat dishes and freeze them in portions. This way, you always have a quick meal ready.
And if things get hectic? No worries! A store-bought meal or a food delivery service is totally fine, too.
- Use lunchboxes, airtight food storage containers, and freezer-safe storage to reduce daily cooking time
Tip 5: Plan the next day the night before
A well-structured start to the day begins the evening before. Especially with small children, mornings can be stressful. To save time and energy, it’s worth preparing everything the night before. A clear plan helps you start the day more relaxed and even sleep better.
- Lay out clothes for yourself and the kids
- Pack school and work bags
- Prepare lunchboxes
- Fill up water bottles
- Set out breakfast items or prep overnight oats
Tip 6: Keep important documents organized
Even though it’s tedious – important documents need to be well-organized. Working moms often don’t have time to search for paperwork for hours.
Store all essential documents in an organized folder (e.g. certificates, insurance papers, birth and marriage certificates, passports)
- Digitize particularly important documents and save them in a secure cloud
With these six momhacks, you’ll bring more order and structure into your daily life – and gain valuable time for yourself and your family!
