These fantastic mom hacks will make you feel like a superhero, save you time and make every day easier.
Pregnancy Hacks
Stuff two standard sized pillows into a body pillow to make your pregnancy pillow.
Wear an anti-nausea acupressure wristband for morning sickness.
Extend the life of your jeans by using a hair tie on the button when they get too tight.
Once you grow out of the hair tie, buy a waistband extender so you can wear your jeans even longer.
Use Kinesio tape to support your tummy toward the end of your pregnancy (consult with a health professional first).
Use a grabber or a pair of tongs when it gets too difficult to bend down.
Most baby clothes you receive will be newborn clothes, so go light on shopping for these sizes. If you must buy clothes, buy them in six months.
Read our mom to be article which includes 35 tips from our mom community.
Mom Hacks For Baby
Recycle your baby food jars by using them for spices.
Take a porta cot to outdoor functions and add a fitted sheet to the top to protect babies from mosquitos and bugs.
Use a baby shower cap to keep water out of your baby’s eyes.
Attach pool noodles as bumpers on baby walkers to protect your walls and ankles.
If you have baby brain and need to put something down, briefly announce what you are doing. “I am putting my phone on the kitchen bench” will help you remember.
When parking in a large car park, take a photo of where you parked during the first few years of having babies and toddlers.
Use this handy estimated sleep and awake times guide.
Wear your baby in a carrier or sling for a few naps every week. Your baby will sleep longer and deeper on you, and you can take them out once they have gone to sleep or keep them on you for bonding. Allowing them to sleep in the sling combines hands-free ability to get things done with baby bonding.
If you have a super light stroller, strap some small weights to the bottom to prevent it from tipping.
Use a pillowcase as a bassinet sheet.
Cut your baby’s fingernails while they are sleeping.
Put a puppy wee mat under your change table for an easy disposable liner.
Use frozen teethers to soothe your baby’s gum line.
Mom Hacks For Toddler
Open a savings account for your child and add a small amount of money every week.
Use a pool noodle inserted under a fitted sheet to create a barrier, so children don’t fall out of bed.
Turn your baby crib into a desk as your child/ren gets older.
Fit the crib mattress with a waterproof cover, a sheet, another waterproof cover, and another sheet. When your baby or toddler has an explosion or is sick at night, you can strip away the first layer, and you are good to go again.
Store spare pacifiers in the corner of the crib so you don’t have to hunt for them in the night. Pop your toddler in a laundry basket in the bath, so their toys stay within reach.
Leave your toddler in the bath with some toys (no water) while you take a shower. Wrap a towel tightly around the faucets so they can’t hurt themselves or access them.
Use glow sticks in the bathtub in the evening. Note: ensure toddlers don’t put glow sticks in their mouths.
Put a sheet under Lego to catch all the pieces. Or pick pieces up with a dustpan and brush (also useful for other small toys).
Repurpose an under bed storage box as a portable sandbox or paddling pool.
When attending a big event, give your child a slip of paper to put in their pocket with your phone number if they get lost. If they don’t have a bag, write your phone number somewhere on them.
Put disposable gloves over your child/rens regular gloves when playing in the snow. The disposable gloves will keep their regular gloves dry.
Suppose you don’t want your child to eat all their Halloween candy. Ask them what toy they would switch it for. When they sleep that night, place the candy next to them and have the ‘Switch Witch’ change the candy for the toy overnight.
Cut a sticker in half and put the left side on the inside of their left shoe and the right side on the inside of the right shoe. Your child needs to match the stickers up to ensure shoes go on the correct foot.
To stop your children from using all the soap, put a rubber band around the neck of the pump. The band will prevent the pump from entirely depressing.
Attach a cut-up pool noodle to the side of your door to prevent your child’s fingers from getting jammed.
When children get in and out of the car, use a parking pal car magnet, so they know where to stand.
Use a shoe organiser for storing and sorting Lego.
Dress children in old clothes for daycare, save the good ones for weekends and outings.
Have your children sleep in their daycare clothes, so you don’t have to dress them in the morning.
Use a panty liner when toilet training toddlers; cut them in half if you need to make them smaller.
Poke sparklers through a plastic cup to prevent little fingers from getting burnt.
Snack catchers are brilliant for keeping food off the floor or providing a diversion while out.
Take turns brushing your teeth to get your toddler to brush for longer. You have a turn, and then they have a turn.
Continue to put your child down for ‘quiet time’ every afternoon, even after dropping their nap. Make the room dark and put a few toys in their crib.
If your toddler only eats chicken, tell them everything you serve them is chicken.
To get your toddler to drink more water, play a game of ‘cheers’ with them.
Mom Hacks For Introducing a New Baby
Start toilet training before the baby arrives or leave it until the new baby is at least six months old.
If your toddler is moving out of the crib, do this well before the baby arrives. The extra time will ensure your toddler is settled in the new sleeping arrangement when your baby comes.
Read books such as My New Baby, I’m a Big Brother, and I’m a Big Sister.
Plan outings in the morning.
Buy a gift from the new baby to sibling/s. A great gift is a baby doll with a baby bath and accessories.
When feeding your new baby, sit on the floor with your toddler. Have a pre-prepared toy box for your toddler to play with. Add around ten different activities per feeding session.
Use a baby sling during witching hours. This free’s up two hands so you can attend to other children.
Eat nourishing food that is easy to prepare.
Stay well hydrated, especially if breastfeeding.
Stock up on non-perishable items such as toilet paper, cleaning supplies, soap, wipes, nappies, dishwashing detergent, pet food, etc. You will not have to worry about these for the first few months with your new baby.
Have a plan for difficult days. The plan might include going for a walk, calling a friend, mindfully drinking a cup of tea, meeting someone for coffee or taking a long shower. Having a plan is especially important if you are expecting multiples, trust me.
Mom Hacks for School Age Children
Repurpose an old frozen vegetable bag from the freezer to hide treats in the fridge so kids can’t find them.
Fill water bottles a small amount and then freeze the water for icy water bottles.
Get your children to put their shoes away from day one, so they always know where they are.
Ensure boys know how to use the urinal and what not to touch.
When sending young children to school for the first time, ensure they know how to open and close their lunch boxes, drink bottles and food containers.
Buy school shoes a few weeks before school starts. Get children to wear their new shoes around the house to break them in.
Compression socks under regular socks can help with blisters.
Aim to build a trust-based respectful relationship with all your children’s teachers, regardless of your opinion.
Keep a packet mix in your pantry for emergencies if you need to bake.
If a note or notification requires payment or reply, take five minutes to do it then and there, so it’s done. Take a photo of the note, so you have a copy and bin it.
Put spare underwear and socks in their school bag ‘just in case’, even if they have never had an accident.
If you are using school-issued bags, library bags, hats, etc., put a small identifiable marker on them. You can use an iron-on sticker or iron on glitter vinyl so they can see which one is theirs.
Always have a stash of gold coins around.
Take a photo of party invitations and school notes immediately, so you always have a copy.
Ensure children pull their weight with age-appropriate chores.
Mom Hacks for School
Use clear nail polish over labels and stickers to create a waterproof setting. Great for containers that go in the dishwasher.
School bags can go in the washing machine, spin them on gentle or not at all.
Have a snack available at pick up time.
If you are packing food such as yoghurt, cheese sticks, or other hard to open packets, unscrew the lid or peel part of the packaging away so they can access the food easily.
When purchasing name labels, just use your family name for multiple children.
Label everything.
Buy a combination of old and second-hand uniforms as they all look the same after two weeks.
Don’t get involved with playground politics.
Don’t fall out with parents as their child might become your child’s best friend in years to come.
Print the weekly schedule out in excel and put it on the fridge for easy reference.
Create a folder for school emails and store all communication there for easy reference.
For older children, add google calendar to their devices so they can track assessments, sports activities, appointments etc.
Food Mom Hacks
Thread a muffin paper through the bottom of icy poles to prevent spillage.
When reheating leftovers in the microwave, make a circle in the middle of the plate so food heats up evenly, preventing dangerous hot spots.
Bake cupcakes in ice cream cones instead of cupcake holders; the holders are edible.
When using microwave popcorn, open the bag just enough for the uncooked seeds to fall through. Shake the seeds into the sink, so young children don’t burn their fingers or mouths on boiling seeds.
Put a marshmallow into the ice cream cone before the ice cream. The marshmallow acts as a stopper, preventing ice cream from dripping out the bottom.
I cannot live without my food chopper, and not chopping onions is terrific! I even pack this when I go on holiday.
Use a wrap to make a ham, cheese and tomato pizza for a fast and straightforward meal.
If you need to cool food quickly, pop it in the freezer for a minute.
Put ketchup under the hotdog to minimise mess.
Make bolognaise in bulk. Freeze portions.
Use 90-second rice, quinoa and couscous to save time.
Always label freezer food with food name and date.
If mornings are too busy, make breakfast muffins and freeze them for a grab and go solution.
Visit our article on solutions for mom overwhelm for more food hacks.
School Lunch Hacks
Freeze sandwiches, bread rolls and wraps in advance (ham, chicken, turkey, lamb, bacon, meatballs, tuna, felafel, egg, cream cheese, parmesan, camembert, chutney, vegemite, tuna, egg, jam). Use fresh bread and butter to ensure condiments don’t sit directly on the bread, making the bread soggy.
Items that can be prepared in advance and frozen include banana bread, scrolls, hot cross buns, scones, quiches, pancakes, pikelets and muffins.
Create a separate box in the fridge labelled school lunches. Include easy to grab items such as hummus, pita, cut up vegetables, cheese, hard-boiled eggs, berries, cherry tomatoes, baby cucumbers, trail mix, cold meat, cabanossi, dried fruit, custard, yoghurts, etc
Keep an additional box in your pantry for lunch snacks such as whole-grain cereal, popcorn, pretzels, raisins, crackers, dried cranberries and banana chips.
Invest in a bento box for younger children.
Use a thermos for hot lunches. I find it’s easier to reheat last night’s leftovers than to make sandwiches, etc.
When children are young, don’t put all their lunch in one container. If they drop their container, they will lose their whole lunch.
Store all the plastic school containers, lunch boxes and drink bottles in one large drawer, box or space for easy access.
Mom Hacks for Arts and Crafts
Store art online using an app. Just take a photo of the masterpiece and upload it to the app.
If you have an unpainted wooden fence, let your children paint it with water and a paintbrush for hours of entertainment.
Put your child in a large empty cardboard box with crayons.
Use masking tape on tiles or carpet to create a town or highway for toy cars.
A lint roller makes cleaning glitter, pencil shavings, etc., a breeze.
When dying Easter eggs, use a cupcake tray.
Recycle your children’s artwork by laminating it and using it as a placemat. Your child will love eating off their design.
Condiment shakers make great glitter sprinklers.
Recycle a pizza box by using it as a painting canvas.
Mom Hacks for Cleaning
Put Lego and other small plastic toys in a laundry wash bag and run them through the dishwasher.
If you need to remove stickers from furniture, use a putty knife with a hairdryer.
To remove chewing gum from the carpet, fill a sandwich bag with ice cubes and leave it on the gum for half an hour, and the gum will become hard and therefore easily removed.
For play-doh that is stuck to the carpet, let the play-doh dry completely. Use a knife or brush to loosen it. Then vacuum.
Use a hairdryer to remove crayons from walls; the hairdryer will melt the wax, making it easy to wipe off.
If you are the cleaner, book a time slot with your partner. Have them take the children for two to three hours every week, giving you time to clean.
Appliances that will make your life easier include an air fryer, slow cooker, mandolin, thermomixer, pressure cooker, food processor, instant pot, and an extra freezer.
Use a lint roller to dust.
Line your toaster tray, grill and oven tray with foil before cooking to reduce washing up.
Feed children in the bathtub (no water), and it contains all the mess, and you can give them a hose off after.
Use a vinyl tablecloth under high chairs for a simple shake and go solution.
Mom Hacks for Sleeping
If your child fears monsters cover a water spray bottle with fun stickers. In the evening, get your anti-monster and spray the room. You can also add a few drops of lavender essential oil for extra relaxation.
If toddlers wake up too early, have a story app available for them to listen to in their cot.
Create a regular bedtime routine.
Use a white noise machine.
Ensure the room is dark by using blackout curtains.
If young children share a bedroom, always put one child to bed earlier if you find they will not sleep together. You can also put one somewhere else, such as in a porta cot in your room, then transfer later. Children need sleep, so it is worth it despite the extra work this takes.
If you are finding your baby or toddler is not sleeping, ask your paediatrician to consider food intolerances or mouth breathing (sleep apnoea).
Mom Hacks for Travel
Use window stickers on car and plane trips.
Stick a small piece of craft tape on your chargers and plugs, so you know which ones are yours if staying with friends or family.
Take a travel blackout curtain on holiday or playdates.
Use sticky tape or band-aids over power sockets for young children.
If you are flying, get a seat for your toddler.
Wait until the plane takes off before you start feeding your baby to avoid painful earaches. Don’t start on the runway in case there are delays.
Pack a warm jumper, socks and travel blanket for flights.
Where possible, travel during the time children would usually sleep.
Sticker books are great entertainment for younger children.
Ensure iPads are loaded with their favourite TV Shows, movies and books.
Use a travel stroller.
Car Travel Mom Hacks
Ensure car seats are good quality and comfortable.
Use an over chair tray table for food, colouring-in and play.
Play I spy, observation, counting, music and memory games.
Give them a claw toy, so you don’t have to pick dropped things up.
Provide a map and a travel journal so they can follow along and write their observations.
Pack emergency toilet paper.
Plan your stops at parks so they can run around.
Have food and water on hand, enough for significant delays.
Use a car window shade to keep the sun off them.
Travel with a first aid kit.
Have a bin bag or invest in a car trash can.
Don’t forget their headphones.
First Aid Mom Hacks
Use a bag of frozen marshmallows for a soft ice pack.
Making a solution of 1 part rubbing alcohol to 3 parts water then freezing in a sandwich bag will create a gel-like consistency when frozen.
Add some special ‘magic cream’ to your first aid box for little boo-boos. You can decorate the container with colourful stickers.
Small teddy bears and tissues are also great items in your first aid box.
Ensure your first aid kit has an aspirator (snot sucker) for when your baby has a cold.
To stop children coughing at night, rub Vicks VapoRub on their feet and put socks on them.
If your child needs to be sick, tell them to start humming as humming suppresses the gag reflex.
Remove splinters with glue. Use a thin layer of craft glue over the splintered area, let it dry, then peel off. The glue will easily lift the splinter from the skin.
Download a first aid app, so it’s handy in an emergency.
Don’t wee on jellyfish stings. Brush tentacles off with plastic, such as a credit card. Use shaving cream to get the tentacles to release. Apply hot water and vinegar to reduce pain.
Be aware of other children’s allergies. When children get dropped off for their first play date, check with the parents regarding allergies. Keep a record for future reference.
Learn CPR and know how to use an EpiPen.
Teach your child how to call emergency as early as possible.
Put your emergency contact list on the fridge and in car seats.
General Mom Hacks
Waterproof kids’ shoe’s by rubbing them with beeswax lubricating compound.
Paint clear nail polish over the thread on children’s buttons to prevent them from falling off.
When taking your children to the pool or beach, pop your phone in a zip lock sandwich bag. You can still use it, which will prevent it from getting wet or sandy.
Lay a non-slip mat or a piece of rubber under your tablecloth to prevent it from slipping.
Add a few lines of the same rubber under your rug to make it slip-free.
For your rug, add carpet padding underneath to provide a softer surface for babies and toddlers.
To maintain a clean car, ban toys from leaving the house. Always have a bin bag and vacuum your car once a week.
Have one easy delicious, go-to recipe for all occasions: one savoury, one sweet.
Stock up on greeting cards and wrapping paper.
If you have a partner, make sure you are working in partnership. Share the load, no excuses.
Cut a hole in the top of a garbage bag and pop it over children’s heads before giving them a haircut.
Always give children a warning when playtime is about to finish. Five more minutes helps with the transition in their minds.
If you have a child who falls out of bed, put their mattress on the floor.
Have a few universal party gifts readily available, so you are not always buying at the last minute. Stock up when the sales are on.
Use a rubber band to prevent doors from locking. Loop the band over the knob, cross over the latch, then loop over the knob on the other side.
Read our article on positive affirmations to feel more positive, optimistic and energised.
Put a baby gate around your BBQ or fire to prevent children from getting too close.
Hacks for Working Mums
Remove toys that make a lot of mess during the week and bring them back into the mix on weekends.
Rest when your children are sleeping and work when they are awake. Despite how busy life is, you need rest. Put Post-its on your door or bag for times you need to remember something before leaving the house.
Use a calendar and ensure it is updated.
Have a solid morning routine that includes children making their beds.
Put sports and music equipment in the car the night before, or leave it by the front door if kids are catching the bus.
Plan your work outfit the night before.
Shop online for groceries.
Have enough school uniforms or clothes to last the entire week.
Read our blog post on quotes for working moms for encouragement.
Laundry Hacks for Moms
When putting laundry away, roll clothes into outfits based on weather. For example, pants, shirts, socks, and undies can be rolled together and then grabbed together.
Use hem bonding strips when hems come down.
Roll socks together before putting them in the laundry. When washing socks, put them directly into a laundry wash bag to stay together. Or buy sock clips to keep socks together in the wash.
To improve dryer efficiency, throw a dry towel in when using your dryer.
Use an empty tissue box to collect dryer lint. You can also stuff the lint into toilet paper rolls to recycle as kindling for fires.
Use a laundry folder.
Mindful Mom Hacks
Pick a day to focus on slowing down.
Do something different that you wouldn’t normally do.
Take moments throughout the day and focus on your breath.
Be mindful of everything you do, whatever you are doing, give it your undivided attention.
Ask the children to tell you something exciting and focus on their answer. Ask them questions.
Have a day without technology—no phone, email, tv or surfing.
Walk a different way home, to work or school.
Engage a stranger in conversation.
Smile at a baby.
Tell someone how much you love them.
Do something kind for someone.
Light some candles.
Take a bath.
Listen to music.
Hug someone you love.
Ask the barista’s name and use it when you get your coffee. Engage them in a conversation.
Immerse yourself in a task and be fully present without thinking about anything else.
Buy an adult colouring-in book and some pens or pencils. Spend half an hour losing yourself in colour.
Read.
Leave the dishes and engage with your loved ones for one night, talk, laugh and smile.
Let everything go and just be in the moment for the day. Breathe, imagine, dream, play, smile, and slow down.
Mom Game Hacks
Sit outside and time how long it takes for your children to run the circumference of your house. See if they can beat the time next time.
Show your children how to create an audio file on your phone. Send them outside to record sounds. When they have finished, they can return to your ‘sound booth’ so you can guess the sounds together. Ensure you ban water.
A different variation of this game is to ask children to take photos of objects on your phone, either a closeup or part of an object. They can then return to your ‘studio’ for you to guess the thing.
Play sleeping lions. All lions must lie face down on the floor with their eyes closed. While the lions are sleeping, the judge can try to trick them into moving, and whoever moves is out.
Lie on the floor and let your child use you as their train track or car track.
Send them on a treasure hunt. Ask them to find household objects such as something round, something green, or something that makes a noise.
Watch clouds together. Talk about what you see.
Aside from the lists of life hacks for moms, let go of any aspects of life that bring you stress. It’s just not worth it. If you have high cleaning standards and the house is not clean, adjust your expectations.
Does housework deserve more attention than you? The world will not end if every popcorn kernel is not immediately vacuumed up or if there are toothpaste specks on the bathroom mirror.
Prioritise loving yourself and your children first. Focus on taking care of yourself by resting, eating healthily, exercising and getting enough sleep.
Two absolute essentials for my survival are exercise and getting enough sleep, and it genuinely helps to know what your essentials are.
Ask yourself if your children are happy, fed, relatively clean and loved. Have you hugged them and told them you love them? These are the majors.
Celebrate all your successes and be kind to yourself. Take it easy, mama; every day is an achievement in motherhood.
These fantastic mom hacks will turn you into a supermom, save you time and make every day easier.
