Think of all the time you can save
There are a couple of things that make my day that little bit easier.
Little cheats that reduce my stress levels and make for a more productive and calm day. Some seem so obvious and yet I've only recently discovered them. Maybe you can too?
- Killing two birds with one stone and cleaning the bathroom while my son is in the bath. This naturally wouldn't work for a baby but for a toddler who is happily playing with his bath toys it is a total winner.
- Throwing on a bit of extra pasta or rice when I am making dinner. It means I don't have to make a packed lunch as it's pretty much done already. A bit of extra pasta with some pesto stirred through is the perfect lunch eaten hot or cold. One less job to do and takes half the time of making a sandwich.
- Packing the car the night before we go somewhere. Another seemingly obvious one. It would never occur to me to pack the pram, coats and snacks in the car the night before. It saves time during the inevitable stressful morning scramble to get out the door.
- Soaking porridge oats in yoghurt and frozen fruit the night before. After a night in the fridge the porridge absorbs the oats and it is a delicious ready-to-go healthy breakfast to set my child up for the day. It saves time and means we get out the door quicker in the morning too.
- Planning public transport journeys in conjunction with nap time. It makes for a far less stressful journey and is still an opportunity for me to sit back and relax for a period of time.
- Ironing in front of the TV. Don't laugh.... Ironing is my most hated household chore. I only do it if it is totally necessary and I actively buy clothes that do not require ironing. I've recently been complaining that I never get to watch any TV so I now kill two birds with one stone. A half an hour of ironing equals a half an hour of my favourite show. It's been a bit of a game-changer to be honest!
- Always having a bottle, soother and baby grow in the boot of the car or bottom of the buggy. My son likes some warm milk before he goes to sleep. Having an empty bottle means I can quite easily fill it when I am in the restaurant or friends house that I've lingered in too close to bed time. Having the baby grow on hand means that if he does fall asleep on the way home he is sorted and ready to be transferred straight in to his cot when we get home.
Written by Tracey, mummy blogger and staff writer at www.familyfriendlyhq.ie.
Check out her own blog at www.loveofliving.ie
Check out her own blog at www.loveofliving.ie
