21 Tips, Tricks, and Shortcuts for Moms

When I became a mom, I started gathering little tips and tricks to make daily parenting a little easier. I think its time to share a round-up of all these useful shortcuts with you. And feel free to comment with your own! This is a compilation of tips, tricks and shortcuts I have come across from websites like Pinterest, Babycenter, Family Handyman, a variety of mom blogs, Real Simple, DIY Network, and more!

1. Use kitchen shears or a pizza cutter to cut your babies food into small pieces. This works great with chicken, steak, fruit, veggies, sandwiches, waffles, etc.

2. Put a burp cloth under your babies bum so they don't slip while in the bath.

3. Put a yard stick through drawer handles to keep kids from opening them.

Source: Double the Giggles

4. Use pureed veggies as dipping sauce (just don't tell them its veggies!)

5. Take pictures of your childs artwork and save them in a binder. Keeps you from having to save every little project and the guilt from throwing it out.

6. Great tip when making birthday cakes or cupcakes: When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.

Source: Fun Cheap or Free

7. Pull your bananas apart when you bring them home, they will last longer.

Source: Fun Cheap or Free

8. To clean a chalkboard, mix white vinegar and water to get it cleaned well without the chalk residue.

Source: Homemaking-Cottage

9. If your baby doesn't sleep well, try recording yourself singing or saying soothing words. Play it on repeat by the babies crib.

10. Eco-friendly way to get rid of ants: place cucumber peelings where you have the little pests overnight. Child and pet friendly and you dispose of them the next day.

Source: My Home Spun Threads

11. Black Licorice will cure constipation nine times out of ten. Source: How Does She

12. Freeze wet wash clothes for teething babies to suck on. Try putting a little applesauce in the center before you freeze it as a sweet treet. For older teething toddlers, freeze grapes, peas, blueberries, blackberries, etc.

Source: How Does She

13. Use an Ankle Weight as Stroller Counterbalance - Ground the wheels of a stroller that has a jam-packed diaper bag hanging on the handles by attaching the weights just above the front wheels. You'll no longer be saying “Whoopsie daisy!” when you lift your child out of the seat.

Source: Real Simple

14. Baby powder gets the sand off! Add this to your beach bag!

15. Freeze yogurt cups/tubes and stick them in your childs lunchbox. They will thaw by lunch. And frozen juice boxes will act as an ice pack, keeping lunchbox food cold.

16. Baby wipes remove deodorant from clothes.

Source: Real Simple

17. Tired of losing your socks in the black hole that is your washing machine? Keep a small mesh bag (sold as "lingerie bags") in your hamper, and thow the socks directly into the bag as they come off. You can throw the entire bag in the washer and dryer. No more missing socks! Source: Parent Hacks

 18. A rope light attached under cabinets makes a great night light for kids bathroom.

Source: DIY Network

19. Put dice in a small tupperware container. Now you can shake your dice without losing them. Genius for car trips.

Source: Cardigans and Curriculum

20. An empty rectangular tissue box makes a convenient holder for small garbage bags, plastic grocery bags and small rags. Simply thumbtack it to the inside of a cabinet door.

Source: Family Handyman

21. For fast, easy cooking for busy moms: pre-make crock pot meals all at once by placing the veggies, meat and spices in gallon ziploc bags. Shake, seal, label and place in freezer.

Source: Mama and Baby Love

I would love to hear your tips, tricks and shortcuts! The more the merrier!