15 absolute BEST Parenting hacks

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases*

1. Put coffee in a thermos: It’s hard enough to remember why you walked into the room, you don’t need to also remember you’ve microwaved your coffee 3 times and it’s still in there!

2. Layer sheets and protectors: Nothings more frustrating when your baby has a blow out or your toddler wets the bed in the middle of the night and you’re washing sheets or changing bedding at 1am. Simply just remove the top sheet and protector , clean up the little one and deal with the laundry in the morning.

3. Mesh laundry bag: I love this super easy hack! I put a hook on the wall and hang 2 large mesh laundry bags by the changing table. When in gets about half way full I zip it up, throw it in the laundry and I have the second bag ready to go. I feel like I’m skipping a step. Plus, no more lost socks!

4. Keep stain remover spray next to your laundry basket/bag: I’m so bad about remembering to spray stains before I do laundry. Now, I keep the spray bottle next to the laundry bag. Change the baby, spray the clothes, throw in the bag and forget. An added benefit is that it gives the spray time to work its magic before the final wash.

5. Hang bib on back of chair: For sure, the last thing I remember at meal time is the bib. I don’t like running around looking for a bib while I have a hungry baby chomping at the bit. This hack eliminates the search and keeps the bib in arms reach.

6. Velcro or fold shoes together: “Where is your other shoes?” is a question that gets asked more often then not when trying to leave the house. When I put my toddlers shoes away, I use their Velcro to secure them together so you always have a pair. If they don’t have Velcro and they are soft enough, folding one into the other works well too.

7. Cornstarch for diaper rash: My pediatrician told me this one and it works great! When our little girl has a bad diaper rash, I put some diaper rash cream (wiping extra from hands on diaper) and sprinkle some corn starch on the diaper rash. It help to remove moisture and doesn’t have added toxins like baby powder.

8. Attaching toys to changing table: I secure the rainbow toy attachment from her tummy time mat to the changing table and put a break proof mirror on the wall. This hack helps to distract her and stop her from rolling over so much.

9. Laptop on counter: I learned this one from a fellow mom. If you are trying to be better about not letting your child watch TV, putting your laptop on the counter to stream is a great option. This hack keeps your child focused on playing and learning while you are getting your Law and Order fix in!

10. Heating pad under crib sheet: This was actually quite a life saver when our daughter was a new born. I would put a heating pad under (or over) the crib sheet to warm up the crib before we put her down to sleep. This helped tremendously with transfers and also helped her stay asleep longer. This is the heating pad we used (https://amzn.to/44uMZWx)

11. Calendar: I put a calendar in the kitchen specifically for writing down our babies mile stones. It was a great way of keeping track of all her successes while I was so sleep deprived I almost didn’t know what day it was haha! One of the great things is, you can bring it to the Doctors office to remember when they passed each mile stone. When the year is over, I put it in her keepsake box. This was actually something my mom did for me when I was little.

12. Crib sheet over playpen: I’m sure you have seen this online , but if you take a fitted sheet and put it over a playpen it keeps bugs and direct sunlight off your kiddo. It also has the added benefit of keeping them in one spot!

13. Tent sandbox: This is definitely one of my favorites. I took a small tent from Amazon, filled it with about 6 bags of play sand and threw some toys in there. It’s amazing you keep out the rain and random cats with such ease. It’s pretty cheap and extremely easy to make! This is the tent I used (https://amzn.to/3ZOSH33)

14. All the same bottles: Once you find a bottle or sippy cup your little ones likes, get a bunch of them so they are all the same. It is 1,000 times easier to not have to match everything up when emptying the dishwasher.

15. Rotate toys: Babies and kids really don’t need a lot of toys. Try to keep one toybox with toys and put all the others in a couple totes or bags. Every 2-4 weeks rotate out the toys. To them, it’s like getting all new toys!

I hope these parenting hacks help you in your search for sanity. I know I always love a good parenting hack. Anything to make a life a little easier, right? If you have any parenting hacks you’d like to share, please comment! I think we need all the help we can get 🙂