Time Savers for Busy Mamas

Never Enough Time in the Day When You’re a Mama!

So after my post the other day about kidpik boxes, I got to thinking about all the other ways that I try to save time as a mom. Because seriously there is not enough time in the day – even for non-parents!!!! Right? I always feel like I am running out of time, ha! I compiled a list of some of my time savers because I thought it might help some of you like they have helped me. And for some of them, all it takes is a simple switch of routine! I feel that especially because I have been so busy, saving even 30 minutes here and there is so beneficial for me. I want to be able to spend that time with my kids, and if I am able to spend more time with them just by finding ways to do daily tasks faster, then I am here for it!

Talk To Text

So you guys have all probably heard me talk about how I use talk to text pretty much exclusively when I am using my phone. I use it to send texts, emails, caption my stories on Instagram. Pretty much all the time. I even wrote this blog post using it!! It is such a time saver. I’m a fast typer, but talking is even faster. Sure, there are typos (you’ve seen my story captions, Ha!), but you could always do a quick once over of your message before sending. I am not kidding that once you start doing this, you won’t ever want to go back to only typing! My friends are all slowly making the switch too! It is just so useful!

talk to text ali manno

1. STRIPED TOP | 2. $9 JEANS | 3. NECKLACE

kidpik

I HAVE to put this one in here, especially since it’s what sparked my inspiration for this time saver post. If you didn’t see my recent kidpik post, I highly recommend checking it out! I break it all down and explain why kidpik makes my life so much easier when I am shopping for Molly!

It’s tailored to individual budgets, moms, dads and girls – and in my case, especially busy mamas! And now I don’t have to spend any time searching the internet or in stores for Molly’s clothes, because a box filled with styled clothing now comes to my door. Such a time saver!!!! When you first sign up with kidpik, you can take a fun two minute quiz so that their stylists can personalize looks that suit your kiddos size, style and fashion!

The items are high-quality and so darn cute. And I mean that with my whole heart! I feel like that isn’t always the case when purchasing children’s clothing. You typically pay a premium price for a small amount of fabric, and for one’s that aren’t even the best quality! But the kidpik clothing pieces truly feel like my own personal clothing – and did I mention that they are really affordable!? So you are getting great quality pieces that will have your kiddos lookin’ stylish at great prices.

time savers for busy moms

And it is risk-free!! There is zero commitment – there’s not even a styling fee! I’ve seen other types of subscription services where if you send everything back, they keep the styling fee. But since there isn’t a styling fee with kidpik (how awesome!), you don’t pay anything if you don’t keep anything. They also offer free shipping and returns.

And it TRULY saves time. Not even just the time you would have spent shopping, but also the time it takes to get your little girl dressed. It’s one less thing to think about when I am trying to get Molly out the door. Since the boxes are pre-styled and the pieces can be mixed and matched, I can just grab them from her drawer, throw it on her and get her out the door. No one at school needs to know that kidpik was the one that styled Molly in the morning and not me. Haha!

Oh and how stinkin cute is this pic of Molly eating a donut! Ha! My next tip is all about healthy snacks, but sometimes a girl just needs a donut! Now I want a donut!

kidpik time saver

Both Molly and I cannot wait for her next box to arrive! Also, I am so excited to share an exclusive code for your first time purchase! Use code: Aliluvskidpik to take $25 off a purchase of $50 or more. You can even combine it with the 30% off discount that is automatically applied if you keep everything from your box! So if we do that math on that, that means you get all 3 mix n match outfits including the shoes for only $70 your first order! Eeek amazing. I’m going to link my entire blog post about kidpik here for you to check out!

Quick Snacks + Meals

Finding the best quick healthy snacks and meals for your kiddos and family! One great option, especially if you’re having a week where you are really low on time, would be to get a veggie tray from the store! That way everything is all cut up and you can give it right to the kiddos.

walmart drive up pickup kidpik time saver

1. MY $10 SWEATER TANK | 2. MY $9 JEANS | 3. MOLLY’S KIDPIK CLOTHES | 4. LARGE CUTTING BOARD | 5. SMALL CUTTING BOARD | 6. VEGGIE TRAY

Also, since there is a variety, Molly likes being able to choose which veggie that she wants for her snack or put into her lunch. This adds a fun activity for her in the morning, and it is making my life easier so it is a win-win! You guys know that we try to go to the farmers market every week as a family, which we love doing, but sometimes I need something faster that doesn’t require me cutting up the food! That’s why veggie trays are so awesome – they are great time savers! BTW, Molly’s clothes in the pic above and below are from kidpik! I mean, I can’t get over the cuteness of her little vest!

time saver veggie tray

Another staple in our household are frozen waffles (and they are actually gluten free!) There is almost never a time where we do not have both Homestyle and Pumpkin Spice in our fridge. Unfortunately I am not finding the link for the Homestyle online, but you should be able to find them in your store! Molly loves eating them for breakfast, and they are so easy to just pop in the toaster. Riley has started eating them too – but only the Homestyle.  He hasn’t acquired the taste buds for pumpkin spice yet, ha! Maybe he never will! But they are Molly’s favorite!

I’m going to link some other great snacking items below:

Getting Exercise with Kiddos

So it might not always be possible to trade with friends or get a babysitter, I get it! My recommendation would be to throw on your workout clothes while you play with your kids, especially at the park! Then instead of sitting on the sideline and watching them play or even walking alongside them, get down on the ground with them and jump up, be goofy and silly, and have fun!!! You’ll be surprised at how much of a workout it is. It’s a way to spend time with your kids, tire them out so they nap (if they’re still at the age where they nap), or tire them out they go to bed at a decent hour! I’d call that a time saver! Ha!

Whole Family Clean Up at the End of the Night

One time saver that I recently started doing, well WE recently started doing, is spending 10-15 minutes before bedtime tidying up! Turning this into an activity with the family not only gives you more time to spend with them all together, but also makes it so that once the kids are down for bed, there is less for you to straighten up, which means more time with your significant other! The kids have loved it so far. Molly has been super into setting timers lately before finishing an activity, so we set the timer for 10 minutes.

time saver

 1. SWEATER | 2. $17 RIPPED JEANS | 3. KEVIN’S SHIRT | 4. RAINBOW PRINT | 5. MAGIC ERASERS

Our focus is typically the play area and sometimes the family room too! Molly and Riley both can help with this, which is great! Riley loves to copy what we are doing and when he sees us putting the toys in the baskets or the books on the shelves, he helps too! One thing that we have also tried is giving the kids a magic eraser. While Riley doesn’t quite understand this yet, Molly is starting to realize that drawing on the counter, even if on accident means that you have to clean it up. The magic eraser comes in handy for this, and also for any pesky smudges on the walls in your play area or doorways from those little hands. And by this way this is in no way sponsored by them, just thought it would be a fun time saver and it’s working!

time saver with kids magic eraser

 1. SWEATER | 2. $17 RIPPED JEANS | 3. KEVIN’S SHIRT | 4. RAINBOW PRINT | 5. MAGIC ERASERS

Ordering Pickup Groceries on an App

Something that we have recently started doing is ordering our groceries ahead of time to be picked up. You would not believe how much of a time saver this is. Sure you still have to sit down and order the items, but you save an incredible amount of time by not having to walk the aisles in the store. Plus, you will probably save some money because you won’t be stopping for the extra goodies that catch your eye. Even if you’re not a mom yet, this is a game changer.

walmart pickup drive up service time saver

1. MY $7 DRESS | 2. MOLLY’S KIDPIK CLOTHES

A lot of the time we order for pickup at Walmart because we can get other items besides just groceries, like I can grab some diapers for Riley or I can even throw in a dress that I’ve been wanting to try! I know that I work with Walmart a lot, but this is in NO way a sponsored Walmart post. I truly just love the service! Btw, my dress above is only $7 right now!!!!

Oh! Another incredible thing that I didn’t mention about doing this pickup service is that you don’t even have to get the kids out of the car!!! Walmart, and I am sure a few other companies too, have started doing Drive-Up! So you pull up outside and they come right to your car with all the items. So it’s even a time saver because you’re not having to unbuckle your kiddos and take them inside for the pickup. GAME CHANGER!

What’s your favorite time saver?

There you have it! I hope that some of these tips help you save a bit of time during your busy schedule as a mom (or dad), or even if you’re not a parent at all! What are your best time savers? I can take all the help I can get! Let’s chat below!

18 Thoughts

18 thoughts on “Time Savers for Busy Mamas

  1. We’ve been doing the Walmart grocery pickup and it’s such a time saver! My husband works 6 days most weeks and it’s just so much easier. It allows us more family time without having to worry about when we’re going to go grocery shopping.

  2. Hi Ali,

    We’ve also been trying to get my (almost) 2 year old involved in cleaning her toys before bedtime. I also find that meal prepping on Sunday is a huge time saver for crazy weeknights. As a working mom with a husband who works super crazy hours, I’m often doing dinner on my own. Having something ready to pull out of the fridge or freezer makes nights so much less stressful, and gives me more time to just play with my girl during those precious few hours rather than prepping, cooking, and cleaning. Nothing novel, but a time saver that works for me for sure! I also rely heavily on veggie AND fruit trays.

    Also, did you announce the winner for the kidpik box? Finger crossed!!!

    1. Meal prep on Sunday is sooo helpful for people. I haven’t been able to get into it but I wonder if I’m not cooking the right things. What will you make. And I JUST randomly picked the winner!

      1. I meal prep recipes from pintrest mostly. This week was chicken and peppers for fajitas and a zucchini lasagna. Did the lasagna and put it in the freezer in individual servings and did a shredded taco chicken in the crockpot and sautéed the peppers. Added some jar salsa, shredded cheese and pre-made guac.

        Let us know if you figure out how to make it work! It’s seriously a game changer.

  3. fabulous ideas, Ali
    i especially like that children are included in the ‘tidy up’ time. not only does that help them learn organization skills, it’s a great way to teach them that things don’t ‘magically’ get put away.
    after that’s finished & the kiddos are drifting off into dreamland. its time for mamas wine time (daddy, too) (if I can wait that long) hee hee
    great talk to text post.
    spelling errors allowed. 😉

  4. Hi Ali, I just wanted to warm you the not having time in the day for yourself continues as they keep growing. I have only one daughter and there is always something to do after school.
    On another note, I noticed you drink wine every night or almost every night. What do you do to keep you’re teeth so white?
    Any ideas on how to earn extra cash working from home?
    I hope I’m not asking too much information.
    Love to see you and family on Facebook.
    Alicia

    1. I drink every other night probably 😉 But only a glass or two. I just brush my teeth right afterwards! And I have a few veneers. For extra cash, I always think Etsy is a great option! Do you make anything that you could sell? Wags (a dog walking app) is also a great thing to sign up for to walk other people’s doggies and make some extra cash! Hope this helps!

  5. Great tips and I was going to second the person who discussed food prep on Sundays. When my three were little and I worked full time, I used to brown and season meat, boil and shred chicken breasts, and put them in baggies and freeze. When I needed to use, I’d put a baggie in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. That way I had a good start to quick meals…..tacos, spaghetti, chicken soups and casseroles. Also I chopped and peeled veggies and put in baggies, again to have handy during the busy week. I also cooked rice and had it ready. There is so much you can ‘pre prepare’! And I used the heck out of my crockpot! Up a half hour early, throw in ingredients, and it was ready when got home, We also always made clean up fun and if my kids were picking up toys like legos, blocks, I would assign a color to each of them to pick up. We had races and tried to ‘beat the timer.’ My kids also sorted socks as a chore very young! It’s great to get them involved. Even very small child can use the DustBuster, too, and most of them love to!

  6. Ali, these tips are great! I always buy pre cut fruits and veggies. The only thing I want to stress is that the grape tomatoes in the veggie tray are a big choking hazard (just like grapes) – they need to be cut up for any kiddos who are under age 4, at a minimum. Sorry to be a nag, but it’s such a big risk I had to mention it!

  7. I got an Apple Watch and started sending all my texts with it with the talk to text feature. Wow so much easier and I don’t pick up my phone nearly as often!!

  8. Hey Ali

    Awesome post. We have been talking about doing the Walmart grocery pick up and we for sure will be starting it!
    I wanted to ask did you announce the winner of the kidpik giveaway that you did last week?! 🙂 just checking I didn’t see anything posted unless I completely missed something which is very possible haha

  9. Pay all bills online and/or set them up for auto-pay. Just one less task to have to spend a bunch of time on each month!

  10. Great tips, Ali. But a heads up, those magic erasers are filled with chemicals (hence they really are magic!), so you may want Molly wearing little gloves while handling them!

  11. I’ve always followed you somewhat since the bachelorette but seeing that you shop at Walmart and wear their clothes makes me such a fan. I love to pick up random things there. Especially dresses for my girls (mom of 2 plus a boy). After your Jean post I not only ordered them, but will become a regular follower as well!

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