Parent Hacks

Store kids' divided plates on their sides to save cabinet space

Vanessa's smart dish storage tip: Kids love those cheap character plates made out of melamine that have divided sections. But they're a pain to store because the wells are different sizes which makes it impossible to stack them together flat. We now store our kiddie plates in a shoebox in...

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Store kids' divided plates on their sides to save cabinet space

Vanessa's smart dish storage tip: Kids love those cheap character plates made out of melamine that have divided sections. But they're a pain to store because the wells are different sizes which makes it impossible to stack them together flat. We now store our kiddie plates in a shoebox in...

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Load the dishwasher's silverware basket on the counter where it's out of the toddler's reach

Well, Marie -- it may have taken you ten years to figure out this hack, but I never figured out either one: A decade ago I figured out that when unloading the dishwasher I should immediately remove the silverware container from the dishwasher and put it on the counter above...

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Organize hair bands by color using a pill case

Lisa's simple organizing tip for rubber hair bands: Little rubber bands are invading our bathroom! I took an empty seven day pill case (they come in various sizes and shapes) and filled it with hair bands. So now those 400 rubber bands from Wal Mart have a nice neat home...

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Newborn baby hats make good ice pack covers

Amy's smart hack will help cool down summer scrapes: In my house, when someone needs an ice pack, we always wrap it with a towel to take the "bite" off. I recently discovered that ice packs fit perfectly into newborn hats, and it stays in there much better than using...

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Mop up the rain puddle at the bottom of the slide with a diaper

Nina's hack will come in handy when you're at the playground after some rainy weather: A solution to drying up the pool at the bottom of the slide after a rainy day (when you forget to bring a rag): use a disposable diaper! I didn't want to use his clean...

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Happy Father's Day!

I just want to thank all the dads who participate in the conversation here at Parent Hacks. I've always appreciated the balanced vibe here, and I'm glad this is a place where both moms and dads like to hang out. Hopefully today will be whatever you want it to be...

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Momversation: Is your Mom self overtaking your sexual self?

The title says it all, doesn't it? Daphne kicks off the conversation (as only she can) and Giyen, Mindy and I chime in (with props). Join the Momversation! Leave your comments on the Momversation.com page for this episode.

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Replace shoelaces with elastic to transform lace-up shoes into slip-ons

It's summer and the shoes are going on and coming off now more than ever. Michelle T.'s thrifty hack makes the whole process easier for everyone: Ever get tired of tying your kid's shoelaces? Or does your kid get frustrated when he can't tie them himself? I switched out my...

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High protein treat: Cocoa fruit dip

My foodie energy has waned for so long that I rarely "whip something up." But I was inspired by a fascinating class given by a nutritionist friend of mine, and this delicious, filling snack as the result: COCOA FRUIT DIP I didn't measure, so everything here is to taste. Smooth...

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links for 2009-06-16

TOOLS FOR THE TIRED & TIME-STARVED | Mommy Track'd Our friends at Mommy Track'd have a bunch of free downloads that can help you get a handle on the summer logistics.

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links for 2009-06-14

Smart-Bottom Enterprises: My $13 Paper-Covered Wall Colorful and inventive. Check out the before-and-after pictures of Darcy's play room!

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BlogHer meetup/Parent Hacks coffee date this Saturday

As many of you know, the (sold out!) BlogHer conference is coming up in July. This will be my third BlogHer, and I can't wait for the infusion of inspiration and camaraderie. If you've never attended the conference before, the experience can be exhilarating...and overwhelming. Sort of like walking into...

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Momversation: Do you let your kids go to slumber parties?

Summer's here, and it's time for sleepovers. Right? Dana of Mamalogues wonders: when are the kids ready? When are we? Giyen (Bacon is my Enemy), Mindy (The Mommy Blog ) and I share our thoughts. Join the Momversation! Leave your comments on the Momversation.com page for this episode.

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Teacher gift ideas? Talk amongst yourselves.

It's the last week of school here in Portland. Is everyone as crazy there as they are here? According to my kids' teachers, everyone goes a tiny bit nuts during the last few weeks of school...all the expectations, activities, and anticipation of summer add up to lots of manic energy....

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