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Category archive: getting organized
12 May 08 | Comments: 2
IT CAN BE DONE. From Linda: Here's how I manage to load and unload the dishwasher with a toddler (18 months) who wants to be involved with EVERYTHING I do: while she is sitting in her toddler chair, I give...
The magical, multifunctional properties of painter's tape08 May 08 | Comments: 17
Jen in Toronto loves her blue tape! For good reason: We use painter's tape a lot around our house, and we take a roll with us when we travel. It makes a great impromptu electrical outlet cover. We use it...
How to remember which plastics are recyclable08 May 08 | Comments: 2
See how a dead-simple idea can change your life? From Hazel: We like to recycle but our village will only let us recycle certain things. I can never remember what number plastics are supposed to have. The last time the...
One Binder to Rule Them All: Mom's Ultimate Family Organizer07 May 08 | Comments: 203
I'm an on-again-off-again Flylady member. If you're not familiar, Flylady is more than just an online community of women trying to get a handle on housework -- it's a movement. The basic idea is to create standing routines for everything...
Perfect gift for new moms: The Rookie Mom's Handbook06 May 08 | Comments: 61
Heather and Whitney (aka the Rookie Moms) are true blog friends. I think these are two of the warmest, smartest women around. We've bonded over the business of blogging and parenting and life. They've sent in bunches of great hacks....
Use Twitter to keep up with family members06 May 08 | Comments: 1
What better time to share a Twitter hack than on the heels of my public admission that I've joined the Twitter herd! A great one from Sara: I've started going on the occasional business trip again, and my husband came...
Label breastmilk bottles with electrical tape29 Apr 08 | Comments: 10
Heather's handy tip for pumpers: I use white electrical tape to label my bottles of pumped breast milk with the time and date. It's economical, and the tape comes off very easily. I recommend writing in a ballpoint pen because...
"Colorful" milk rewards kids for pre-mealtime cleanup28 Apr 08 | Comments: 11
Mari's colorful solution for getting the kids to the table: My daughter's preschool teacher came up with a fun way to encourage the children to clean up promptly for lunch. It made such an impression on our 3-year-old that we...
Pry Legos apart with a manicure tool23 Apr 08 | Comments: 5
From Amy: My son Henry is 4.5 and is in love with LEGOs. He is a little too old for Duplo, but a little too young for regular sized LEGO, mostly because he can't figure out how the heck to...
Keep track of medicine dosage by writing on the foil pack22 Apr 08 | Comments: 3
We've had so many good suggestions for how to keep track of medicine dosages. Here's Stacy's, specific to pills that come in little foil packs: I can never remember whether pills that need to be taken daily (antibiotics, etc) have...
Four Parent Hacks for a nag-less morning routine22 Apr 08 | Comments: 8
Have you met Vanessa Van Petten? Talk about "most likely to succeed!" She's an incredibly motivated blogger about the teen perspective and the author of the parenting book “You’re Grounded!” I first came across her writing in a guest post...
Empty formula cans make perfect bedside table wastebaskets17 Apr 08 | Comments: 19
So smart! From Janette: Empty formula cans [Any cans, really. -- Ed.] are the perfect size to use as bedside/lazyboy side trash cans when you have a cold. In the morning, you can just throw it, and all your nasty...
A keepsake journal "triples" as travel entertainment, art preservation, and a grandparent gift15 Apr 08 | Comments: 9
Jennifer's smart, simple idea for capturing some of her daughter's spontaneous art: My four year-old loves to draw and color. I found one way to preserve her art -- by giving her a journal book full of blank pages. We...
The many uses of the reusable grocery bag12 Apr 08 | Comments: 18
Jamie shares why she loves reusable grocery bags: Our local grocery store is selling Earthwise simple reusable grocery bags for .99 cents. It took about a week to get used to remembering to bring it in to the grocery store...
Thank you for the Crock Pot inspiration bonanza!11 Apr 08 | Comments: 0
Parenthackers are the best (as if that weren't already obvious). In response to my plea for Crock Pot help, so many of you offered advice, book suggestions, recipes...wonderful! Let me share the highlights: Check your crock pot's temperature. Apparently many...
Tax.filer: Simple, beautiful organizer will make next year's tax prep a breeze09 Apr 08 | Comments: 80
This will be my one and only post about tax time because really? Who wants to think about it any more than one has to? But I just had to share this lovely product that appeared in my mailbox the...
Take notes during phone calls with friends and family09 Apr 08 | Comments: 17
Katherine Ellison's book notwithstanding, "mommy brain" (or, as I prefer to think of it, "parenting brain") is a real condition for me. My ability to retain details has gone down dramatically since I had kids. Or perhaps my ability has...
I want to love my Crock Pot. Talk amongst yourselves.07 Apr 08 | Comments: 68
I recently came across A Year of Crockpotting, one woman's chronicle of her New Year's resolution: to use the slow cooker every day. It brought on a wave of envy and regret. I have a Crock Pot. I know it...
Clean the tub right before you clean yourself03 Apr 08 | Comments: 23
Shelley discovered it's easier to clean the tub when she's in it: I am 7+ months pregnant with my second child and simple chores seem to be, well, not so simple anymore. Cleaning the tub, for example. With the belly...
Meal planning hack: Cook from a single cookbook all week (or all month)02 Apr 08 | Comments: 13
In my quest to automate the domestic routine, I've fallen into a casual rhythm of meal planning. Every Sunday evening I look ahead to the coming week's activities and map out the meals. I try to work in at least...
Cylindrical concrete form tubes double as tall toy storage01 Apr 08 | Comments: 8
There is much inspiration to be found at the home improvement warehouse. Check out Jenn's elegant toy storage solution: With three small children, I frequently find myself tripping over toys that the kids don't have a place for. We have...
Cookie sheets keep the countertop clean during bulk sandwich-making31 Mar 08 | Comments: 11
KS found a clever way to further streamline lunch prep: I am learning to love mass production of packed lunches. One thing particularly pesky is the crumbs left on the counter after sandwich assembly. Enter the cookie sheet! Ahh –...
Keep a quick-grab snack bag packed19 Mar 08 | Comments: 6
From Debbie: We keep a reusable lunch-type bag in our cupboard stocked with various nonperishable snacks (one of each type per child) so that we can grab it at a moments' notice; say for that trip to the ER after...
Organize pumped breastmilk in a six-pack carton14 Mar 08 | Comments: 10
A smart way to keep those tiny bottles of pumped breastmilk organized in the fridge! From Robin: I pump milk several times a day trying to keep up my supply for a baby who is, shall we say, not the...
Rubbermaid tote as infant bath05 Mar 08 | Comments: 15
From Gretchen: Instead of the laundry basket in the tub hack, we used a Rubbermaid tote in the big tub when my daughter outgrew the kitchen sink. Used less water, and now it's under-crib storage. A great alternative to the...
CD rack as board book shelf28 Feb 08 | Comments: 0
M's storage solution: A CD shelving unit is the perfect depth for board books. In a regular bookshelf, board books can get pushed back too far, are hard to see when mixed with regular books, are often too small for...
Tie a ribbon around the doornob to help out a forgetful Tooth Fairy28 Feb 08 | Comments: 7
Suzy's come up with the perfect way to assist the Magical One with her dental "work": Is the tooth fairy sometimes forgetful in your home? We find that ours sometimes flies right by accidentally. To correct this problem, we've put...
Baby washcloths as "green" mealtime napkins27 Feb 08 | Comments: 14
Susan's come up with yet another use for baby washcloths (they are surprisingly versatile): One of my New Year’s resolutions is to reduce our household waste, including paper products. We’ve started using our old baby washcloths as napkins for the...
Parent Hacks: The Zen Habits Collection26 Feb 08 | Comments: 0
As part of our guest post swap, Leo Babauta asked me to choose twenty of my favorite tips and write them up as a post for Zen Habits. "Favorite" is impossible to capture because there's more wisdom and good will...
Pencil cup as toothbrush holder25 Feb 08 | Comments: 5
The Hengsts have a solution for those fat, character toothbrush handles that don't fit into the holes of a regular countertop toothbrush holder: We have the problem in our house that kids' toothbrushes don't fit in the traditional toothbrush holders...
Diapers fit nicely in the plastic wipes box22 Feb 08 | Comments: 3
Lisa V.'s diapers-to-go hack: If you have a child in diapers, use the refillable wipes packs (the smaller travel size in the soft package). Put the package of wipes into the original box (the regular full-size box). Then add a...
Ten ways to find time for your family -- no matter how busy you are21 Feb 08 | Comments: 8
I'm excited to share a guest post by Leo Babauta, father of six and author of the inspiring productivity blog, Zen Habits. His simple-yet-powerful tips always remind me that slowing down -- not cramming more in -- is a busy...
Park your car near the grocery shopping cart return area20 Feb 08 | Comments: 15
Lydia thought to write in with a hack that I only discovered after my second child was almost too big to ride in the cart: When going shopping various places with the little one, I always park next to a...
Ice cube tray as kids' paint palette20 Feb 08 | Comments: 6
Red Lotus Mama's smart art hack: My daughter got an art easel for Christmas, so I bought her some Crayola washable paint to go along with it. She is only 2.5 years old, so holding a palette isn't about to...
Old socks as arm dribble-catchers19 Feb 08 | Comments: 5
Beth has solved a problem I was NEVER able to solve myself! I had just resigned myself to sticky elbows for years! I have a 2.5yo who loves fruit -- watery, dribbly, messy fruit. It used to roll down his...
Computer desk as changing table18 Feb 08 | Comments: 7
Jill found an ideal reuse for an old computer desk: When our son was born, we basically put a crib into the room that had been our office. With company coming, we were forced to convert the baby's room into...
Turn a laundry detergent bottle into a toddler toolbox17 Feb 08 | Comments: 7
Looking for a long weekend craft project? How about Steve's brilliant laundry detergent bottle toolbox? A couple of nights ago I was watching my son, Evan, playing with an empty detergent container. I was impressed with how easy it was...
Clear Valentine clutter by making a collage15 Feb 08 | Comments: 3
Jill from Atlanta is really on the ball if this project is already done by February 15! It wasn't until my house became littered with little Valentines that I remembered this trick. I had my kids gather up all the...
How to organize photo cards14 Feb 08 | Comments: 7
Michelle has solved a problem we all have: guilt about throwing away photo cards! Every year we get photo cards of our friends and their children. I have never wanted to throw them away but didn't really have a place...
Valentine hack: Heart-shaped cookie cutters are useful for more than cookies05 Feb 08 | Comments: 1
Zed's shares the versatility of the humble cookie cutter: Nothing is a better investment for Valentine's Day than heart-shaped cookie cutters in various sizes. Aside from the many craft possibilities, they instantly make boring food seem like Fancy Valentine's Food,...
Bake a personal mini-cake for your kid's first birthday03 Feb 08 | Comments: 14
Kristen's first birthday tip: Don't give the kid the whole cake to destroy, or even an entire one of his very own. Bake a mini-cake in a foil pot pie tin. Less mess and less wasted food. I think this...
Tips for RV travel with kids? Talk amongst yourselves.30 Jan 08 | Comments: 8
Tiffany asks: We plan to rent an RV to travel with our 4 yr old and 7 yr old during Spring Break this year. Beyond your typical travel tips (we've traveled quite a bit in their little lives), I would...
Wash and store velcro bibs in a mesh lingerie bag30 Jan 08 | Comments: 10
Who among us hasn't had an article of clothing destroyed in the wash by the velcro from a bib? Misha has an answer: We use bibs for our baby that have velcro closures and darn it if that velcro doesn't...
Crib toy bag works well on the highchair, too29 Jan 08 | Comments: 4
Emily's got a great idea for keeping the baby toys from getting underfoot in the kitchen: Sometimes while doing the dishes, I try to keep my daughter occupied in her high chair with various toys and books. I found myself...
Organize kids' clothes into color-coordinated "capsules" so they can pick their own outfits28 Jan 08 | Comments: 16
Sara needs to dress my daughter, or at least help me pick out her clothes. I love clothes, and Miss J has so many clothes it's a tad embarrassing. Even worse, the daily question of what to wear was turning...
Sylvania power failure lights do double duty as night light and flashlight25 Jan 08 | Comments: 1
Regina has a great solution to "how do you find the flashlight when the power goes out and it's dark?": Recently, you were asking what we do when the power goes out. For Christmas, my folks gave us a package...
Keep bedside Pedialyte chilled in an ice bucket25 Jan 08 | Comments: 3
From the very resourceful Jess: Our 10 month-old daughter has a nasty bug ... a cough, accompanied by some flu symptoms. So we're giving her Pedialyte. But when she wakes up coughing in the middle of the night, she wants...
Storing girls' hair accessories? Talk amongst yourselves.23 Jan 08 | Comments: 33
Suzy wonders: Have you heard any good hacks for how to store girls' hairbands? They are a tangled mess in the drawers. You can't put up 20 hooks on the walls, right? What can be done? This seems like a...
Kitchen timer: Multi-purpose tool of the gods!22 Jan 08 | Comments: 21
We've talked before about how helpful a timer can be in all sorts of parenting situations. I really liked the way Katy (author of Adventures in Parenting) expanded on the examples, so I thought it would be a great time...
Teaching kids to declutter their own toys22 Jan 08 | Comments: 5
Sara's hack would work as well now, while most of us are in declutter mode anyway: I want Miss J (2 1/2) to learn how to "declutter" things herself, so before Christmas I told her that since she'd be getting...
Cloth diapers as marital aids19 Jan 08 | Comments: 36
Heh heh. May be TMI for some of you, but I love that Amberlynn sent this in: Our shelf that holds the cloth diapers is right next to our bed (we live in a small space, no nursery or changing...
Being prepared for a power outage18 Jan 08 | Comments: 19
From May: We just had a power outage the other day and we learned some lessons. 1. When you lose power you also lose heat. 2. Mocking the public service announcements telling you to have a "go bag" ready with...
Make a week's worth of school lunches17 Jan 08 | Comments: 8
Cynthia's batch lunch prep makes so much sense, it's a wonder we aren't all doing this. We have to bring lunch to daycare 3 days a week. I used to struggle with getting lunches ready in the morning, and with...
Discount calendars make good art supplies15 Jan 08 | Comments: 0
Joe and Cathy say: grab up those clearance-priced calendars! My wife discovered a great parenting hack: By this time of January, novelty desk calendars are deeply discounted - like, $2 each. Some of these are a great source of inexpensive...
Clementine crates as toy storage13 Jan 08 | Comments: 6
Reuse those clementine crates! From Mason: In the winter, my family of three goes through a crate of clementines about every two weeks. Instead of just throwing away the little crates, I have started using them for storing my two-year...
Store toys in the TV cabinet to protect the DVDs10 Jan 08 | Comments: 14
New year, new hopes for organization! Here's Marita's idea for keeping the TV room a little neater: Our television is in a big cabinet which also has storage on the side and below for DVDs. My girls (2yo and 4yo)...
Color-code diapers to distinguish different sizes at a glance09 Jan 08 | Comments: 6
Christel's simple and practical hack for parents who have more than one kid in diapers: When my son was a newborn it was easy to tell his diapers apart from his toddler sister's -- his were so very tiny, it...
Shred wrapping paper to use as gift bag filler25 Dec 07 | Comments: 1
From the Hengsts: We shred our used wrapping paper to use as filler in gift bags. Our kids love to help us get the paper ready to put into the shredder. If the pieces are too big, they get to...
Spread out the gift-opening to keep Christmas morning manageable24 Dec 07 | Comments: 8
Another holiday hack from Mel, who seems to have the realities of holiday logistics well thought-out: I know everyone has their own treasured and time-honoured family traditions, but....since we have one young child and an older child who is easily...
Color code gift tags to streamline distribution from under the tree24 Dec 07 | Comments: 5
Mel's gift tag hack (for those of you madly wrapping gifts tonight): I had the kids make tags for Christmas gifts out of plain cardstock. We store all the gifts under the tree until they're ready to leave the house...
Working at home while the kids are on holiday break20 Dec 07 | Comments: 5
Guest post by our friends at Work It, Mom!, a wonderful community site for working moms. School vacation is fast approaching and daycares are getting ready for their holiday break -- which means that if you have to get some...
Let pajamas double as long underwear to save time in the morning17 Dec 07 | Comments: 6
I happened onto a time-saving hack this morning because we had to get out the door early for an appointment. It's cooooold, cold enough that I send my daughter to preschool in a layer of long underwear beneath her clothes....
Amazon holiday ordering cutoffs for last-minute shoppers16 Dec 07 | Comments: 0
Ahhhh. My holiday gift-giving is all done -- we celebrate Hanukkah, which ended last week. So I have the pleasure of completely sidestepping the craziness that is brick-and-mortar shopping during the next ten days. If you're avoiding the crowds by...
My Mommy's Tote winner!14 Dec 07 | Comments: 1
Sounds like we all have treats in our bags of tricks! Thank you to all who shared their favorite purse-based kid distractors. In addition to the very popular keys and cell phone here are some more ideas: Food, including Dum...
Sandy hack: She's a bridge between paper and electronic calendars14 Dec 07 | Comments: 8
Sandy is an email-based "assistant" who can send you reminders (and much more). I introduced you to Sandy right around Thanksgiving and promised to write up some of my Sandy hacks; here's the first one! [Full disclosure: My husband is...
"Cookie of the Month Club" makes a great holiday gift10 Dec 07 | Comments: 7
I love Heather's idea for simplifying holiday gift-giving: This year, we are trying to find the perfect gift to give those who have everything. It can't be too expensive, too hard to travel with, and we want it to somehow...
Laundry room pegboard holds missing socks05 Dec 07 | Comments: 2
Gisela's answer to the Riddle of the Missing Sock: I can't take credit for this hack; I read it somewhere, but I've forgotten where. I used to keep a drawer full of socks missing their partners after doing the laundry--I...
Baby wipe box doubles as kitchen cabinet organizer04 Dec 07 | Comments: 7
Danielle found a simple way to corral all the small parts that come with baby bottles (and, later, sippy cups): For a couple of months after our son was born I had a messy cup cabinet. There were so many...
Play BAM! to get the kids to clean up quick (and have fun doing it)04 Dec 07 | Comments: 6
Bill's got the trick for getting kids to clean up their toys: This hack is aimed mainly at small children, since their toys are designed to take a beating. Also, not for the noise-intolerant. :-) To get my kids (3...
A little planning cuts dishwashing chores03 Dec 07 | Comments: 13
Kris's hack inspired me to put a bit of thought into my own dish-and-silverware habits. It's amazing how much work one can avoid with a little planning. If you're like me you hate doing dishes. I usually find myself 10:00...
Return address stamps or labels double as ID30 Nov 07 | Comments: 5
Michael's idea is one to keep in mind during the holiday shopping season: My child loves stickers and stamps. Any time he sees a hand stamp or sticker he wants one. So what better way to teach your kid how...
Plastic soap holder as crayon container30 Nov 07 | Comments: 5
Tracy's smart hack works at home or on the road: We use a plastic bar soap holder (the kind that has a top and a bottom that you could use for travel or in your shower). Take crayons out of...
Use del.icio.us to track gift ideas29 Nov 07 | Comments: 4
If you're not already using a social bookmarking service such as del.icio.us, consider signing up for an account. So easy to use, so useful. I used del.icio.us to build my daily link roundups, and as a way to for us...
Travel tip: Clean the DVDs!27 Nov 07 | Comments: 5
Ginger reminds us: If you're traveling with a toddler and a portable DVD player, remember to clean the DVD's before you get on the plane! Believe me, that will be 2 minutes well spent. Didn't I hear somewhere (here?) that...
Meet your new assistant, Sandy26 Nov 07 | Comments: 14
Every parent deserves an assistant. I mean, who, more than parents, needs a little help keeping the conflicting schedules straight? Or remembering minute details in the face of overwhelming interruption and distraction? Parenthackers: allow me to introduce my new assistant,...
Bar cookies save trips to the oven (and burned cookies)26 Nov 07 | Comments: 3
Jill from Atlanta shares the practical realities of baking cookies with little kids in the house -- worth keeping in mind given that holiday cookie-baking season is right around the corner: I love baking cookies with my kids. But the...
Use wallet-sized photos as gift tags20 Nov 07 | Comments: 6
Gwen's hack is one of those gems that solves a problem AND reduces clutter at the same time. Think about this for holiday gifts as well: When my children bring a party gift to a child who can't read yet,...
Travel tip: Have diapers delivered to your destination19 Nov 07 | Comments: 12
Here's how Michael avoids jamming his suitcase with baby care supplies: My wife and I are planning a trip, but rather than buy and pack all of the supplies that we need for our 5 1/2 month old, we just...
Stockpile gift cards for the new baby's arrival15 Nov 07 | Comments: 3
Here's how Ana saved up for her baby's arrival: When we were expecting our first child, we knew we had to get prepared, but there's always that apprehension of getting too prepared in case something changes at the last minute....
Note monthly class payments in your calendar09 Nov 07 | Comments: 5
Here's how Kirsten remembers those pesky class fees: Now that my daughter participates in a couple of activities (dance and piano) that require monthly payments, I've started writing the amount due on the calendar for the first class of the...
Optimizing luggage storage in the minivan07 Nov 07 | Comments: 3
Duane's trick for packing the minivan for a road trip: Minivans are great for storage, until you have a third child and have to pull up the extra seat in the back, thus cutting your luggage space in half. Next...
Create a visual inventory of kid clothing purchases07 Nov 07 | Comments: 4
I was stunned by the Linda's smarts on this one: I like to shop online for great bargains on clothes for my kids at the end of each season and put things away for next year. However, in the thrill...
Baby Daze helps you track the details during those hazy newborn months06 Nov 07 | Comments: 96
Oy, I get tired just thinking of those newborn months the first time around. There seemed to be so much to remember -- when did he last nurse? when did I give him the Tylenol? who bought him this hideous...
Use Twitter as a baby-album-of-sorts02 Nov 07 | Comments: 5
Kim uses Twitter as a repository for baby memories: If you don't already know, Twitter is kind of a blogging/chat/texting hybrid. Its main appeal is convenience: you can update it via the Web or IM software or through cute little...
Store the Halloween books with the decorations01 Nov 07 | Comments: 4
Now's a good time to recall a very smart hack from last year: pack the seasonal books away with the decorations. Works as well for Halloween as it does for other decor-heavy holidays.
Turn old bras into potpourri sachets01 Nov 07 | Comments: 10
Abel of ParentWonder has sent in many pointers over the last few months, but this one just had to go front and center: how to turn old bras into potpourri holders. Most of us moms (especially those who are nursing...
Expand the dress-up wardrobe with discounted Halloween costumes01 Nov 07 | Comments: 0
Rather than raid the dress-up bin for Halloween, Wendy raids the after-Halloween sales for the dress-up bin! Great setup for future costume swaps, too. My 3 year-old daughter loves playing dress-up, but we only have a couple of items. I've...
Halloween hack: Storing vinyl cling decorations30 Oct 07 | Comments: 6
Cheri figured out a way to keep Halloween cling decorations in good working order for the following year: My kids love those vinyl clings that stick to the doors and windows, but once I take them off of the sheet...
Take a vacation toy inventory27 Oct 07 | Comments: 5
Smart travel planning, from Duane: Going on vacation? If the kids are planning to bring more than 1-2 toys, then set up a space for them to "pack" their toys just like you pack your clothes and supplies (even if...
Household chores meet online gaming: Chore Wars26 Oct 07 | Comments: 2
This takes the advice to "turn work into game!" to new heights. From Sarah: I wanted to let you know of a cool website I found that helps my husband and I get work done around the house without arguing...
Halloween hack: Prolong the life of cut pumpkins with petroleum jelly25 Oct 07 | Comments: 8
Kieransma passes along another jack-o'-lantern tip: I haven't tried this (yet) but recently read that a jack-o-lantern will last much longer if you coat the cut edges with petroleum jelly. Oh, and thanks to the costume swap hack, my almost...
DIY art display23 Oct 07 | Comments: 13
WG's hack will help you make sense of the incoming avalanche of art: My kitchen had a fridge that was covered in paper and some blank walls that were crying out for decoration. I like the idea of framing kid...
Halloween hack (redux): Save leftover candy for holiday gingerbread houses21 Oct 07 | Comments: 4
Maribel reminded me of a past hack we used with great success a couple years ago: use leftover Halloween candy for holiday gingerbread houses. Tags: Halloween
Metal pet tags make great backpack IDs16 Oct 07 | Comments: 4
A fantastic idea, and it makes a decent fashion statement, too. From JT: When my son started kindergarten, I wanted to put an ID on his backpack. The luggage tag I got him disappeared pretty quickly, but the next time...
Keeping Lego sets organized: Ziplocs and cookie sheets12 Oct 07 | Comments: 26
It was my son's birthday last week, and he got two wonderful Lego building sets. Of course, his first inclination was to rip open the boxes, dump the contents on the floor and start building -- which was fine, except...
Dry erase marker on the bathroom mirror: an all-purpose noteboard09 Oct 07 | Comments: 9
It's cold season again and, right on schedule, we're all sniffling around here. So was Tiffany and her family, and here's how she kept track of all the medicine doses: My entire family was sick last week (me, my husband...
Never run out of diapers again: Amazon Subscriptions05 Oct 07 | Comments: 6
Michael uses Amazon Subscriptions to save money on diapers AND desperate last-minute trips to the store: I’m relatively new to Parent Hacks (and parenting for that matter)… but we have started using Amazon Subscriptions for ordering wipes and diapers….we have...
Baby bottles make good infant medicine travel carriers02 Oct 07 | Comments: 0
Gretchen's simple solution for keeping sticky medicine droppers and bottles together: I hate that the Infant's Motrin doesn't have an integrated dropper, because the bottle and syringe get separated so easily. I tried keeping it in a small plastic bag,...
Rubber bracelets as sippy cup ID label30 Sep 07 | Comments: 9
Meghan's found yet another use for those stretchy rubber/silicone bracelets: I stumbled upon this hack last year while visiting Disney World. The hotel we stayed at had a deal where you could buy a cup for a set price, and...
FM Fall Shopping Guide: Little Hands Help Around the House28 Sep 07 | Comments: 0
My next post is up at the FM Fall Shopping Guide: Little Hands Help Around the House. Inspired by a recent thumb-through a Montessori catalog, the post follows a theme we've discussed at length: giving kids the tools and opportunity...
Free(ish) family business cards simplify playdates and more26 Sep 07 | Comments: 16
Business cards are handy for the non-businessperson, too. From Shawna: Our family uses VistaPrint to order free business cards with all of our contact info. The cards are free when you pay for shipping, so they work out as a...
Store extra diapers and wipes on a media shelf25 Sep 07 | Comments: 9
Mama J's organizing hack: Like many parents I know, we buy wipes and dipes in bulk, but storing them was always a challenge. I got an inexpensive media storage shelf, and now they are all stacked and tucked away in...
Arrange groceries in the cart so cold and frozen items get bagged together21 Sep 07 | Comments: 20
Teri's good-thinking grocery hack: When I go grocery shopping with my toddler, I keep the cold or frozen items together in the cart and at checkout. That way, I end up with nicely sorted "cold" bags. (The items keep each...
Best bag for toting diapers and laptops? Talk amongst yourselves.21 Sep 07 | Comments: 14
We've all got our own ideas about what makes for an ideal diaper bag. But when you add a laptop into the mix (as many of us Parenthackers have) the requirements change. Tricky to store electronics and juice boxes in...
FM Fall Shopping Guide: Smart Homes20 Sep 07 | Comments: 0
My next FM Fall Shopping Guide post is up: Smart Homes, about labor-saving gadgets that eliminated some of the hassle of getting in and around my house. Also: Sweetney demonstrates how to turn kid art into home decor, and the...
LibraryLookup makes searching your local library easier than ever18 Sep 07 | Comments: 4
My bookshelves and wallet have begun to groan under the weight of our book buying habit, so I'm making a point of using the library. I'm fortunate that my county's library has a wonderful online lookup system, but my smart...
Joe's Goals doubles as an online behavior reward chart15 Sep 07 | Comments: 2
I wrote about the goal-tracking app Joe's Goals last year, but Kathryn suggests its as useful for older kids as an online star chart/sticker chart: I ran across a tool called Joe's Goals, and the minute I hit the site...
Keep track of friends' street addresses and locations with Google Maps13 Sep 07 | Comments: 9
Miss Zoot's hack is the best use of Google Maps I've heard about in a long time: Every time my son gets invited to a friend's house or a party, or if I even just pick up someone to take...
Turn old baby bottles into mess-free paintbrush holders12 Sep 07 | Comments: 5
Carrie's sister is an extremely smart woman. (Thanks for thinking to send this hack in, Carrie.) Here's a hack my sister taught me. All of her kids are well past the nursing/bottle stage, and they all love to do various...
Meal orders reduce the morning madness11 Sep 07 | Comments: 13
I hope Laura's triplet daughters know how good they have it! In the mornings before school, there are so many decisions to make. What to eat for breakfast, what snack to take to school, what to have for lunch. These...
Real Simple Family: full of good hacks04 Sep 07 | Comments: 11
I couldn't resist -- Real Simple Family -- a special issue of the lifestyle mag Real Simple -- found its way into my shopping cart this afternoon. It's full of good hacks, including taping a few unused board games together...
Set up a homework station to make afterschool assignments easier01 Sep 07 | Comments: 4
Melanie's tips for setting off on the right foot with homework: I’m a teacher as well as a mom. A good homework hack is to have a place or station set up where your child can do homework. Have pencils,...
Homework tips? Talk amongst yourselves.31 Aug 07 | Comments: 22
Jill from Atlanta had a wonderful idea: while I get back on my feet posting-wise, how about a little open discussion about homework tips? Most of us are likely in the grace period before the big-time assignments, so let's talk...
Kid-friendly kitchens help even the youngest pitch in19 Aug 07 | Comments: 17
Heather wrote up a fantastic post on her blog, Oh My Stinkin Heck, about encouraging kids to help in the kitchen by making it more accessible to them. Really, the topic is much bigger than that -- it's about honoring...
Track medicine dosage right on the bottle15 Aug 07 | Comments: 6
Excellent hack from Kristi: Perhaps it’s “Mommy Brain,” but I sometimes forget where I am in the dosage schedule of my son’s medicine. I found it helpful to use a Sharpie, which I have on hand anyway for all the...
Custom silicone bracelet as preschooler travel ID13 Aug 07 | Comments: 18
With the summer travel season upon us, it's a good time to revisit the ways in which we can make our lost kids "findable" in crowded places. We published a hack last year suggesting rubber bracelets as ID, but Dawn's...
Clean the bathroom while your kid's in the tub09 Aug 07 | Comments: 5
Leslie's practical "get it all clean at once" hack: My hack came about as we were supposed to have someone come over for dinner and I really needed to clean the guest bathroom. But with two kids (18 months and...
Consistent front-back swimsuit color makes kids easier to track in the pool06 Aug 07 | Comments: 8
Richard's hack is one that would never become apparent unless you're in the situation: I made the mistake last year of buying my son a set of swim trunks that are red on the front, but black on the back....
Martha Stewart (and staff): Parenthackers?04 Aug 07 | Comments: 7
There's a fine line between the hacker-ish DIYers and the stylish crafters. Case in point: the Martha Stewart Omnimedia folks got in touch to tell me about Good Things For Kids, a new special issue of on newsstands now. It's...
Presto Printing Mailbox: Send email and digital photos to offline relatives03 Aug 07 | Comments: 50
Grandpa wants regular updates and photos of the kids but doesn't have (or want) a computer or an Internet connection. How to bridge the generation/technology gap? Presto's solution is delightfully simple: plug a Presto Printing Mailbox in at Grandpa's house,...
Setting up family cell phones for emergency contact03 Aug 07 | Comments: 8
While your older kids are out and about this summer, being able to get a hold of each other in case of emergency becomes crucial. For those kids who use mobile phones, Betsy's suggestion makes good sense: * Make sure...
Special for Parenthackers: Swap stuff at Zwaggle23 Jul 07 | Comments: 10
Ryan very thoughtfully included all us Parenthackers in an invitation to use Zwaggle! I haven't tried it myself, but it looks fascinating, especially during summer clear-out mode. Thank you, Ryan! There's a cool website, zwaggle.com, and using points instead of...
Kids learn, work, and have fun at "Camp Mom"14 Jul 07 | Comments: 6
Look what veteran Parenthacker Jill and her kids are up to this summer: We've implemented "Camp Mom" here and I'm putting them thru the paces every morning. After breakfast they both do a work paper at the table (if I...
Fish tank net makes short work of cleaning debris out of wading pools12 Jul 07 | Comments: 8
Here's how Pam keeps the baby pool clean! I just purchased a fish net at my local dollar store - works great for cleaning out leaves and dead bugs from the babe's wading pool. Not as cheap as what you'd...
Cut grapes into mini-bunches08 Jul 07 | Comments: 17
Discovered while preparing for my daughter's 4th birthday party (which I'm doing RIGHT NOW): When serving a bunch of grapes to a group of kids, cut it into "mini-bunches" of 5-8 grapes each, then pile them in a bowl. The...
Laminate summer camp packing lists04 Jul 07 | Comments: 8
Aliza's hack would also work well for back-to-school supply lists (not that anyone's thinking about school right now): My daughter has been going to camp for the last couple of years. Each year the camp sends me the same packing...
Takeout containers as small bits organizers03 Jul 07 | Comments: 7
Mary's found a good use for empty takeout containers: I don't know when Chinese restaurants became my "Tupperware" hookup, but takeout has been coming in much better containers lately. My favorites are these rectangular plastic containers with clear lids that...
Advice for expectant parents: Bring your pediatrician's number to the hospital01 Jul 07 | Comments: 5
Wow. These hacks have really been taking me down memory lane. I, too, had some scares in the hospital, no doubt magnified because I was recovering and hormonal and (!) a new mom. Great advice, Sara. I find myself giving...
Uses for clothespins28 Jun 07 | Comments: 13
Paul says: Use spring clothespins to close up any bag you like (chips, cereal, etc.) Right! Why do we spend money on big plastic "chip clips" than never stay closed? We've used wooden clothespins for some cute craft projects. Amber...
Buy different sock brands for siblings26 Jun 07 | Comments: 19
Traci laments the curse of matching socks: This seems silly (do most hacks start with those three words?) [Indeed, many do! Also: "I'm sure everyone already does this, but..." -- Ed.] but when you have more than one kid --...
Avoid locking your keys in the car25 Jun 07 | Comments: 40
Here's Julia's method for keeping her car keys accessible: I'm terrified I'm going to lock my son and my keys in the car together. So, when I'm putting my son in the car or getting him out, I put my...
Keep important medical and legal documents handy on a keychain USB drive23 Jun 07 | Comments: 13
Kate came up with a smart "paperwork" hack: Because we both take medications, and both have living wills and powers of attorney on each other, we decided to get keychain USB drives to keep them handy. We're going to be...
Underwear packaging makes ideal flash card storage21 Jun 07 | Comments: 6
So many products come with promising outer packaging -- I'm thinking sheets and larger bed linens. Sharon came up with a good use for the thick plastic packaging in which underwear is sold: I love to find new uses for...
Ideas for reusing mini yogurt cups16 Jun 07 | Comments: 4
Reuse ideas from Amy (who must be a very busy mom with 1, 2, and 3 year-old kids!): I used to buy countless small paper cups to hold my kids' dry snacks since the portion size was perfect for their...
Use an airline baggage tag as temporary ID15 Jun 07 | Comments: 1
Here's how Gillian helps make sure her son is findable in crowded airports: We've traveled a lot with our 4 and a half year old son and I'm always worried that he will get lost in the airport. On one...
Divided formula dispenser as snack cup14 Jun 07 | Comments: 6
Jen found a great way to reuse her formula dispenser: Formula dispensers are great for single servings of formula on the go, but once my daughter started drinking regular milk, I found myself with another baby gadget that didn't really...
Use email as a searchable appointment database13 Jun 07 | Comments: 9
Wifezilla has found a handy use for her email's "search" function: We just moved to the Pittsburgh area and had to set up new doctors, pediatricians, dentists, etc. I found that I was always losing the piece of paper that...
Modified paper cups as paint holders13 Jun 07 | Comments: 8
Liz's tip: I’ve found a great hack to keep our painting projects easy to clean up and manageable. When we get out the liquid paints for my 2 year old, I pour each color into a Dixie cup. The cups...
Clothespin keeps onesie flaps from dropping into the toilet11 Jun 07 | Comments: 5
Barbara shares a "very tiny" hack that solves a very big problem: Here is a very tiny hack: My two-year old son wants to sit on the toilet a lot and he still wears those onesies that button between the...
Plan for common mishaps with the help of your pediatrician09 Jun 07 | Comments: 1
Beth's wise suggestion for making the most of your child's routine visits to the doctor: I have learned to end our well-baby doctor's visits with this question to the pediatrician: "What do you get the most calls about from parents...
How to tie knots in balloons without sacrificing your fingers09 Jun 07 | Comments: 3
Here's how Lisa kept her digits intact during a marathon balloon-knotting session: Our children’s elementary school puts on a BBQ Fun Day that uses 1,000 air balloons. I volunteered to blow up 200 balloons. I knew that my fingers would...
Store small bath toys in suction cup shower baskets04 Jun 07 | Comments: 7
Michelle's solution for bath toy storage: I don't know if I'm the only one, but I find those mesh bags for bath toy storage really annoying. Yes, they let the toys drip dry, but the toys get all caught up...
Pinpoint public playgrounds along your road trip route23 May 07 | Comments: 13
Mike found a great resource for road trip fun: Cool new website called Waymarking.com, which pinpoints the location of all sorts of attractions such as historical markers, covered bridges, etc. One of my favorite categories is public playgrounds. It doesn’t...
Meta-scrapbooking: Save pictures of your kids doing art projects23 May 07 | Comments: 3
Katharine's hack is space-saving and wise: My 7 month-old son is in daycare and they have been sending home a few little arts and crafts things as of late. I love to scrapbook and make commemorative things for my son...
Momergency kit: What would you pack?23 May 07 | Comments: 12
Lifehacker tipped me off to the Momergency Kit: a bag of goodies intended to deal with the inevitable broken purse strap or slow-moving line. Several Parenthacker favorites appear in the kit: a Sharpie, a carabiner, hand sanitizer, Ziploc bags. What...
Via Toy Box: Toy storage they won't outgrow22 May 07 | Comments: 3
Just yesterday, a company I'd never heard of, Via Toy Box, booked a small ad on Parent Hacks (see it right there in the right-hand sidebar?). I always visit potential advertisers before I accept their ads, and I was immediately...
Exchange email photographs before playdates with new kids20 May 07 | Comments: 5
From Belinda, host of kid radio show Greasy Kid Stuff: When we have playdates with new kids, or kids we haven't seen for awhile, I ask the parent to email me a picture of their child. This helps my kidlet...
Gas drops dissipate bubbles in formula19 May 07 | Comments: 5
From Laura -- a mother of triplets, who can use every extra minute she can find: If you're mixing large batches of formula you are well aware of the foam that appears and takes forever to dissipate! Another triplet mom...
Send your used toys to children in Iraq17 May 07 | Comments: 6
Updated 8/07: The toy drive is back on! Two of Edmay's comrades have taken over her role, and are accepting toy donations. send your donations to: Michael Fellenz or Natalie Sudman USACE-GRS APO-AE 09331 7/30/07 update: Edmay's toy drive is...
Print your own "screen time" tickets14 May 07 | Comments: 3
Prompted by Mel's ticket-for-TV-time hack, John of Flagrant Disregard, fd's Flickr Toys, and LetterPop fame designed these lovely tickets. Even better, he's made them available for download and printing! Awesome.
Hotel matchbooks help lost kids on multi-city trips12 May 07 | Comments: 4
Margarita's simple but powerful travel hack: A recent hack reminded me of something my dad used to do when we travelled. As kids we travelled a lot with them and often to several cities in one same trip. This made...
Ticket system helps kids track their own TV and game time10 May 07 | Comments: 12
Mel came up with a brilliant way to put her kids in charge of monitoring their own screen time: I got tired of being the boss of when my kids (three and five) could watch videos and DVDs. I also...
Pre-portion ice cream into paper muffin cups09 May 07 | Comments: 7
Atlanta Jill made quick work of the ice cream service at a recent birthday party: We had a birthday party, and I remembered my neighbor's ice cream hack. She scoops it out into muffin cups the day before the party. ...
Protect your floors with birthday party tablecloths06 May 07 | Comments: 1
Latia's found a use for those throwaway birthday party tablecloths: I save the thin, cheap, plastic character tablecloths from my kid's birthday party to protect the floor and other areas. I cut one tablecloth into three different sizes: one to...
Shoe organizer in the coat closet keeps gloves and accessories within reach04 May 07 | Comments: 8
Tracy's hack works just as well for warm weather accessories: sunglasses, caps, swim goggles... How to keep gloves, scarves, hats, dog leashes easy to find? Hang a shoe organizer on the inside of your coat closet door. Assign a row...
Let your kid "drive" while you clean the car03 May 07 | Comments: 24
Our car looks like crap, too. My kids are old enough that I don't really have an excuse, but for those with busy toddlers, here's Sara's tip: Although I feel like I do a decent job keeping the house in...
Photo contact sheets contain perfect tiny locket pictures03 May 07 | Comments: 4
Eliz found a great use for photo contact sheets: When you need a TINY picture for a project or for your daughter's first locket, I've found that the perfect solution is the contact sheets many photo developers now provide, especially...
Get paper under control with 3-ring binders01 May 07 | Comments: 3
Louise's paper organizing secret: View binders (3-ring binders with a clear vinyl overlay on the covers) are an organizing favorite. I use them for organizing everything from my Christmas information, notes and ideas, to the appliance manuals and receipts, to...
Simplify general cleanup with bulk bar towels30 Apr 07 | Comments: 10
Elizabeth's cleanup tip: Kids of all ages are messy and the best thing I have found to help with the battle is a bulk package of white terry cloth towels, sometimes called bar towels. I usually get them at Costco...
Mealtime hacks for new eaters29 Apr 07 | Comments: 7
Amberlynn shares her tips for mealtimes with babies who are just starting to eat solid food: My little boy still loves nursing, so eating is still an entertaining novelty to him. However, so far (six months of solid foods, and...
Rubber bands keep wooden puzzles in one piece29 Apr 07 | Comments: 3
From veteran Parenthacker Sara: We've reached the stage where toys start coming in many small pieces -- it's starting to drive me crazy! On fast fix to keep those wooden toddler puzzles together -- rubber bands. There's usually only a...
Use Google Calendar to remind yourself to get a life28 Apr 07 | Comments: 3
Jessica's hack inspired me in two ways. First, "planned spontaneity" is often all we can do to harken back to those carefree days of, well, maybe not our youth, but our pre-parenthood. Second, I'm so impressed that she recognizes that...
Schedule your kid's sick time!28 Apr 07 | Comments: 3
Smart advance planning advice from Laura: Babies have immunizations at 2, 4, 6, 12, 15, and 24 months (your doctor may vary). The shots may cause your baby to be feverish, cranky or tired. If you can, schedule these appointments...
How to organize your gift cards27 Apr 07 | Comments: 7
Rookie Mom Heather (who's not so much of a rookie anymore!) uses Sharpies in her gift card organizing scheme: oh, isn't it wonderful to get a $100 gift card at old navy or a $10 gift card at starbucks? yes,...
Quick cleanup tips for paint-loving kids26 Apr 07 | Comments: 4
There was a time when I firmly believed that craft paint of any sort had no place in my house. It's not that I'm a neat freak or anything, but the potential chaos was just too intimidating. I've gotten over...
Label electrical cords to simplify plug-ins25 Apr 07 | Comments: 11
Heather has solved the too-many-cords-for-too-few-outlets problem: We live in an older home with less than conveniently placed electrical outlets in our son’s room. There are not enough outlets for all the electrical appliances and the outlets we do have are...
Video drawers as art supply storage24 Apr 07 | Comments: 1
Another winning organizing hack from hedra: Those old video drawers you had before you started buying DVDs can be put to use as art supply drawers. They fit on deeper book shelves, they're just the right size for 8.5x11 paper,...
TV Turnoff Week: What's your plan?23 Apr 07 | Comments: 25
It's TV Turnoff Week, and parents all over the country are shaking in their boots wondering what life without "screen time" will look, sound and feel like. I'm one of those parents. Compared to the national stats, we don't watch...
How to organize product manuals21 Apr 07 | Comments: 8
Nicole, who blogs at Much More Than a Mom and Much More Opinionated, offers this advice about organizing product manuals: Almost every item, small and large, that we have ever received for our son has come with a manual. Some...
'Toy library' promotes cleanup AND creativity20 Apr 07 | Comments: 8
Hedra's amazing system of toy organization is so...so...amazing, it's a wonder we don't all do this. To contend with the overflow of toys, without violating the principle of ownership (that is, the toys belong to them, not us), we instituted...
Plastic shower tote as wet washcloth "hamper"20 Apr 07 | Comments: 11
In his post about the Baby FreshFace Drying Caddy, AJ of Thingamababy reminded me just how I hate the wet baby washcloths we use for post-meal face-wiping. They're too damp to throw directly into the hamper (I do it anyway),...
Avoid overdue fines with a library basket19 Apr 07 | Comments: 15
Megin of GNMParents on keeping track of library books: We go to the library almost weekly. Between the 3 kids and myself our library bag is overflowing when we leave. For a long time it was common to lose track...
Turn office printouts into school scratch paper19 Apr 07 | Comments: 6
A recycling reminder from Karen: My work generates a lot of printouts that are only used for a day, are non-confidential, and are single-sided. When we're done with them, I take the paper to my son's day care and they...
Stroller shopping: a checklist17 Apr 07 | Comments: 19
I ignored plenty of good advice when I was pregnant with my first child. One tip I ignored at my peril: "Wait till after your baby arrives to buy the stroller." In my haste to get everything ready (and to...
Homemade finger puppet stand17 Apr 07 | Comments: 0
Amber of Kids Craft Weekly offers this tip for organizing finger puppets: Get yourself an old shoe box and some wooden laundry pegs and use them to get more play out of finger puppets. Slip the pegs onto the side...
Track medical history with Excel16 Apr 07 | Comments: 7
Kelly's hack makes me realize that I'm doing a better job tracking my car's maintenance records than our own health history: I started taking note of my kids' medical histories when my oldest was a wee guy, but in notebook...
Cooking for a family during a kitchen remodel? Talk amongst yourselves.16 Apr 07 | Comments: 16
Lisa asks: Any ideas for cooking for a family of five during a kitchen remodel? We've never undergone a kitchen remodel, but friends who have set up a card table in the basement and relied on a Crock Pot, a...
Tie toys to the diaper bag for in-flight toddler entertainment16 Apr 07 | Comments: 3
Here's how Emmie kept her toddlers busy on the plane: When our twin boys were 18 months old, we took a 3 hour plane trip. Both boys are very attached to their bunny lovies, which they need in order to...
Homeschooling: How to start11 Apr 07 | Comments: 31
I admit: I've had my biases and prejudices against homeschooling, but I've come to see that my attitude has more to do with my lack of knowledge than any real, rational data. Just about every homeschooler I've met, locally or...
Wash breast pump parts in the dishwasher11 Apr 07 | Comments: 19
I've mentioned before the calm that comes with starting the day with an empty dishwasher. What I didn't mention was that I grew up in a conservationist household, where we only ran the dishwasher every 2-3 nights or so. I...
Swiffer Carpet Flick puts your toddler to work10 Apr 07 | Comments: 5
All this talk about how toddlers love to clean! It just so happens that Craig's hack on this very topic just popped up in my queue (and he's the third Parenthacker to mention the Swiffer Carpet Flick): My two year...
What to do with empty plastic Easter eggs08 Apr 07 | Comments: 22
Don't throw away those plastic Easter eggs! Save up a couple of egg cartons and store them for refilling next year. Or use them as part of your kid's play kitchen, grocery store or farm. I'm sure you've got more...
Tips for dyeing Easter eggs with toddlers07 Apr 07 | Comments: 12
We've come to rely on Sara for sharing her best hacks on just about anything -- today, it's dyeing Easter eggs: I just got finished dyeing Easter eggs with my almost-two-year-old, and we both had a blast! Here are some...
Let your toddler "help" clean the bathroom02 Apr 07 | Comments: 25
Kristi's hack reminds us never to underestimate what a toddler can find fun: Whenever it’s time to clean the bathroom, I give my 2 1/2 year-old daughter a squirt bottle and a washcloth and stick her in the shower. She...
Track medicine dosage with a reusable chart30 Mar 07 | Comments: 1
Here's how Shauna avoids double-dosing: To give long-term medicines without the confusion of who gave what to whom and when, make a simple calendar on the computer (with days only -- not dates) and laminate. [You could also slide the...
Gmail and digital pictures allow working parents to collaborate on health remedies30 Mar 07 | Comments: 1
Noran, who proudly shared that she's a first-time parent at 44, uses Gmail and a digital camera to keep in touch with her husband about their baby's health scares: I'm an emergency room registered nurse, and I work 12-hour shifts...
Use a dry erase board for the family grocery list29 Mar 07 | Comments: 14
Stu (who's now one of the editors of GNM Parents -- did you know that?), took some of the guesswork out of grocery shopping for older kids: I was having trouble getting my kids to go to the market with...
Record your child's voice with your cell phone28 Mar 07 | Comments: 4
Andi found a reason to be happy about her toddler's obsession with her cell phone: We all know that our babies and toddlers love to play with our cell phones. They will often babble away on pretend phone conversations for...
Save grungy socks for indoor playgrounds25 Mar 07 | Comments: 2
Suzanne's eminently practical use for old socks: Before you throw out your kids' old, dingy socks, let them use them one more time -- in those indoor, McDonald's-type playland places. I keep a bag of old socks in my trunk...
Home decorating for real people: HomeAndTell24 Mar 07 | Comments: 3
Christine, co-founder of HomeAndTell, wrote to me in response to Megan's and Leah's wonderful habitat hacks. I like the site because it extends the same "real world" approach we celebrate on Parent Hacks to home decorating. Who hasn't flipped through...
Formula dispenser simplifies feeding baby on the road23 Mar 07 | Comments: 9
Randa found a way to take some of the guesswork out of formula feeding: There are times when you are out and about, or have your baby with a sitter that you just never know how much formula you're going...
Fashion a no-build "closet" out of a curtain rod and a bookshelf19 Mar 07 | Comments: 6
Megan's brilliant space-saving clothing storage hack, which I may put to use in my daughter's room: My bedroom serves as the nursery and is also quite low on dresser space. I use a bookshelf with one of the shelves removed...
Does your babysitter do your grocery shopping? Use gift cards instead of cash.09 Mar 07 | Comments: 2
Danielle (Foodmomiac) illustrates once again that what's obvious to one isn't to the rest of us (I never would have thought of this, but then, I don't have someone else doing the shopping): I came up with a hack. One...
"Chore board" helps postpartum visitors help you07 Mar 07 | Comments: 6
During those first few weeks with a new baby, here's how Mieke helped her visitors help her: Notice how everybody wants to come by and offers to help but you end up having to do *more* rather than *less* because...
Toyinstructions lets you throw away your toy manuals02 Mar 07 | Comments: 2
For those of you who agonize about saving the instructions from your kids' toys and games, or who've stumbled onto vintage toys at garage sales, the folks behind Z Recommends have create a new site: Toyinstructions. This is site is...
Browse Craigslist photos with Listpic27 Feb 07 | Comments: 3
Craigslist addicts rejoice! Ryan Sit has hacked together Listpic, a Craigslist photo viewer that lets you visually browse your city's listings. You can browse an entire category (here's how Portland's Baby + kids category looks) or you can search by...
Time's running out on the Amazon Pampers discount22 Feb 07 | Comments: 0
You've still got a few days to get in on Amazon's $25 instant discount on $99-worth of Pampers, Luvs and Kandoo products. Few things make you feel as secure as a pantry stocked with diapers. Offer ends 2/28. Tags: Baby,...
What are your "secret ingredients" for a quick, home-cooked dinner? Talk amongst yourselves.20 Feb 07 | Comments: 31
Sara's meat soup recipe caused her to wonder what other people's "secret ingredients" are. Hers are: Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomatoes, bagged fresh spinach, frozen half-baked bread (La Brea makes some, but I've started seeing generic brands in the grocery...
Turn leftover meat and pantry items into an easy, hearty soup19 Feb 07 | Comments: 4
Sara's soup recipe takes minutes to throw together, is made up of pantry items, and can cook all day in a slow cooker. Mmmm. One of my default ways to use leftovers is to turn it into soup. Here's my...
Bathtime as parents' planning time18 Feb 07 | Comments: 4
Sara and her husband strategize during bathtime: On days when my husband and I have no time, we plan out what needs to be done in the bathroom while our daughter takes her bath. She's happily occupied (and I imagine...
Getting kids cooking17 Feb 07 | Comments: 2
We've got the kids' cookbooks covered...what next? Dori Young of Kids Cooking offers this advice if you're not sure where to begin: I feel that your kitchen is the ideal setting to teach and learn. Kids respond to learning through...
Plastic shopping bags as disposable toilet seat covers14 Feb 07 | Comments: 10
Toilets seem to bring out the hacker in most parents, wouldn't you say? Here's Sarah's tip: I found myself at a gas station with my 3 year-old when she announced that she had to poop. I crossed my fingers that...
Baby food jars as hardware containers14 Feb 07 | Comments: 15
Speaking of reusing food containers...Ted's hack reminded me of the million-odd bottles of random hardware bits scattered across my dad's garage. My dad is well-known for NEVER throwing anything away. He's even got a few baby food jars in there,...
Turn valentines into placemats13 Feb 07 | Comments: 9
From Heather: As kids, my brother and I would take our stacks of valentines from our school parties and turn them into a holiday placemat by arranging them between two sheets of clear contact paper. We did the same thing...
Send a Tabblo valentine today!09 Feb 07 | Comments: 4
Awesome. With a few clicks, you can turn your digital photos into Tabblo valentines. For $1 each, Tabblo transforms them into paper cards which it prints and mails to the recipient of your choice. (They even arrive sealed with a...
Wishlist.com consolidates gift registries07 Feb 07 | Comments: 3
Apropos of our recent conversation about store-based gift registries, Brian's hack came up in my queue. He recommends Wishlist.com as a more flexible alternative to a registry tied to a single store. Tags: Birthdays, Parenting, Wishlist.com
How to organize your rewards cards07 Feb 07 | Comments: 3
LifeClever posted a handy suggestion for streamlining your wallet -- with a hole punch and a carabiner key chain. Finally, a way to deal with all of those rewards cards, frequent buyer cards, "buy 50 get one free" cards, and...
How to give your kid a personalized (managed) email address06 Feb 07 | Comments: 4
John Watson (of Flagrant Disregard, LetterPop, and fd's Flickr Toys, among other things) wrote up a sweet little Gmail hack for setting up dummy email accounts for his kids (really just separate identities). He keeps track of the email, but...
Gift registries simplify birthday present paralysis01 Feb 07 | Comments: 10
As my kids get older, the number of birthday party invitations seems to be increasing exponentially. I'll save my birthday party rant for later (hint: Birthdays Without Pressure), and for now, will simply complain about the discomfort of choosing presents...
Bulk quesadillas31 Jan 07 | Comments: 2
Maggie's got lunchtime covered with her recipe for bulk quesadillas. Reminds me of the streamlined peanut butter sandwich hack that appeared here last summer. Tags: Lunch, Quesadillas
Leaving your kids with the neighborhood babysitter: a primer30 Jan 07 | Comments: 14
Sandy shares her tips for working with the neighborhood babysitter: I was the family- and neighborhood-sitter through my tween/teen years. These tips come from both my experience having been a sitter as well as being a parent looking to make...
Parentography: Social networking meets family travel23 Jan 07 | Comments: 4
Launched today: Parentography, a new site where families can share their travel tips and reviews. I've been in touch with one of the founders, Tim Ludwig, for quite some time (he's submitted his share of hacks), and I'm really excited...
Over-the-door shoe organizer as small toy collector21 Jan 07 | Comments: 10
Louise's foot-saving brainstorm: I hung an over the door shoe organizer with pockets on the room side of the closet door in my boys' room to collect all the odds and ends that have no other home, but can't be...
Getting organized: Keeping art supplies on hand for impromptu projects20 Jan 07 | Comments: 2
There were some good suggestions for maintaining a craft box in the comments of my original appeal for organization hacks, but I also got this one via email from Sarah: We have an old dresser in the basement with a...
Schedule when to use your freezer leftovers20 Jan 07 | Comments: 6
I have an allergy to cooking on the weekend. We scrounge and manage just fine as long as "cooking" is limited to "heating." Hence why I love Chris's hack: Here's a hack to help you remember to use all those...
Managing kids and a home office: how?19 Jan 07 | Comments: 6
Great conversation starter at Web Worker Daily on managing the inevitable joys/distractions/frustrations of kids + home office. I write this from my own "home office" (the kitchen table) while my kids are at school, and the first thought that comes...
Getting organized: Streamlining paper flow16 Jan 07 | Comments: 7
When I get a hack like this, which is so obvious in its simplicity, I wonder why I struggle with all the paper flying around my house. From Sarah: I have a small bin that holds hanging files. I keep...
Getting organized: Keeping the toys from taking over the house15 Jan 07 | Comments: 12
Especially now, when the holiday haul collides with our desire to simplify, some toy anti-proliferation hacks are in order. From Kirsten: The best thing you can do about kids/toy organizing is have a play room, I think. I know that...
Rethinking my "Getting Organized" series15 Jan 07 | Comments: 0
I had this idea I'd group everyone's organizational tips by topic into a series, but that really makes no sense. They're all there in the comments of my original post, and it actually reads quite well, so I'll direct you...
Write medicine dosage amounts on the bottle with a Sharpie10 Jan 07 | Comments: 9
Serena wields the ever-powerful Sharpie for yet another hack-worthy purpose: I recently came up with yet another great use for a Sharpie - writing my son's medicine dose on the bottle. He's only 17 months, and so for most medicines...
Getting organized: Do the small stuff NOW09 Jan 07 | Comments: 3
Both Deborah Graff and Hilary suggested doing the little stuff as you think of it rather than throwing it onto the teetering pile of Things To Do Later. From Deborah: Whenever possible, I complete tasks as soon as they occur...
How to organize a pantry? Talk amongst yourselves.09 Jan 07 | Comments: 16
Barb of Great Family Gadgets wonders: How do you organize a pantry? We've just moved to a new house with a pantry closet. It's not extremely large, but I plan for it to hold all my dry- and canned-goods. It...
Getting organized: Multitasking rarely helps08 Jan 07 | Comments: 5
Duane says: Give a single project priority in your mind, and focus on making some meaningful progress. I have a bad habit each night of sitting down at the computer and thinking, "I can work on the blog, I can...
Getting organized: Start with your brain, sort of08 Jan 07 | Comments: 12
Now that the holidays are over and we're digging back into regular life, New Year's resolutions in tow (or tatters), I figured it's a good time to share the simple ways we all streamline our lives. So much of the...
A scrapbooker votes for Costco's digital photo printing07 Jan 07 | Comments: 5
For those of you dealing with the holiday photo backlog, Ashley's hack may come in handy: Here's a hack I stumbled across while getting my digital pictures set up to print at my local Costco. I like to use Costco's...
Sew simple gift bags out of sale fabric, and lose the wrapping paper for good05 Jan 07 | Comments: 13
No doubt you're holiday'd out, but this hack will save sanity and trees later this year. I'm no seamstress, but, from what I can tell, this is easy enough for anyone to do (although a sewing machine would certainly speed...
You've got flair!05 Jan 07 | Comments: 2
GNMParents is hosting a blog carnival called The Festival of Family Flair, and invites everyone to submit their great ideas for family crafts, activities, and the ingenious (some might say desperate) ways in which we find adult time for ourselves....
Use your "My Pictures" folder as your screen saver for a continuous family slideshow04 Jan 07 | Comments: 9
Toni left this as a comment on "Flickr as kid entertainment," but I thought it should also get the loving attention of the front page: I love this idea but am also concerned about the occasional surprise. To avoid this...
Getting back into the school groove post-vacation04 Jan 07 | Comments: 2
My son's in first grade, and he approached his first day back at school after the holiday break with a mixture of dread and relief. He loved the lazy days and late mornings as much as we all did, but...
Clearance ornaments make good craft supplies03 Jan 07 | Comments: 2
I was just at Cost Plus yesterday, and I noticed a decent selection of clearance-priced (75% off) Christmas ornaments that had nothing to do with Christmas. Most of them were hand-sewn Indian fabrics or beaded decorations -- perfect for use...
Decluttering the Exersaucer03 Jan 07 | Comments: 2
Here's how Kate dials down the stimulation on the Exersaucer without losing the toys: I have a pretty simple hack for EvenFlo Exersaucers. They often have a whole lot of gizmos, and when your baby is on the low end...
Pack seasonal books away with the decorations03 Jan 07 | Comments: 15
Susy's simple hack makes so much sense...keep it in mind as you pack away the ornaments. When I pack up the decorations for whatever holiday (Halloween, Turkey Day, Xmas etc) I include the holiday-themed books we have in the box--that...
For when kids don't wanna do their chores: the List02 Jan 07 | Comments: 2
It's all Stu all the time! Stu 24/7! 100% Stu! Seriously folks, the contributor of the #1 Parent Hack of 2006 continues to share his encouraging advice...this time about older children who protest the having to do household chores. The...
Simplifying kid's room cleaning02 Jan 07 | Comments: 10
"Clean your room" can be an overwhelming request when the mess is big and the kid is little. It's so easy to get distracted by a rediscovered toy...it's so hard to figure out where everything goes...I'm hungry... Here's a hack...
Send your best "getting organized" hacks28 Dec 06 | Comments: 19
If you're like me, "getting organized" is one of your annual New Year's resolutions. I'd like to highlight everyone's best clutter-busting hacks in January, so send 'em in now! A few ideas to get you started: Tips for keeping your...
Laundry basket keeps holiday gifts contained22 Dec 06 | Comments: 5
Here's Kirsten's tip for for the inevitable chaos after the presents have been unwrapped: The laundry basket hack reminded me of this one - we get out a laundry basket for each child on Christmas morning. After they unwrap each...
Brickfactory: for those of us who lose the Lego instructions18 Dec 06 | Comments: 1
Via Blogging Baby comes an excellent pointer to Brickfactory, an archive of scanned Lego kit instructions dating all the way back to 1958. Nostalgia, baby! Tags: Lego, Toys
Tape the gift receipt to the present before you wrap it18 Dec 06 | Comments: 1
Your friends will thank you. Tags: Birthdays, Gift-giving, Holidays
Photo pen? Talk amongst yourselves.18 Dec 06 | Comments: 17
Rona asks: It is the holiday season again and of course, we get pictures taken of my almost three year-old. As I am sending out the pictures to relatives, I want to put the year or how old she is...
Kid art as wrapping paper18 Dec 06 | Comments: 1
Maggie has found an ideal use for her daughter's painting projects: Every week, my daughter comes home from daycare with lots of artwork - including two or three big sheets of newsprint covered with tempera. I can't keep all of...
Kiddley guest post: Planning for the holidays17 Dec 06 | Comments: 0
I was thrilled when Claire asked if I'd like to guest post at Kiddley...I'm such a fan of her beautiful, useful site. It's Monday in Australia (her home), and I was going to share my post with you on American...
Spreading out the holiday gifts15 Dec 06 | Comments: 7
Consider using all twelve days of Christmas (eight days of Hanukkah, seven days of Kwanzaa...) to open gifts. The season will last longer, each gift will receive the attention and play it deserves, and the piles of wrapping can be...
Tips for passing the time with kids15 Dec 06 | Comments: 3
Today's my kids' last day of school before the winter holidays. With two weeks of free time head, I thought it an ideal moment to point to Gretchen Rubin's recent "Wednesday is Tip Day" post at The Happiness Project: Tips...
Memory scrapbook teaches kids to journal13 Dec 06 | Comments: 0
Shell's idea could make a wonderful annual New Year's tradition. It would be neat to get a book like this at the beginning of each year...the blank pages representing the clear and unwritten future... I get an empty journal book...
Moxie's Holiday Gauntlet series12 Dec 06 | Comments: 0
Moxie's got a wonderful series of posts up on common holiday bugaboos: Santa, and related confusion Christmas tree management Gift issues Stress on kids during holiday visits The kid who licked the pole in A Christmas Story Tags: Ask Moxie,...
How to organize a holiday gift for your kid's teacher11 Dec 06 | Comments: 10
Cathy of Mayberry Mom shared what I think may be the sanest method of organizing gifts for teachers: This may be an obvious one, but I think it's so helpful. At our kids' day care (hey, the source of the...
MyGroceryDeals.com lets you search weekly grocery flyers online10 Dec 06 | Comments: 6
Ed of MyGroceryDeals.com recently got in touch to let me (and you) know about his new money-and-time-saving service. From Ed's note to me: Mygrocerydeals.com is a free service that allows consumers to go online, do their grocery "pre-shopping" based on...
Gift idea: Make framed prints out of your kid's art09 Dec 06 | Comments: 1
Laura passed along her tutorial for making (easy, cheap) framed prints out of kid art...lovely gift idea for grandparents and others who think everything your kid creates is gold. Tags: Art projects, Holidays, Parenting
Car travel safety: what to do if you're stranded? Talk amongst yourselves.06 Dec 06 | Comments: 6
Merlin of 43Folders has started a fascinating discussion about the ingenuity of Kati Kim, who, with her two children, managed to survive nine snowy days stranded in their car with little food. (James Kim, the father, is still missing and...
Laundry basket "choo choo" keeps baby close during chores06 Dec 06 | Comments: 8
Have I mentioned that Parent Hackers love laundry baskets? Here's how Kris uses hers: My son, who is 8 months, has been going through a phase for the last few weeks where he can't bear to be out of my...
Hacks for moms who use breast pumps06 Dec 06 | Comments: 13
Some mothers aren't able to nurse their babies directly, and instead use a pump to express breastmilk into bottles. Jess wrote up her tips, gained from ten months of exclusively pumping, in the hopes they will help other moms in...
Save money with reciprocal museum memberships04 Dec 06 | Comments: 1
Dana's hack came up in my queue right when many of us have plans to travel out of town -- an ideal opportunity to visit museums you may be able to get into for free: Buy a Reciprocal Membership at...