Practical Prep Tips for Busy Moms: Less Overwhelm, More Ease

I want to use the word hacks, but you can’t hack your way out of just doing the work. Probably one of the most helpful things I learned through motherhood is to prepare, in any way I could, in any amount I could. Preparing has helped keep the overwhelm at bay, most of the time, and allowed me to be present in the moment way more than if I left the things to get done right when they needed to.

These tips have been so helpful to me through the years, and I want to pass them onto the next person so they can help them too. I know for me; I hear about things people do and wonder why I hadn’t thought of that before. Sometimes we just need to hear it, or see it to get our minds going or we just need a reminder to get back to doing some things that we’ve let go by the wayside.🙂

Make Dinner Ahead of Time

Any time my family went away on vacation or an extended weekend (hockey tournaments anyone 🫠), I always had dinner either prepped for when we got back or had gone to the grocery store and got what I need for the particular meal we would have the day we got back. We were all tired from our trip and having it planned and prepped or the ingredients available kept us from decision fatigue and from going through the drive-thru somewhere, saving us time and money!

Bring Your Food and Drink

We’re a sports family, so that would usually be why we’d be out for the day or at least a portion of the day, but this can apply to any time you’ll be gone for an extended period of time. It usually didn’t matter the amount of time we were gone, I always packed snacks and water. I can’t tell you how many times this has saved me! And it’s not just toddlers who get hangry and need a constant flow of food. 😉 If we would be gone during a mealtime, I would pack an easy meal too. This saved us not only money but time, too. We didn’t have to worry about what was near where we were to eat, and we didn’t have to take time to go get any food. We sat right in the car and were not rushed…. usually.

Have A Designated Area for Things

Again, for my family this was sports related, but you can apply this to anything that your child needs, specific things for outside of the home. I was able to use a small closet in our catch-all room but this area can be anything, a bin, a shelf, whatever; use what you have. My children knew that when we got home from their sporting events, anything that didn’t need to be washed went right to this closet. Yes, it took us time and many reminders, but this was very worth our time in the long run. Anything that was washed would be put right into this closet once it was cleaned. This saved me on so many mornings where the kids needed to be at their activity early. Everything they needed was right in this space and there wasn’t any franticly running around trying to find the uniform or the ball, it was all there, and we were out the door without much hassle. This tip is probably one of my favorites because it saved me so much of my sanity!

Set A Timer

A timer is your best friend. Think you can’t get anything done in 10 minutes? Set the timer and see. Setting a timer for 10 minutes and then getting to it will move you forward on your to do list. Will you get it all done in that 10 minutes? Probably not, but you’re a little bit closer to finishing. The all or nothing mentality has no place in motherhood. You WILL be stopped often. You WILL have to start again, and it may be days later. Learning that a little is better than none will get you far.

Also, setting a timer can help with that feeling of “I don’t have enough time”. 10 Minutes of doing something every day is going to add up. Breaking down bigger projects within your home or reading that book you’ve been wanting to start can all be gotten through with just 10 minutes a day.

I’ve applied this tip to so many things (like the blog post I’m writing ☺️) and seen myself get through so many things that I thought I would never have the time to get through.

Freeze Extra’s

This can kind of go along with the first tip, but I thought it should be a tip of its own because it’s not only for the days you come back from an extended period of time you need food. It’s those busy nights where something keeps you out later than you would like, and you need something quick to eat or it’s for those times that you just don’t have it in you to cook dinner (which happens to me just about every Thursday because I’ve had enough of it by then🤭). This tip saves me time and mental energy both of which I need all I can get!

So, what I do is very simple. When I am already cooking a meal, I double or triple it so I can freeze the extra for another time. That’s it. You’re already cooking anyway so why not chop a few more things and help your future self out.

 Lay Out Clothes the Night Before

Decision fatigue is real, and it is never more real than first thing in the morning and dinner time. I can’t tell you how many times I have stood in front of my closet or my dresser drawers and just could not decide what to wear because my brain wasn’t fully functioning yet. Taking the 30 seconds at night to choose my clothes for the next day and lay them in the bathroom has been life-giving and I’m not being dramatic. Waking up and having one decision already made for me is so beyond lovely.

Now, I know what you’re thinking, you think I change my mind come the morning time. I have been doing this practice for many, many years and I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve changed my outfit in the morning. I just decided that what I picked out the night before was good and that was that. Now, I have had to change during the day because of baby spit-up more times than I can count but that’s totally different. 😉

In the end, while there are certainly tips, tricks, and "hacks" to help lighten the load of motherhood, there’s no getting around just doing the work. However, one of the best things I’ve learned is that preparation—no matter how small—can make a huge difference. It’s those little moments of planning ahead that have allowed me to feel less overwhelmed and more present. These are the things that have worked for me over the years, and I hope they inspire you to try them, too. Sometimes we just need a reminder or a fresh idea to get us back on track!