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Ninja Mom Hacks- How I keep my sanity... with organization!

I am NOT a stay at home mom, that would be too difficult- and I like my job.  My job is my vacation :) - props to you stay@home peeps.      I am a full time high school counselor and my husband is a 6th grade teacher + an Air Force Officer in the Reserves.

Here is how I keep my sanity...    My ultimate Ninja Mom Hacks:

1) Sunday Night-  is YOUR time.  Devote 2 hours to yourself and the week ahead.  Make no plans, and be HOME.... easy dinner in crockpot.. husband takes the kids (sorry, this is not Wine Time... yet).  Here is the to-do list for a stress free week.


  • Get all clothing ready:  kids clothing in easy to find/reach bundles for the week.  Little minions bag packed for daycare- for all week (diapers, supplies, clothing).   Your clothing (5 outfits) ready in order hanging in the closet {bonus points for undies/socks/jewelry there too}.   
  • School aged kids:  they clean out backpacks, get organized...everything by the door. 
  • Figure out meals for the week... which is also lunches the next day.    If time, cook one of them.  I usually do an extra pasta dish, easy lunches! 
  • Pack my lunch/snacks & minions lunch. 
  • Get my bag ready...computer, etc.
  • All items by back door. 
  • Look at the calendar & Notebook (below)--what can you do Sunday night to make this week easier.. can you pack for soccer practice now?   Are uniforms cleaned and ready to go for the Game Saturday?    It's all about EARLY preparation... no running around in a panic on Wed night.  
  • Did I mention the kids need to be gone...this is your alone time...   put on some music.    When done.. Wine time! 

2)  My Notebook- a living breathing object.
  • It's my book of lists, notes, all things that need to be written down.   
  • Buy this book- it's amazing and has the BEST hacks:  
  • No more post-its and small papers everywhere.  This book explains in detail how to use a Notebook (mine is 5x7 and I paid $13 on TinyPrints for better quality with photo covers).    
  • A Notebook & a Calendar (i use my iPhone) is ALL you need to keep organized.  
  • What does Living and Breathing mean?  I use it all the time, open it multiple times a day, treat it with respect, and believe it has positive energy.  No, I am not a wierdo, I just have to have that mentality so I make myself use it constantly.   At work it is my voicemail list, my to-do list, my "don't forget to do this list".    At the end of EVERY DAY you will learn (from the book) to stop everything and open the Notebook, write your list for tomorrow.. refer to today's list to see if you missed something.   You will be ready for tomorrow before you leave work today.  It's an amazing feeling!     Amazon-- buy the book!  
3) Pay for Services.. Time is Money!  
  • I found a woman who works in a packing house who wanted extra money.  For $15 an hour she comes in on Sunday mornings and scrubs my house.     Please do not roll your eyes just yet- "we cannot afford that"...   Time is money.   The money you pay the housekeeper, is time w/your kids!  Time to do other things that you can't do during the week.  This is a zoo or park trip for us.  We come home to a clean house-  and it costs us $60 every Sunday.     Look at your budget and you may be surprised, where you can cut to save.     We are just that busy... we pay for certain services... this is one of them.    My husband actually cut the yard guy, he wanted to do it... so the money we save on the yard goes to our housecleaner.   My lady saves the money for her twin girls school clothing...  it's a win-win for all of us.  Start with Facebook asking for references... I promise you will find a trusting person to help you.  
  • Dry Cleaning, Yard Maintenance... what other things in your life can you find the budget for and pay $$ for.    
4) Babysitters--- this gets it's own bullet line. 
  • You need a village... repeat... YOU NEED A VILLAGE to raise children.  Finding a college age babysitter (this is not DAYCARE, this is extra) was the best thing I did when I had my 2nd minion.   
  • You will pay more for this service...  But it is IN-HOME CARE!    My rate is $10 an hour, but when kids go to bed and the sitter gets to watch TV and play on my internet- I pay her $5 an hour... she gets paid to play/text friends and just make sure the kids are asleep!  
  • Here is the lengthly list of reasons why you need a trusted college-age student to help:
    • Date Nights-  we have one ONCE a week!   4-6 times a month :)  Hello Wine w/my husband.   Kids go to bed at 8pm, so I am only paying $5 an hour 8-10pm.   SCORE! 
    • We both have meetings, late nights, work events.   Sitter picks them up from school, she has car seats! 
    • She tidies up my house while she babysits.
    • She makes dinner, cleans up kitchen (coming home to a clean kitchen, priceless)
    • Kid has fever, you have to pick them up from school/daycare--- Hello Village!  She gets out of class, comes over and you go back to work.   (No Mom guilt here... I have meetings, the minion is teething... he is fine and playing happily... Hello Village).    This will cost you more $ at $10 an hour.. but if you are like me... I have major responsibility at work..  hard for me or my husband to miss.  
    • She watches little minion so you can take bigger minion to fun places-  and have quality time w/just the big one.  
    • She can run errands for us...   almost like an assistant.  (Again, paying for services)
    • Appointments-  we have a standing Wednesday night appts day.  This means ALL appts for husband and I are on Wed.    Babysitter knows every WED is her day to pick up kids, do dinner, & watch them.    This is our day to get all appts in: drs, dentist, chiro, acupuncture, counseling, nails, hair, facials, DMV, the list is LONG!    If we don't have ANY appts... DATE NIGHT!  Or we go to appt. together then out for dinner & wine!  A standing day per week for all APPTS has gotten our calendar under control!   
5) Wake up WAY before the kids...
  • Every mommy blog talks about it...  suck it up.  I am up at 5am everyday.   Little minion is up by 6:30am.  This gives me 90 minutes to do any of the following:
    • Get ready!!!  Really, you need to be 100% ready before the kids get up
    • workout
    • clean up
    • read
    • ME time!  quiet w/coffee 
    • do a load of laundry
    • put my laundry away
    • unload dishwasher
    • prep crockpot
    • You decide- but think about it--90 minutes is a LONG time :) 
    • The book above talks about the power of mornings...  the way we start our day will set the tone for the day.  Same for Monday mornings- this sets the tone for the WEEK!  
6)  Shower the Night before... and hug your hot rollers.
  • I NEVER use a hair-dryer.  I let it dry naturally, wake up and throw large hot rollers in.  My hair takes 3 minutes every day!    
  • I do not care too much about my hair/make up for work.  I really don't have that many people to impress.     
  • It only takes me 10-15 min to get ready in the morning.    My other 70 minutes is used drinking coffee watching the sun come up, enjoying the quiet house, and getting small tasks done.   I love my mornings and decided a long time ago that I did not want to spend more than 25 minutes getting ready.   
7) Kids are free labor! 
  • My 5 year old can do his own laundry- start to finish!  Tide Pods are the BEST things ever!
  • He puts away all laundry for him and the 2 year old
  • He cleans his room
  • I then pay him for all other chores that I really don't want to do!   
  • I budget about $5 a week in chores for him.  If he does them, he gets paid.  
  • Get on Pinterest for GREAT board and chore ideas.   
  • THEY ARE FREE LABOR!!   
  • Did you know the most successful adults had to do chores as a child!   No lie! 



8) Find your Joy...
  • Whatever brings you joy... find it and do it often.     
    • quiet mornings with coffee? 
    • playing at the park w/kids? 
    • alone time to clean & cook? 
    • Date nights w/hubby? 
    • Wine alone outside on the patio? 
  • If it brings a smile... then fight for more time to do it.     Your sanity as a mom is everything...  When your stress is lower, so is the kids and EVERYONE is happier! 

Find your village, figure out the budget to pay for services, and buy that book above.  I promise you will get your Sanity back :) 

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