27 Stay-at-Home Mom Hacks That You Need to Know

As a stay-at-home mom, I often find myself juggling a million tasks at once. Caring for the kids, managing the household, and trying to carve out a little time for myself….

Needless to say, life as a stay-at-home mom can get a little hectic. But over the past six-ish years, I’ve learned a few tricks to make my daily routine more enjoyable.

Whether it’s a clever organization trick or a tip for saving money, I’ve got you covered! These “stay-at-home mom hacks” can help you simplify your life and make the most of your time at home.

So let’s get started!

1. Fine-Tune Your Morning Routine

It feels like there’s SO much to do every morning and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. But it can really help to get a good handle on the morning routine.

Do your mornings feel a little chaotic? Sign up for my free 7-day Morning Makeover Challenge and discover how you can start fine-tuning your routine right away.

2. Scan Receipts to Earn Rewards

The shopping apps I’ve used in the past were a total waste of time. However, I recently discovered Fetch, an app that rewards you for scanning receipts. I’ve already cashed out several times so it’s totally worth it! You can sign up here.

3. Keep Coffee Warm With an Insulated Mug

If you’re a mom, you’re probably used to re-heating your coffee. But what if you didn’t have to? An insulated mug (with a handle, of course) keeps your coffee warm for HOURS.

4. Get Cash Rewards for Fuel Purchases

Other than Fetch, the only other rewards app I’ve found to be worth my time is Upside. This one gives cash back on fuel purchases.

I don’t usually need to fill up often, but it’s still worth signing up. Because I signed up through my husband’s link, he earns cash back on my fuel purchases (on top of his own rewards).

5. Invest in Shoe Baskets

Tired of tripping over shoes? I was, too. So, I invested in a few cube baskets – one for each kid – and placed them on the bottom shelf of our entryway table. 

This way, we can quickly pick them up and toss them into the appropriate basket (and everyone can find their shoes). 

6. Go for the “Quick Win”

If the house is a mess and you don’t even know where to begin, go for the “quick win.” In other words, what can you do that will make the biggest impact in the shortest amount of time? For me, it’s clearing off the dining table and wiping down counters.

Once you get that motivation ball rolling, there’ll be no stopping you!

7. Declutter Clothes Seasonally

Kids clothing quickly gets overwhelming. They grow SO fast and they’re constantly outgrowing their clothes. So four times a year – with every season change – I scour drawers and closets to remove what no longer fits. Then I either save it for the next kid or donate.

I keep “saved” clothes in a tote, which I also scour for anything that the girls might have recently grown INTO. Finally, I take note of anything that might be missing from their wardrobes.

8. Declutter Toys Before Special Occasions

I also like to declutter toys seasonally and get rid of anything that’s broken. We’ve donated quite a few baby toys or things the girls haven’t played with in a while. If nothing else, I try to declutter before birthdays and Christmas — BEFORE bringing in new things!

9. Don’t Allow Donations to Pile Up

I’m constantly adding things to the “donations” tote, so it fills up fast. The goal is to drop it off at a local thrift store as soon as the tote is full, or after major decluttering sessions. I usually drop off donations 3-4 times per year, which helps to keep clutter to a minimum.

10. Sell Baby Items for Extra Cash

Baby gadgets sell like hotcakes on local Facebook meetup groups. I’ve been listing gently used items in my local group, and it’s always the baby and toddler things that sell. So if you need to clear out some clutter while making extra cash, this one is a win-win!

11. Grocery Shop Bi-Weekly

Does it feel like you’re constantly shopping for groceries? Planning ahead and ordering online through Walmart’s app have been huge lifesavers!

I prefer to shop every two weeks, rather than weekly. With thoughtful planning, we have plenty of food to last until the next grocery day. And if we happen to need a couple extra things, I can make a quick trip to a nearby grocery store.

12. “Batch” Similar Tasks

“Batching” is simply completing similar tasks together. For example, I like to schedule my grocery pick up orders for a time when I’m already in town. Or, I’ll clean up the dishes and load the dishwasher once dinner is in the oven. 

13. Create a Shared Family Calendar

This could be a paper calendar or digital. I prefer digital because I can immediately enter appointments on my phone. And this way, my husband is aware of anything that’s coming up.

Plus, you can sync it from your phone to your Skylight calendar.

14. Create a Family Command Center

A command center is simply a place to keep a family calendar and important information. My command center has a dry-erase calendar, blackboard, markers, and hanging baskets. The baskets are great for keeping homework and important information from school.

15. Digitize Your Cleaning Schedule

When creating a cleaning schedule, I broke bigger tasks up into smaller, more manageable tasks. Then I scheduled them into my Google calendar — one or two small tasks per day. (If you have a Skylight calendar you can sync them up so everyone knows what needs to be done on any given day.)

16. Have Weekly “Pizza and a Movie” Nights

Pizza and movie nights have made my life so much easier. Every Friday night, we use paper plates and eat pizza while watching a movie. That’s one night every week that I don’t have to put much effort into cooking (and cleanup).

17. Learn a New Language

Is your brain starting to feel like mush? Even as stay-at-home moms, we need to exercise our minds, and there are lots of ways to do that.

You could listen to podcasts about topics that interest you. You could take an online course and learn a new skill. Or you could learn a new language…

About eight months ago, I opened up the Duolingo app and chose a new language at random. And now I’m learning Scottish Gaelic.

To be honest, I only spend about three minutes on it most days. But you’d be surprised how much you can learn in just three minutes a day!

18. Digitize the Kids’ Artwork

If you’re drowning in kid art, it might be time to declutter. Each of my girls has their own three-ring binder, where I save some of my favorites. But we clearly can’t keep everything, which is where digitizing comes in.

Take a photo, save it in a digital album, then toss the original – guilt-free.

19. Automate Recurring Tasks

Autopay isn’t the only way to automate recurring tasks. You can also Subscribe & Save on items like diapers, cat litter, and pet food through Amazon and Chewy.

We had a propane tank at one of our previous houses, and it was slightly annoying to have to keep track of the propane level. So we had someone come over regularly to top it off, which took a load off my mind.

If you make a list of all the things you do regularly, I bet you’ll find other ways to automate — and therefore simplify — your life.

20. Invest in Washable Name Labels

You can apply washable name labels – like our favorite, Name Bubbles – to nearly anything. Water bottles, clothes, and even the insides of shoes.

Put them through the washing machine or dishwasher and they won’t come off (at least, until you decide to remove them). 

21. Find a Creative Outlet

Having some sort of project or creative hobby will give you a sense of purpose (and something to look forward to every day!).

22. Outsource Time-Consuming Tasks

Overwhelmed and desperately need help? There’s nothing wrong with outsourcing some of the most tedious, time-consuming tasks.

Ordering groceries for pick-up is my favorite way to outsource because it’s free. But if you have a little money in the budget, then hiring help could be a huge lifesaver, even if it’s every once in a while.

Some areas have laundry services that will pick up and deliver. And there are always people looking for side gigs, like shoveling snow or mowing the lawn. (Personally, I’d love if I could afford to hire a housekeeper!)

23. Keep a Vinegar Spray Bottle in the Shower

Cleaning the shower is the worst! But it’s SO much easier if you keep a spray bottle of cleaner in the shower, then spritz it down after every shower. Personally, I prefer white distilled vinegar because my lungs can’t handle harsh chemicals.

And if it needs a little extra scrubbing power, I’ll just take a clean washcloth or a scrub brush into the shower with me.

24. Invest in a Robovac/mop

Sadly, my robovac has recently stopped working, but it served us well over the years. It was especially nice when we had lots of wood laminate flooring, which showed every speck of dirt.

Daily vacuuming was required to keep dust bunnies (and hair from our three cats) at bay. And I did NOT have the energy to do it myself. Every. Single. Day.

A robotic mop would be spectacular. And they’re actually much more affordable than I had thought. Some of the more inexpensive vacuum/mop combos are around $150.

(I know what I’ll be adding to my wish list!)

25. Simplify Your Laundry Routine

Sitting down to fold a mountain of laundry… Well, I doubt it’s anyone’s idea of a good time. To make it a little less daunting, I’ve discovered the magic of “one load a day.” 

Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean I fold and put it away that same day, but still…

Another way I simplify laundry is to wash everyone’s clothes separately. This way, I don’t have to look at tags to figure out what belongs to whom. I also keep sheets separate from clothes, and I wash towels and jeans together twice a week.

Separating everything has truly been life-changing.

26. Listen to Audiobooks While You Clean

Some people like to blast music while they clean… I prefer to listen to an audiobook through my wireless earbuds. You can download audiobooks (and eBooks) using apps like Hoopla and Audible.

Sign up for a free trial of Audible Premium and get access to the Audible Plus Catalog of podcasts, audiobooks, guided wellness, and Audible Originals — PLUS you’ll receive a credit to use on one of their premium selection titles, which is yours to keep once your trial is over.

27. Keep Rice Packs in the Freezer

Rice packs save the day any time there’s a bump or bruise – these babies get cold, but not too cold. We keep a variety of rice and bean bags in the freezer so they’re ready to go at any given moment.

What are your favorite stay-at-home mom hacks? Let me know in the comments!

More Content For Stay-at-Home Moms:

Creating A Stay at Home Mom Cleaning Schedule (That You Can Actually Follow)

31 Days of Fun Things to Do With Your Family at Home

How to Be a Productive Stay-at-Home Mom (Without the Overwhelm)