5 on Friday - Mom Hacks

I wrote this last week, but this seems to be a theme now!  Not that I'm complaining - bring on the mom hacks!  As a working mom I'm always looking for a way to keep our house running smoothly.

5 Favorite 'Mom Hacks'

1.
A while back April at Smidge of This did a roll call for Mom Hacks.  One suggestion was so awesome, I took it and ran.  We haven't looked back since:

Freeze PB&J's for lunches.

So simple but it saves SO MUCH TIME.  Ok, not really that much time but it also helps with the headache that is packing #wiggydiggy's lunch every night.  Every other Sunday we make a whole loaf of PB&J's and toss in the freezer.  That's 10 days of packed lunches done!  We just pull one out at night and leave in his lunch box in the fridge.

Up until this past month, we sent the little guy to school with leftovers from the night before.  Now he refuses to eat unless there's a sandwich in his box.  It's too repetitive for me so I always mix up the fruit, veggies, and dairy to keep lunch interesting.

2.
My laundry routine:

I hate doing multiple loads on a weekend.  I feel like it takes up so much time I could be spending with my boys, so I've perfected my laundry method over the past year.  My steps look long, but seriously, they have saved me so.much.time.

A) Toss all darks directly into washer (not hamper)
B) All whites go into hamper next to washer
C) Justin and I put our dress clothes in a hamper in our room.
- yes, this means I sort laundry every day -
D) As soon as the washer is full, set the delay start before work so I can switch the load at lunch
E) Switch whites to washer at lunch - delay start when the load gets full
F) Right after work Darks go to our bedroom
G) Fold clothes after #wiggydiggy goes to bed (and while watching netflix on the ipad)

This way I'm only folding one basket of clothes at a time.  I have stayed on top of laundry ever since I put this method in place.  Keeping the laundry sorted at all times has cut down the amount of time I spend washing clothes (and the delay feature on my machine is a heaven sent!)

3.
Lay out clothes the night before.

This seems so simple and it really, really is.
I do this for both the lil man and myself.  Most nights Justin does it too and he always says how much he likes it in the morning.

4.
Bath Time Work Out

#wiggydiggy gets a bath  every night and while he is splashing and playing away, I use some light weights and do a quick workout in the bathroom.  On the days I can't get the gym, I love knowing I'm getting at least some type of workout in.

Or....let's be totally honest here...I'll skip the workout and paint my nails instead.  #truestory

I also do my evening prep before getting him out of  the bath - wash my face, dry shampoo my hair, etc

5.
Meal Plan

UGH.  This is one is one of those hacks that everyone knows about but man alive, does it work!
I'm not super great at this, but on the weeks that I am I feel like the evenings go so much more smoothly.

General concept: pick meals for the week on the weekend and grocery shop to the list.
I always try to make extra so that I have leftovers to pack in my lunch.  The crock-pot is also one of my favorite ways to cook dinner without actually cooking dinner.

Any mom hacks you have and love?  Please share!