This post is sponsored by Store Brand Formula. All opinions are my own. Make sure to read to the end for a chance to win a $25 Visa gift card!

Parenting is hard. Such a simple but true statement. I’m on my third baby right now and man, I can tell you, it doesn’t get any easier. Sure, I’ve gained some confidence going through it two times before, but there are new and unique ways for babies and children to confound. Two of the most difficult parts of my day are getting my kids fed and my oldest to the bus stop for kindergarten; the second is getting dinner on the table. I know this can’t just be me! In order to not lose my mind, I’ve developed a few parenting hacks to help things go slightly more smoothly.

These hacks are all very simple, but amazingly helpful.

3 Simple Parenting Hacks that Have Simplified My Life

1. Organize Outdoor Gear

It’s just a hanging shoe organizer! Now that it’s winter, my kids need hats, gloves, mittens, ear warmers – all the teeny, tiny cold weather gear that used to get lost, or jumbled up in a basket or bin in the coat closet. This year, I’ve hung up a shoe organizer on the inside of the coat closet and designated rows for each child. Seriously, it’s so simple. But I can’t tell you how easy it is to get my kids bundled up on the way out the door when I know exactly where I can find what they need.

2. Organize Hair Accessories

Speaking of jumbled messes, the accessories for getting my daughter’s hair to look slightly presentable were a mess! I tried keeping everything in a basket, then plastic bags, but nothing really worked. Then I picked up a shower caddy at the dollar store and that solved the problems. Segmented compartments for the big hair bands for ponytails, little plastic hairbands for braids, her brush, her detangling spray. I just take the whole caddy to where she’s sitting, instead of digging around looking for what I need. Sure, this might only spare me a few minutes, but those few minutes are crucial!

3. Kitchen Scissors for the Win

This last hack I use all the time. My kids love spaghetti. It’s a mealtime mainstay at my house. And while it’s adorable to watch a baby make a mess out of a bowl of spaghetti, when it comes to older kids – not so cute. It seems to take years to master the fork twirl required to eat long noodles! So here comes the problem of kid-proofing spaghetti. I’ve tried breaking up the uncooked noodles into manageable bite-size pieces and that’s nice if you like having spaghetti confetti littering your countertops and floors. And cutting up bowls of spaghetti with a knife and fork is painstakingly slow. Then one day, it donned on me. Kitchen scissors! I grabbed my pair and cut the noodles up that way. It was so quick, easy and perfect. Then I just pop the scissors in the dishwasher! Again, I’m only saving minutes here, but when you’ve got two kids demanding dinner and a fussy baby wanting to be held, every minute – every second! – counts.

More Parenting Hacks That Will Simplify Your Life

I’m always on the hunt for parenting hacks to make life a little easier and I love the ones I’ve seen at Store Brand Formula’s Parents’ NewsFeed. The page includes many great parenting hacks, my personal favorite is preparing and storing formula. Navigating formula waters is pretty tricky!! Especially when it comes to storage, preparation, and – most importantly – getting the bottle prepped and to baby as quickly as possible! Check out the video below here. 

I love the videos on the NewsFeed in particular because they have a dash of humor and honestly, who couldn’t use a little laugh? Store Brand Formula wants to keep parents informed, while also enjoying a few chuckles, in this journey called parenthood. The website has so much information for new parents and not just about formula! You can learn about postpartum depression, SIDS, baby safety, being a working parent, a stay at home parent. There are so many topics covered on the website! It’s a great resource for parents.  

Store Brand Formula is also a great resource for parents. This is an FDA-regulated formula, comparable to brand names, but costs up to 50 percent less! And any formula feeding families knows that formula can be a huge cost. You can read more about the formula’s health and nutrition information here. 

Store Brand Formula wants to help prepare parents for formula feeding by offering a free download of its e-book “It’s Called Formula for a Reason.”

Share your favorite parenting hacks for a chance to win a $25 Visa giftcard

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Like this post?

Don’t forget to follow me on social media (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) to see more of what I’m up to in real life. If you like this post, you’ll love my social media accounts too! Want to know another way you can see more of what I love? Follow me on Pinterest.  I’d also love for you to pin this post to Pinterest if you liked it!