Parenting has always been a tough job. Everything is a hazard, things seem to get lost at the most inconvenient of times, and food can end up anywhere but your children’s tummies. And even if our moms and dads are willing to teach us a thing or two about parenting, you will always find yourself screaming for an instruction manual.
Good thing we have parents who are more than eager to lend a hand through these 70 simple parenting hacks!
1) The Big Lady Herself
This is a straight up Martha Stewart hack. Keep cords out of the way and cleaned up with a simple basket hung from the ceiling. If you’re handy, you can make a hole in the floor so that everything goes underneath!
2) Repurpose Those Babies
Not the kids, but your socks! If you don’t have any, you can get them at any dollar store in fun colors. They are so much cheaper than baby tights or leggings and work just as well.
3) Find Your Board
Whether it’s a cutting board, or a brand new pice of plywood, finding a board to use to turn your bottom drawer into a step is not difficult or expensive.
4) They Can Do Anything
The best thing about silverware organizers is that they are actually designed to fit in any drawer. So using them to store and seperate is just perfect, especially since the plastic ones are so cheap.
5) Keeps the Sand Out
You know those mesh bags you use for laundry or stuffed animals? Turns out, they make the pefect beach toy keeper too. The sand doesn’t stay and the toys are all together.
6) The Everything Pouch
There are a lot of uses for shoe organizers. One of the most useful would be hanging it on the back of your seat in the car and storing your child’s things in it. On-the-go hacks never cease to pan out.
7) Martha Stewart of Planning
You can get picture frames and dry erase markers at the dollar store and have yourself everything you need to plan your month. Put scrapbook paper in the picture frame for extra cute wipe off boards.
8) You Know Whose is Whose
Kids are always looking for a certain cup to get a drink of water. With a few magnets, you can stick cups to your fridge for easy access. Even better if your fridge has a water dispenser.
9) Snow in July
You can get InstaSnow or fake snow at nearly any Dollar General. Add a few new animals and you have yourself a whole afternoon of playtime, especially for kids who never get to play in real snow.
10) Time to Paint
Who even uses those old plastic tablecloths or paint dropcloths? Wait a second, every parent should! They are perfect for an easy cleanup after craft time, and kids love to play on them.
11) Comfy Too
This is perfect for the kid with a lot of stuffed animals and little space for them. Turn them into a chair with a little bit of fabric or cheap sheets! They’ll love sitting comfortably while looking for their favorite pal.
12) Clean Up the Gamer Mess
Gaming stuff is messy. There are cords everywhere, controllers lying around, and consoles all mixed up. Organizing it all is easy with a few cheap bins and shower caddies.
13) Muffin for the Win
Muffin tins are so useful as a parent! One of the best things to do with them is to make them a craft organizer for craft time. They can even be stored in a drawer like this.
14) Could Have Been a Lifesaver
Wish I would have known this when I was a kid. Parents, jot this one down. If you mix fabric softener with hot water to defrizz and detangle any doll’s hair.
15) Safe and Fierce
Kids love to playfight with swords, but do you really feel comfortable with this? You can with a PVC pipe and cheap pool noodles. Easy and fun!
16) They’ll Never Hurt You
With a bottle of Febreze or even an empty spray bottle from the dollar store, you can make your kid feel comfortable at night. Monsters hate this spray and won’t go anywhere near where you spritz.
17) Box of Fun
Spent five to ten dollars at the dollar store and you have a whole box of fun or long trips or even to grandma’s house. Perfect for taking a break when it’s too cold for stretching your legs.
18) And a Massage
While these may be available online, making them is just as easy. Grab a few fabric markers and your kids will love driving their cars all over your back. What a silly game!
19) Christmas is Here
With Christmas approaching, you’re going to want to make sure your kids have that Christmas Countdown ready. One of the best ways is to hang a shoe organizer from the door and fill it with dollar store goodies.
20) To-Go Please
You can buy these condiment containers for a 100 at a whack for just a dollar or two. They are perfect for storing pacifiers that you just can’t drop in your diaper bag.
21) Finally a Better Way
Who doesn’t have a grocery bag in the car each trip so they can stuff it with all of their trash? This way looks much better and is more efficient too. Get yourself a cereal container and you have yourself a car trash.
22) Any Prize
Having a prize box around is never a bad idea. Whenver your kid does something “nice” or “generous,” he gets a prize out of the box to unwrap. You just keep it filled with dollar store gifts!
23) No More Clogs
Kids always use too much toilet paper, they are notorious for it. So help them remember how much to use by marking the wall. That way, at least they know when they use too much.
24) This is Necessary
Organizing your medicine is crucial when your kids start walking. Keeping the dangerous stuff away from the young ones and making it easy for the older kids is not something you’ll regret.
25) Never Forget
When you have a million other things on your mind, it’s not easy to remember if you have given your child her medicine or not. With nothing but a marker, you’ll never lose track again.
26) Caddy Wins Again
Another shower caddy hack that will serve you well. Kids have trouble staying clean when eating in the car. This carrier makes it easy for them to eat mess-free and stress-free.
27) They’re for Toothbrushes
Straws seem to get all over the place and can never stay clean. Get toothbrush holders for them and you’ll never wonder of those disposable drinking tools are up to par.
28) Mason Tricks
Mason jars never do us wrong. Attach them to the wall or under your cabinet for easy organization that looks absolutely adorable. Plus, the kids can’t reach them!
29) No Drip Trick
Kids can never eat popsicles fast enough for them not to drip. But with a pack of cupcake liners, that will no longer be a problem. Drip on, Bill and Ted.
30) For Learning to Count
When you want to teach your kids how to count money, make piggy banks out of small tupperware. Each one will carry a different coin! It makes a great prize for when the job is mastered.
31) Job Tackled!
Tackle boxes and craft organizers make the perfect storage containers for just about anything kids use. In this case, their hair ties and barettes because we all know those seem to disappear.
32) Away at Night
During the day, the best way to keep things clean is to have a designated basket for each kid to put their stray toys. At night, they can grab them and put them all away before bed.
33) Paint Away
You can get these cups for free at Starbucks or a few dollars at the dollar store. They make the perfect mess-free way to paint. This easel is at your service.
34) Never Break Another
Glitter ornaments have two problems. They are either glass or they shed glitter all over your house. Make your own with plastic Christmas balls and a little glitter.
35) On-the-Go Artist
An old DVD case or one from the dollar store can give your little artist the pefect coloring case to release their inner Picasso. They can even decorate the outside too!
36) Better Than the Fridge
Not everyone likes a hundred magnets and scratches all over their fridge. For those parents, you can get a pizza pan and mount it to the wall for your kid to scratch to their heart’s content.
37) Glow Bath
There isn’t a little kid alive that wouldn’t love a bath full of glowsticks. You can pick them up at any dollar store and then get crackin’.
38) Works for Allergies Too
Kids with allergies tend to wear bracelets. But what about other kids who don’t even know their last name? Get them one with your phone number on it!
39) Winter Dream
A pack of plastic cups, some yarn, and a few round head fasteners will keep all of your scarves and gloves oragnized by the door. Each kiddo will even pick a favorite slot.
40) Fool Them for a While
This warm glove may not fool your toddler for long, but it’ll be long enough to get a load of laundry in the wash. They’ll never know you stepped away.