One of our readers recently asked a GREAT question and the community had so many awesome responses we wanted to share them here.
“I’m a new mom to a 5-month-old, and I desperately need some lazy genius hacks for pretty much everything đ đ . I feel like I’m drowning. All my previous routines for laundry, cooking, and cleaning are non-existent now.
I’m home with her most of the time and am a photographer trying to balance work and baby. It’s super overwhelming. Sheâs a Velcro baby who doesnât like being put down, and her naps are short and all over the place.
I’d love to hear any tips for making life a bit smoother with a baby! “
Best “Getting Things Done” Baby Advice From Real Moms
â”My Velcro baby contact napped until around 6 months, and the approach that worked for me was to tackle tasks during his wake windows and treat his naptime as rest time for both of us. This mindset was a game-changer! It meant focusing on things I could do with him, so I had to prioritize what really needed to be done. I ended up doing a lot of dusting, laundry, and vacuuming since he was okay with those activities. On the other hand, bathrooms and mopping didn’t get much attention.”
â”First off, try to embrace the season you’re in. I know it can be tough, but some chores can wait until you have time. Carrier naps have been a game-changer for my 5-month-old! We still manage some crib naps, but if she refuses to nap or wakes up early (after about 30 minutes), I use the carrier to get a full nap in. A portable white noise machine is essential for us, especially with her 3-year-old brother running around. I can still get things done while she sleeps in the carrier.”
â”One thing that’s been helping me with laundry is putting a load in at night and setting it to start overnight. That way, it’s ready to switch first thing in the morning, and I already feel like I’ve accomplished something. If your washer doesn’t have that option, finding a routine that works for you might still be helpful. “Another great hack I learned is to cook up a large batch of ground beef or sausage (like 5 lbs) instead of just one. Then, freeze the cooked meat in portions. It makes meal prep so much easier since you have cooked meat ready for quick breakfasts or dinners. Having sausage ready for breakfast and ground beef for various dinner recipes has been a lifesaver. đ”
â”Check out Taking Cara Babies! She helped me so much! My now one-year-old is a consistent napper, in his own crib, and puts himself to sleep! If nothing else, she makes you feel like you arenât going to go crazy and arenât alone! You said your mom is available to help, my mom comes to my house once a week, for two hours, and does an all over clean! It is so nice and has allowed me to not feel like I need to spend all weekend cleaning. She has also done things like going through my baby’s dresser and cleaning out all of the too-small stuff or cleaning and reorganizing my kitchen cupboards and pantry! It does get better, I promise! The first year is just very involved!”
â”Let it go. This season is so short, so if you can, ignore the housework and focus on bonding with your baby. Wearing the baby in a wrap was a game-changer for us. Iâd also sit cross-legged with the baby on my legs and fold laundryâsometimes using the baby as a playful surface for a peek-a-boo game. Most importantly, give yourself lots of grace. We’ve all been there, and itâs impossible to do everything alone. Donât pressure yourself to meet unrealistic expectations.”
â”I have a son who just turned two, and I remember realizing two key things: trying to achieve more than one goal a day was setting myself up for failure, and I needed to feel productive with house tasks because baby tasks didnât give the same sense of satisfaction. This was crucial to recognize with my husband, who took on many chores to help out. I didnât want to feel like he was “cleaning up after me. If you feel the same, having your mom or someone else take over baby duties for a bit so you can tackle some house tasks can be a game changer. It makes you feel accomplished. And if youâre trying to sleep or work during that time, definitely use white noise or other sounds to block out what’s going on with the baby!”
â”Hi mama! Iâve got a three-month-old and a toddler, so I totally get it. Youâre doing amazing, even though itâs so hard. My biggest lazy genius principle right now is to start small. I had everything organized before the baby, but that went out the window with a newborn. Just slowly start incorporating a few minutes of things that matter and build from there. I mean super small steps, like clearing a counter of junk, folding a load of laundry, or just saying “oh well” and reading a book for thirty minutes. Start small and live in your seasonâthere will be more time for routines as they get older.”
âI have three kids and felt the same way with my first! It’s easy to say, “just let it go” (because if there was ever a time, this is it), but I know how hard that is when youâre living through it. Try picking one thing each day (or on days you have the energy) thatâs driving you nuts and tackle it when the baby rests, even if itâs as small as wiping down a bathroom sink. It wonât make a huge difference, but youâll feel better. I also suggest doing laundry at night. Start a load around dinner, move it to the dryer at bedtime, and then whoever’s up first can fold it. Sometimes itâs a progressive fold, but that’s okay. With my second and third, I had a cleaning service come in twice a month to handle the kitchen, bathrooms, and living/dining room area. It wasnât too expensive and really helped reduce my stress levels!
â”I used to make a to-do list and arrange items by how long they took, like in 5-minute, 10-20 minute, 30-minute rows. That way, when the baby was sleeping, I didnât have the panic of âWhat was I needing to do?!â and forgetting everything. If you know your baby is likely to nap for only 20 minutes, tackle a 20-minute job first (itâs okay if she wakes and cries for a few minutes while you finish up). If sheâs still sleeping, pick a 5-minute job or something shorter. This helped me avoid decision fatigue about what needed to be done and what to prioritize. And definitely schedule yourself some meal timesâthose are always #1 priority âjobs.â Even if you prep something early to eat while folding laundry in that 20-minute slot. đ”
â”Freezer meal prep, dump meals, and disposable dishes can save you a lot of time. Consider using a laundry service and scheduling a robot vacuum to run regularly. Close off rooms you donât use to keep things more manageable. And try to get out of the house as much as possible because babies canât dirty a house theyâre not in! (This last tip will be useful for the next few years too!)”
â”I had a Velcro baby too, and baby wearing was the only way I could get anything done. Iâd often throw a load of laundry in first thing in the morning with the goal of having it folded and put away by the end of the day.”
â”I felt the same way with my son, but I learned to let go of all those expectations and just enjoy my time with my babyâseriously, it goes by fast. Let the dishes pile up a bit, skip vacuuming the floors for a day. Itâs not worth the stress. It gets easier as they get older. My son is 22 months now, and I can finally get a little bit done around the house while heâs home with me.”