11 Back to School Mom Hacks

boys checker tee // logo long sleeve tee // girls skinny jean //  boys logo tee // letterman jacket // girls patched cargo jacket // my cargo jacket // jeans // heels // sunnies 

1. Lunch box woes? Wanna keep their food separated? No problem. Place cupcake holders in your kids lunch box and food will no longer touch.
2. Picky Dresser? I have four. So as you can imagine getting dressed can be really stressful. I let them pick their own shoes and I put out their clothes the night before. We discuss it so no surprises and when they come home they can slip right into their favorite (may I add ratty) running shorts and flip flops. We can’t win every battle but compromise helps!
3. Speaking of organizing closets, do you know you can use shower curtain hooks on their closet rod to keep jewelry bags and even jeans organized.
4. Keep Canker Sores at Bay. My friend Aylin told me about BORAX homeopathic for canker sores and it works! Also take B complex and dab some milk (yes, milk!) directly on their canker sore.
5. Use a Lazy Susan in the fridge for the most grabbed for condiments – for us its the pickles, maple syrup and ketchup. No more, “mom, where’s the ketchup?!” Well, no guarantees.
6. Need Meals in a pinch? 20 Freezer recipes for those long homework and no time to cook kind of nights. Wait, isn’t that every night? Ha, I’m kidding. I’m also sharing 3 of our go-to recipes HERE.  And sharing my go-to dressing recipes on the blog HERE.
7. After school Slump? Make Energy Balls! After you make them, place them in the freezer and they’re a great snack with chocolate AND fiber. The latter they will never know about. NO BAKE ENERGY BITES 1 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup chocolate chips, 1/2 cup ground flaxseed meal, 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup. Arrange in balls and freeze until set. About an hour. Enjoy!
8. Schedule is EVERYTHING. My friend Eva puts her kids on the school schedule one month prior to school starting so they ease into school without the shock factor and sour attitudes.
9. MAKE AHEAD for that rainy day. Make chicken or vegetable soup in a large batch and freeze in individual portions for those days they will get sick at school. I like this recipe. Also, make a batch of sugar cookies and freeze them in dough balls for that day your child is asked to bring a dozen cookies. You know if will happen!
10. Need to get grape juice out of clothes? My daughter spilled the communion juice on her new dress Sunday and I just about flipped. I ended up putting soap on it immediately then soaking it in Dawn soap when I got home and running it through the wash. Violà! I also found this recipe: Mix one tablespoon of white vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of liquid laundry detergent with one quart of warm water. Soak in this solution for 15 minutes. If the stain remains, sponge with rubbing alcohol and rinse thoroughly
11. Did the kids leave crayons in the car melting in the summer heat? Mine did today actually. They left 5 crayons in the cup holders and I hurry googled how to get crayons off of plastic after I made them try and clean it of course. Here’s what I found to help: Spray the affected plastic with WD-40 or another oil-based car part lubricant. Vinylex Quick Wipes by Lexol also work wonders. Leave it on for 3 minutes. Wipe the plastic with a soft cloth. If any residue remains, wash it off in a circular motion with warm, soapy water and a sponge.

It’s YOUR turn, what are some of your smart hacks?

I’m sure I left some out, I’d love to hear your tips!