https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 09 May 2026 13:52:45 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-time-saving-short-cuts#post-665585 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 11:58:26 +0000 pregnantbee 665585@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@78h2o: This is the 1 million dollar question. I am always struggling to fit everything in. Some of the shortcuts here seem doable.</p> <p>- We use disposable diapers b/c they're so much easier.<br /> - I get LO's milk/food/daycare bag ready the night before, and my husband usually takes him in the morning. That will be changing in April, though, when I will take him 4 days/wk while DH picks up. I always find it so much harder to get out of the house in the morning and take LO to daycare, too!<br /> - I make sure all of the pump parts are clean and drying overnight so I just have to pack them up and grab them in the morning.<br /> - I try to pre-buy/pack lunch the night or day before, too.<br /> - We are liberal with the time between bathing our LO :)<br /> - Lately I've gone food shopping on Sunday for the week.</p> <p>Would love even more ideas if anyone has them! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-time-saving-short-cuts#post-665548 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 11:47:53 +0000 swurlygurl 665548@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@78h2o: Seriously cracking up at the thought of getting in an accident and having boobs out!! Also, there's just something about my MIL helping... I would have no problem asking my mom for help, but I've been so weird and resentful of MIL lately. It's almost like I don't want her to help. I'm just bitter that my mom lives so far away. I need to get over it so I can have some help! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-time-saving-short-cuts#post-665533 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 11:44:42 +0000 immabeetoo 665533@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@littlek: oh my goodness! I can't imagine mostly because my LO is a 30 minute napper and early riser most days. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-time-saving-short-cuts#post-665515 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 11:40:27 +0000 LindsayInNY 665515@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@78h2o: We're moving to an area with an A&amp;P in town and Trader Joes, Whole Foods and Stew Leonards all within 15-30 minute or so (totally guessing on time)! I think we're going to order online once a month (a huge order) and then make one other stop during the month for meat/cheese, produce, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-time-saving-short-cuts#post-665510 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 11:39:59 +0000 littlek 665510@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@78h2o: It has been a WEIRD winter.. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-time-saving-short-cuts#post-665509 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 11:39:53 +0000 skibobrown 665509@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We take a bath together every evening too! Now that the weather is warming up, I jog to DD's daycare w/ our stroller, and then I jog back with her in the stroller, in order to fit in a workout. We also throw some money at the problem. We hired a house cleaner, and we're thinking of hiring someone to help us out for a few hours every Sunday. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-time-saving-short-cuts#post-665498 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 11:37:05 +0000 littlek 665498@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@scg00387: That's nice your hubby can help. My DH works all the time (weekends included), my only baby-free time is nap time or when LO is asleep. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-time-saving-short-cuts#post-665462 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 11:30:12 +0000 78h2o 665462@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@scg00387: I do that too when she's napping on Sat/Sun. Definitely helps! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-time-saving-short-cuts#post-665460 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 11:29:21 +0000 78h2o 665460@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MaisyMay: I am always so amazed to hear about how you pump in the car. I have a long commute, so this would be a time saver, but I'm just afraid I'd get in a wreck and have my boobs out, lol! I may consider this for the drive home, but I'm not sure how to get set up discreetly in my work parking lot. I wouldn't do it on the way to work though because I would definitely spill all over myself.</p> <p>@littlek: I do all my prep the night before too - I lay out my clothes and LO's, prep her bottles/daycare bag, and pack my work bag and pump. You're right though, stuff still manages to pop up! Like this morning it was 4" of snow!</p> <p>@MamaMoose: I wish I could shower at night but I simply cannot wake up without a shower!</p> <p>@swurlygurl: Nothing wrong with asking for help if you need it! She'd probably love the time with your LO. I use AIOs so I don't have to stuff... I love BG Freetimes. If don't have time to fold them, I just throw them in a basket in her closet.</p> <p>@LindsayInNYC: I used to order groceries online, it does save time. The only thing is that we have a Wegmans nearby which I LOVE and they don't do delivery. I'd have to get groceries from Giant or something... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-time-saving-short-cuts#post-665438 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 11:25:47 +0000 immabeetoo 665438@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've found the best time saver for me (SAHM) is meal planning and prepping as much as possible on Sunday when DH can be 100% in charge of the baby. I don't cook every day (leftovers in between) but yesterday I chopped all the vegetables for dinner tonight, browned the meat for chili on wednesday, etc. I also often cook two batches of something and stick the other half in the freezer for weeks when I'm feeling lazy or sick. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-time-saving-short-cuts#post-665347 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:58:32 +0000 MaisyMay 665347@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>2 of my 6 pumping sessions are done while driving.<br /> I cook a lot with the crockpot.<br /> Shower while LO is sleeping at night, often showering with DH so that we can talk about our days/what's going on.<br /> 2 days a week I drop LO at daycare a few hours early so that I can do errands.<br /> DH leaves for work at 6 a.m. so that he can be off by 3:30. This means that I take care of LO until I drop her off at daycare between 10 and 11, but he picks her up at 4:15-4:30 while I work until 7. This gives us both bonding time with the baby, limits her time in daycare to no more than 6 hours a day, and makes it where we can both work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-time-saving-short-cuts#post-665340 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:56:16 +0000 littlek 665340@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I make all the daycare bottles and food the night before and lay out LOs clothes as well. But I still struggle to get out the door. Something unexpected always happens. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-time-saving-short-cuts#post-665285 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:41:34 +0000 MamaMoose 665285@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MrsTricycle suggested to me having all my outfits for the week ready to go on Sunday night which is a nice help because you don't even have to think about it.</p> <p>I always shower at night. I get in the bath with M and then I hop in the shower while hubs dries her off and gets her dressed for bed. I have really thick hair that takes forever to blow dry so I can shower at night and have my hair partially dry overnight and then I blow dry it in the morning. I either pump while I do my hair/brush my teeth, etc... or I pump one side while I nurse M on the other depending on whether she wakes up or not.</p> <p>I always get my lunch, my work bag and anything else I need in the morning ready the night before so I don't have to think in the morning. I just grab and go. I'm also lucky because hubs goes to work later than me so he does day care drop off so I pack up his bag the night before for him but I don't have to worry about getting the milk from the fridge, getting LO in the carseat, etc. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-time-saving-short-cuts#post-665261 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:34:20 +0000 mediagirl 665261@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@swurlygurl: THIS is another reason why I did disposable diapers. Time for cloth? No way. I can hardly keep enough clothes for the week clean, forget about diapers. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-time-saving-short-cuts#post-665239 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:30:26 +0000 swurlygurl 665239@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh man, I'm hoping for some great ideas from other moms... I was just thinking this morning how life is CHAOS!</p> <p>I have 3 piles of clean laundry on the floor because I just don't have time to deal with them, I can never get DD's diapers stuffed and put away so I have to stuff a diaper every time I change her, don't even get me started on the kitchen and living room, I'm dreading shorts/dress season because HOW will I find time to shave?</p> <p>DH is working soooo much that I hardly have any help with DD in the evenings... I'm really trying to not give in and ask my MIL for help, but it might come down to that :( </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-time-saving-short-cuts#post-665159 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:16:37 +0000 prettylizy 665159@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I just get less sleep! lol! For me mornings are a gong show so I have to get everything done at night. Lunches for all three of us are packed in the fridge before bed. I also make sure that her high chair and tray are clean before bed so that after I nurse her in the morning DH can just plop her in and let her eat while we mill around. </p> <p>Outfits are laid out on the dresser before bed too, that way there is not hemming and hawing about what to wear in the morning.</p> <p>We're also all about divide and conquer. I wake DD and nurse her while DH showers and dresses. Then he takes her, feeds her breakfast, makes our breakfast while I shower and get ready. Then I get her dressed and pack her bag up while he loads the cars. We've got it down to a pretty good routine, we're out the door in less than an hour in the mornings now. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-time-saving-short-cuts#post-665157 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:16:15 +0000 LindsayInNY 665157@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't have a LO yet but I know one of our time savers is going to be to order groceries online. We also plan on sending our laundry out (we don't have a washer/dryer in unit). This should free up nights and weekends a bit!</p> <p>Also, we currently make lunches on Sunday nights - DH and I will make 3-4 sandwiches each (put the condiment in between meat and cheese so the bread doesn't get soggy!), portion out carrots and whatnot. Then in the morning we grab a sandwich, bag of carrots or yogurt or whatever and a bag of Pirates Booty (me) or pretzels (DH!) Makes things a ton easier! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-time-saving-short-cuts#post-665150 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:14:19 +0000 bunnylove08 665150@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>my apt is a disaster because I spend all my free time with DD, so any tips would be great! I also applaud you for being able to pump and blow dry your hair!!!! Thats Crazy! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-time-saving-short-cuts#post-665144 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:13:49 +0000 78h2o 665144@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mediagirl: I am lucky she likes her "exercise mat"! She plays while I'm pumping/blow drying. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-time-saving-short-cuts#post-665131 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:09:53 +0000 mediagirl 665131@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I applaud you for being able to pump and dry your hair at the same time WITH a baby under foot!! </p> <p>I have no helpful tips. My life is a disaster as a working mom. Haha!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/share-your-time-saving-short-cuts#post-665126 Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:08:34 +0000 78h2o 665126@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Since returing to work, I'm finding there are not enough hours in the day to do everything I need to do and take care of my LO! I've been forced to do some things differently to fit everything in. I've read that multi-tasking isn't all that effective, but sometimes it's a necessity.</p> <p>For example, I found that I never have time to give J a bath in the evenings. The morning isn't much better. So, in order to avoid having a smelly baby, I've started giving her a bath while I'm taking a shower. I have a huge, gorgeous, shower that easily fits her baby tub... I've found that this allows her to have a leisurely bath and me to have a long hot shower. I can sit in the hot water and play with her toys, wash her hair, etc! The shower had been great "me" time, but she's in such a good mood in the morning that I don't mind sharing with her (for now, while she's young)!</p> <p>I've also found it helpful to pump while I blow dry my hair. </p> <p>Have you found any ways to save time or multi-task??? I need more ideas! </p>