When you are a mom, life changes, drastically. Each stage of motherhood, from newborn to teenagers, has different needs. Thankfully there are items that will help make things easier, or at least give you a moment’s peace! These are some items I have found helpful or love!

Keurig

If you’re a coffee drinker, having a Keurig is wonderful. Coffee gets cold or stale and it’s nice to be able to make a cup when you have a minute. We got the dual, pot and individual cup and we love it. It’s great when your husband works shifts and you are always drinking coffee at different times!

Leggings with Pockets

I loved pockets before having kids but even more so now. If you need to run out the door it’s handy to have a pocket for your phone and keys. I also love my jeans but I found for the first year they weren’t as comfortable for sitting and nursing (which I did a lot of). I’m glad to be back in my jeans now that we are more active, but still love those leggings with pockets!

Dry Shampoo

I didn’t start using dry shampoo until after E was born. As it became apparent I would have to leave the house with messy hair, I caved and bought dry shampoo. It’s still not my favourite but I can’t deny how helpful it is in a tight spot.

Bins/Baskets

Maybe I’m weird and just like to keep things in bins but I find them so handy! It’s so much easier to keep the house tidy when you can shove toys in one bin, hats in another and mail in another. It can be hard to organize the house on a daily basis (and with kids somehow you need to organize everyday) so it’s easier to toss it in a bin!

Over the Shoulder Purse

Everyone has their preferred purses but I’ve always liked the over the shoulder variety. Especially now that we don’t always carry the diaper bag and I just use my purse. It’s nice that it’s secure and doesn’t fall off my shoulder. I also have a good sized one with extra pockets. As you can guess I’ve got tissues, snacks, toys, chap stick etc all in there. A “Mary Poppins” bag you could say. It’s so handy when you are out and about.

Nice Smelling Hand Soap

Moms wash their hands twenty thousand times a day. Okay maybe that’s exaggerating a little, but between diapers, cooking and touching something sticky (what is that??) it seems like all we do is wash our hands. So it’s nice to have a soap that smells good!

Hand Cream

And since we wash our hands so often, it also means they get dried and cracked easily. While the fruity smelling hand creams are nice, we really need the heavy duty stuff. We don’t have time to apply and reapply so it has to be good the first time we put it on!

Somewhere to Store Photos

If you’re like me, you have 14 000 pictures on your phone and 10 000 of them are of your kids. You will want some way of backing this up. We use Amazon photos (free with Prime) and I also do photo sharing with Tinybeans. Between these two apps, my pictures are safe.

Good Rubber Boots

Now that E is old enough to be out in the mud and rain, I find myself needing to follow him. A good pair of rubbers is a must. Naturally, I have 2 big pairs and an ankle pair. I wear my ankle pair (Sorel brand) all the time. And it’s great if you have to step off the sidewalk into the mud to grab your toddler who has fallen in a puddle. You can bet your runners wouldn’t survive this experience (or at least your socks wouldn’t survive).

Good Shampoo/Conditioner

I’ve talked about dry shampoo, but you also need a really good regular shampoo. After E was born my hair changed, drastically. The regular shampoo I used (Dove, Pantene, L’Oréal etc) couldn’t cut it anymore. I would shower in the afternoon and by the evening my hair looked greasy! I realized I needed a good shampoo. This of course is an experimental process, to find what works for you but when you need your hair to look decent for a few days, invest in some good shampoo.

Water Bottles

You need to drink water. This is important just for general health but especially for moms at any stage. Hydration helps your mood, your complexion, your digestion etc. I find the best way to remind myself is to have a water bottle. It also makes it easier to carry it with you throughout the day. The Contigo brand is my favourite, because it locks and is usually pretty good about not leaking.

Nail Polish

I’m not a nail person. I don’t spend any time on them, and only paint my nails for special occasions. That being said, it’s a quick way to spruce yourself up and feel a little more sparkly. Self care, that only takes a few minutes!

Hand Held Vacuum

Kids are so messy. And if you have pets it feels like the messes multiply. I’m always vacuuming crumbs from under the table or Cheerios from under the couch cushions. And I can’t count how many times things have spilled and we’ve had to whip out the handheld vacuum. It’s also great for doing the stairs and around doors (where there is always dirt and sand). It has made a huge difference for keeping the house clean! Also if you’re looking for more tips to keep the house clean, check out my blog post!

Audiobooks/Podcasts

I love to read. And I did somehow manage to knock out a 10 book series in the first 18 months with E. However I find I don’t have time to read anymore. Cooking, cleaning, laundry…it doesn’t get done while I’m on the couch with a book. So I listen on Audible. I’ve picked some of my all time favourites, some that I’ve already read and enjoy listening to again. I hit play and get to work. It’s a great way to still “read” and get stuff done.

An Arsenal of Good Recipes

A cook book, a recipe tin, Pinterest, a blog (like mine!)…however you store recipes, it’s so helpful to have them at the ready.

Development Tracking

I love to keep a record of things, and I prefer the paper and pencil method but unfortunately I can’t keep up with that. So I use an app on my phone. I used the “Baby+” app, it tracked feedings, sleep, teeth, weight, height etc. I don’t use it as often anymore, but I recorded a lot in the first year. This was incredibly handy because we changed provinces and I had to tell the doctor alot of things as they didn’t have records. It’s also good for recording appointments and questions you may have for your practitioner!

Fancy Tea/Coffee/Hot Chocolate

Whatever your drink of choice is, sometimes it’s nice to have something that’s not the same old. A high quality, a different variety, a different flavour, something seasonal. Whatever changes it up and makes you feel, fancy!

Scented Candles/Wax Melts/Diffusers

Sometimes the house just stinks. Poopy diapers, burnt toast, wet dog…it all lingers in the air, even if we are quick to clean it up. Having something that smells like an adult actually resides in your house makes you feel more grownup!

Gift Card

Old Navy, Reitman’s, Winners etc. Mom’s bodies go through huge changes from pregnancy into postpartum and beyond. They’ve already spent a ton of money on maternity clothes so sometimes it’s nice to have a gift card to purchase items as you need them. The first year I felt like my body changed as fast as my baby. And just when I thought I had plateaued and accepted the “mom pooch” I ended up losing more weight. My wardrobe didn’t fit my needs anymore and our budget didn’t stretch enough to buy a new one. So it was nice to have some spending money for myself. Old Navy is my favourite. I can shop from the comfort of my own couch, there’s a wide variety of options and if I need another $5 to get free shipping, that’s easy to find!

Pictures of Yourself with Your Child

The days are long but the years are short. Having someone snap a picture of you and your little one(s) is a priceless treasure. Don’t worry about messy hair or the bags under your eyes, you’re living in the moment as a mom and it deserves to be captured as a picture!

So if you’ve got a mom friend who needs some TLC, one of these ideas might be right up her alley! Or maybe for yourself, to make your days a little easier. Sometimes as a mom we spend so much time caring for everyone else we forget about ourselves. And it’s okay to do something nice for us! It’s the little things (honestly, sometimes nice smelling soap will give you 30 seconds of relaxation) that we really need!