13 Clever Hacks That Make Living with Kids Easier

We know how it's like living with little children—the house is a mess 90% of the time! As if that's isn't enough, the curious tots sometimes even make things harder (imagine a freshly-painted wall, now 'decorated' with crayon doddles) while they explore the world around them. But, cheer up—you’ll get through it in no time with these helpful hacks that worked for other moms.

For the home:

Reel recliner
“For our family movie nights, I make my son a special seat by draping a towel inside a laundry basket. It contains any messy food and keeps him seated during the on screen action!” - Megan Jennings

Amazing cleaner!
“My daughter used permanent black marker to doodle on the wall. I rubbed hand sanitizer on those spots and her artwork disappeared completely.” - Brandy Syquia

Brush off.
“To remove marker ink from hardwood floors, I just put a dab of white toothpaste on the stain and then rub like crazy with a damp paper towel or wash cloth.” - Anna Lopez

Soft scrub 
“Instead of putting my daughter’s stuffed animals in the wash, we rotate taking them into the tub with her and then hang them to dry. She loves giving them a bath and it saves me time.” - Ashley Novelozo

Sweet tea
“Tea leaves help absorb odors and don’t leave behind an overpowering scent. Place a new or used dry tea bag in your drawer, closet, car, or even in your shoes to help keep everything smelling fresh.” - Jill Narvaez

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Fresh maker
“To rid feeding bottles of the smell of formula milk, I fill them halfway with hot water and add a teaspoon of baking soda and a half teaspoon of dish soap. After a few hours, I wash them with hot water and a bottle brush, and the smell is gone!” - Ashley Marquez

Animal House
“My six-year-old daughter has a ton of stuffed animals. I purchased a beanbag chair on sale, took out the beans, and put all her stuffed toys inside!” - Denelle McFadden

Food hacks:

IMAGE Sstajic/iStock

Sweet mix 
"My toddler loves pancakes for breakfast, but I dislike the messy syrup. Now, I add the syrup directly to the batter. No more sticky hands, face, or hair, and he gets the flavor he loves." - Vanessa Ladioray

Sandwich saver
“My children love bringing sandwiches for baon, but the cold cuts would be warm by the time they're ready to eat. Now, I freeze the bread so it thaws in time for their lunch and helps keep everything else cool.” - Lisa J. San Jose

Cool idea
“Instead of using ice cubes to cool my children’s hot soup. I add a few small frozen veggies. They cool the soup down quickly, don’t leave it watery, and give my kids extra nutrition” - Sarah Martinez

Potty training:

Clever cover-up
“My daughter is 16 weeks old and very active during diaper changes. To keep her hands out of the way (especially when her diaper is messy), I fold up her one-piece or shirt so her hands are trapped and I can finish faster.” - Kara Murphy

Tinkle Trick
“To get my son use the toilet, I squirt dish soap into the bowl. When he pees, it makes the soap bubble and he gets so excited. Bonus: it keeps our toilet clean!” - Jacklyn Medina

Seconds to go
“Getting my toddler to go to the potty before leaving the house used to be impossible, but now we play the ‘10 second game’. The rules are simple: She sits on the toilet and counts to 10. If she pees before reaching 10, she wins!” - Jane Anselmo

Compiled from Smart Parenting magazine 2014 and 2015 issues

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