Tips For Being A Prepared Mom – From A Habitually Unprepared Person

I’m a firm believer in the fact that you just can’t be good at everything. Ladies, we try, I know. We struggle each and every day to work on our fitness, keep a clean home, be the best mom, be a good cook, be a good wife or girlfriend, be a good friend, excel in our career, etc. The list goes on. I used to beat myself up over the fact that I struggled in some places of my life and then I learned to embrace what I’m good at and what I excel at and just try my best to improve the other areas. Well, one area I totally stink at, is being prepared, from the mom perspective. 

I am that mom. Or, well, I used to be. The one who forgets diapers and wipes and doesn’t come fully stocked with snacks and sippy cups, unless I’m having a good day. No, I didn’t deprive my children, I ended up grabbing them something on the go. Which is not cost effective. So yes, you don’t have to tell me. That’s an area of my life I needed to improve on. Being better prepared has been something I’ve struggled with for years and don’t think I haven’t tried to improve. But, the last few months, I’ve been on a winning streak and it feels good. I just might have found a system that finally helps keep someone like me, a habitually unprepared person, prepared.  

So, here it is, for anyone like me:

Tips For Being A Prepared Mom – From A Habitually Unprepared Person

Get A Bigger Bag You Want To Carry

First thing I did what I went on a mission to be better prepared, was get a bigger purse. In fact, I’ve started to get a few big bags so I don’t get bored. This bag had to fit a few key things for me to actually put it to use:

•  It had to be a bag I actually wanted to carry.
• It needed to be large, but not too large. My diaper bag is cute, but it’s too big for me, which means I often don’t carry it.
• I had to keep it clean and only full of essentials, not everything I could possibly pack. I keep my bag clean and streamlined, so it doesn’t get too heavy. I’ll go into what I keep in it in just a few. 

banana leaf tote c/o Sloane Ranger

But What’s In The Bag

It sounds silly, but the bag and what I put in it is really important to me. If it gets too heavy or messy, I’m going to carry it and then I’m back at square one with my essentials in the car only. My bag always has a few key things:

• • My personal purse essentials; wallet, sunglasses, lipgloss, gum, keys, and cell phone. I don’t carry much more than that to make my life simple. 
  • Now for the boys; diapers, wipes, Kleenex Tissues, snacks and cups.When it comes to snacks, I keep 1-2 easy to carry snacks in a small clutch that came with one of my purses. It keeps the snacks tucked away so they aren’t floating all over my bag. Then when
    it comes to cups, I carry those take and toss cups that you can stack together and just fill with water at a water fountain. Less bulky than traditional water bottles and still fairly spill proof. Really it’s just my little guy who still needs the diapers, but the tissues I use for both.

I’ve always liked to carry Kleenex Tissues, I think it comes from my mom. She always had the little packs on hand to wipe faces or noses, to wrap up half eaten lollipops, etc. I personally have sensitive eyes that tend to water a lot, so I need to have Kleenex Tissues on hand to keep my make-up from running all over the place. Kleenex recently came out with Go Anywhere packs, that are larger than those to-go packs my mom always carried, so I’ve been carrying those. They also have a little clip you can hang on the outside of your bag or around the headrest in your car.

I recently found them at Walmart and love them. Plus they’re currently $.50 back with the Ibotta app at Walmart and you know I love a good deal.

They’re small, yet still hold a lot of tissues. Keeping my bag clean. 

• The last thing I keep in my bag and maybe the most important is my planner! Which takes me to the last thing I did to improve my routine. 

 

Make Lists, Improve Your Routine

I noticed that my issues with being unprepared stemmed from two places; always being late and trying to keep everything straight in my head. I wasn’t a planner girl. I’ve never had the need for one. But, I realized that my old ways of keeping life straight were starting to fail me. So, I started keeping a planner. I bought a Lilly Pulitzer one, because it was sunny and bright and made me happy and also made me more inclined to use it. This little planner has changed my life. I should have listened to everyone years ago and grabbed a planner.

I write down everything, make lists and carry it with me everywhere. It helps me stay on track during my day. My checklist always includes – pack your bag. Yes, I have to remind myself. 

I’m an early riser. I love to start my day with a workout and a chance to be well dressed, that’s something that’s always been important to me. But, I found that even with getting up early and trying to allow enough time for our morning routine, we were still always running late. So, I started to plan my day the night before. I go through my bag clean it out, restock what I need for the next day and put it by the front door. 

It’s so simple and for those of you who have organization and time management on point, you’re nodding your head going, duh girl! But, for me, it was only a few small changes that made for a better routine and now this momma looks well prepared. Most days. Let’s hope I can stick to it!

What do you keep in your bag?

-Brooke

 

Use the Ibotta app at Walmart for $.50 back on Kleenex Go Anywhere Packs!