Before we had Owen, I knew that everything was going to change hugely. Still, I don’t think I grasped just how different everyday life would be. I’m no longer woken up by my alarm. Sleeping in on the weekends is not an option (well, occasionally on a lucky day!). My time is no longer my own, and I’m okay with that. When I do get a couple of hours to get stuff done, I make the most of it! Being efficient allows me more downtime to relax and feel like a real human—even if it’s only for a few minutes!

Sure, it’s only been three weeks and I’m constantly learning on the job. Still I’ve found a few simple tips or hacks that are making life a lot easier with a baby. Even if you don’t have a baby, these tips are perfect for simplifying everyday chores and tasks. So if you want more time to relax and enjoy your life, then keep reading!

How to Make Life Simpler with a Baby

Make your Living Room More Functional

Before Owen, we spent a lot of time in our living room, but now that he’s here, I pretty much live in this space all day, every day and rarely find myself in my office. That means that all the things I had at hand in my office, like my desktop computer and chargers are no longer within reach.

One thing that’s made our living room so much more functional for us, is our Eclipse Charger from Native Union. It sits right next to the couch, which makes it easy to grab without having to get up and set the baby down, and the wood and white design blends seamlessly with our decor. It also come in other color combinations that might work better for your space.

The best part is that it can charge up to three devices at once, so when Rob and I are both home we can both charge our phones, plus an iPad! When you’re not charging anything, the cords wrap up into the Eclipse Charger to keep everything looking clean! It even has a night light feature so you can easily find your device in the night. To wrap cords, you just tap the top twice to open and close and to turn on the light, tap once.

Oh, and Native Union has really pretty phone cases, like this black marble (also comes in white) one that’s on my phone here. Believe it or not, it’s real marble! I also love this wood case with fun color combinations!

My phone has been dying so fast these past few weeks because I use an app to track Owen’s feedings and sleep, and I find myself taking a lot more pictures to text to friends and family. It’s a small addition to our space, but has made a huge difference since one of us is almost using it! Plus, it saves me from having to go up and down the stairs multiple times a day to charge my phone.

Organized Entryway

Living in the city, we’ve never had much entryway space, but in our current apartment, we have a little landing at the top of the stairs before you enter the apartment. It’s not big, but it’s the perfect spot to store all those things you need to grab just before leaving the house. We added hooks for hanging coats and bags, and a bench to easily put on winter boots. Best of all, having an organized and functional entryway means these items aren’t stashed in piles around the house!

Make Laundry More Efficient

Surprise—babies mean a lot of laundry! Since we have a lot more laundry to do these days, I’ve stopped separating our laundry into different color piles (don’t judge me, mom!). Instead I throw it all in and wash it with cold water. The only time I do set things aside is if it’s a new piece that’s heavily colored. We also wash Owen’s laundry separately with extra gentle detergent. It makes it so that we only have to do 2-3 loads instead of 4-5!

Reorganize Kitchen

A few weeks before Owen arrived, I took a few hours to reorganize our kitchen a bit. Though I’m sure it could use even more organizing! I had a bunch of things that we rarely used on our open shelving, which didn’t make sense. I switched them out for things I use all the time. Things like coffee, mugs and ingredients that we use on a regular basis.

It’s a simple change, but one that’s made a world of difference! I don’t find myself constantly searching through the pantry for those ingredients I use everyday. It also makes unloading the dishwasher easier because the items we use the most just go right back up on the shelf.

Grocery Shop for the Week

Some of you probably already do this. Before we had a car, I could only carry home enough groceries for a few days. Now that we have the car, I try to do one big grocery run per week. If we need any last minute items, I can pick up them up on our afternoon walk. Not only has it saved me so much time and sanity, but it saves money and makes for less waste. Instead of buying random stuff, I spend some time meal planning so I don’t buy extra stuff!

 
I’m sure over the next few months, I’ll continue to find more ways to make everyday life more efficient, easier and functional. For me, keeping the house clean and tidy is a huge priority because it keeps me sane. Finding ways to simplify and keep things, like charging cords in check is so helpful! And, at the end of the day, I love that the Eclipse is so pretty—it blends in and most people would never even guess that it’s a charging station!

What tips do you have for simplifying your everyday life and making your home work better for you (baby or not)?

Thanks to Native Union, a brand I love and trust, for sponsoring this post! Partnerships like this help make The Fox & She possible—thanks for your support!

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