Sharing 3 easy tips that have helped us simplify parenting as a family of 5 and save time.
In the hustle and bustle of daily life, parenting can often feel overwhelming. However, over the years, my family and I have discovered a few simple strategies that have helped us streamline our routines, save time, and enjoy more of the precious moments that matter most. Here are five easy tips that have transformed our approach to parenting and brought more peace into our home
1. Simplify Wardrobes
Did you ever notice that characters in cartoons only wear one outfit on repeat? Well, now as a parent I understand why! Sourcing clothing and styling it can seem like a never ending task, especially when you’re doing it for multiple people. This is exactly why we’ve opted to simplify our wardrobes wherever and however we can. Here are two of the main ways we simplify our wardrobes:
Purchasing daily wear items in bulk– this includes socks and underwear for us. More specifically, we try to pick one style per person in our household. So my husband has all black ankle socks, I have white socks with the gray toe, and our kids (who fit in the same size at this stage) have toddler white socks. By buying these in bulk, there’s no need to waste extra time sorting or pairing. We leave our socks unpaired and just have a dedicated drawer for each type of sock. I know this seems simple, but it has been a serious gamechanger for us!
Embracing renting for our kids-this reduces the amount of time spent sourcing our kids’ clothes, and we absolutely love it! We use the rental service through Rent a Romper, and we have been renting for 2 years for all 3 of our children. This approach has not only saved us time but has also encouraged our kids to understand their impact of reusing and recycling. They get excited to receive new clothes, and they’re happy to send back the clothes they’ve outgrown so that other kids can wear them too! I’ve included the link above, and you can test out renting and save 25% on your first two months with my affiliate code: COVEREDINSUNSHINE
2. Buy in Bulk
I may have already cut to the chase on this one, but it deserves its own section. Buying in bulk has been a huge time-saver for us. We stock up on essentials like pantry staples, household items, and snacks, which reduces the number of trips to the store and ensures we always have what we need on hand. This approach not only saves us time but also helps us take advantage of cost savings. We organize our bulk purchases in a dedicated storage area, making it easy to access items when needed.
3. Batch Cooking
Batch cooking has been a practice of our well before we even had kids, and it truly is a lifesaver (and money saver) for busy weeks. The easiest way we’ve incorporated cooking in bulk is essentially to never cook for just one meal. What I mean is when we cook food, we are always cooking more than what we need. For example, if we want sweet potatoes for dinner we aren’t just baking the 2 we need, instead we are baking 5 or 6 so that we have enough for two other meals later in the week. The goal is to cook less often but create more food. By batch cooking, we have access to healthy options that we can grab and heat throughout the week.
A few of the foods that we often batch cook include ground beef, grilled chicken, baked sweet potatoes, noodles, and sautéed vegetables. This not only reduces the stress of daily cooking but also ensures we always have a healthy meal option available, even on the busiest days. Batch cooking has helped us save time, money, and the mental energy spent on meal prep every day.
Simplifying parenting as a family of five doesn’t have to be complicated. By implementing these three easy tips—streamlining wardrobes, buying in bulk, and embracing batch cooking—you can save valuable time and energy, allowing you to focus on what truly matters: spending quality moments with your loved ones. Every family is unique, so feel free to adapt these strategies to suit your specific needs. The key is to find what works best for your family and make adjustments as needed. Remember, the goal is to create a more joyful and stress-free home environment where you can cherish the everyday moments and enjoy the beautiful journey of parenting.
