Well… let’s get to it, shall we? Your time is limited. I get it.
My guess is that you’re reading this while your kids are asleep. This is your uninterrupted “me” time. Or… perhaps you’re at home and your kids are playing nicely. You have a few minutes to spare, awesome. Do you think you’ll be able to get through this whole post without hearing “mom”?
Let’s be fair – our lives are primarily devoted to our little ones. It’s so easy (and almost automatic) to be defined as a mother first, woman second.
But that’s okay for now. It’s okay because our little ones aren’t going to be little for long. The time is coming that we will look back on these days with deep longing. It’s in these days that we are taking photographs of the future pictures we will smile upon. After-all, these are the good ol’ days.
I know it doesn’t feel like that somedays. But trust me on this; your life right now, full of so little “me” time will evolve into a more balanced life… eventually.
But for now, you could use a little help.
Can I get an amen?
Balancing our roles as both an individual woman and loving mother can be tricky. Thank God we have one another to lean on and learn from.
That’s exactly where this post comes in.
You see, over the years, I have found products and ideas that have improved my momma life and/or woman life. I would be doing moms everywhere a disservice if I didn’t share these simple thoughts. If something has helped me out – I want it to help you out; hence, the need for “Hood” Tips Part 1: – Daily Womanhood Suggestions for Practical Life and “Hood” Tips Part 2: – Daily Motherhood Suggestions for Practical Life.
Now we’re not talking life-altering tips here; think small, daily suggestions that can make your life easier/better. These suggestions aren’t genius by any means but they are practical. They are real, tangible ideas or products. Moreover, these suggestions are basic practices/items that have in someway improved my life as a woman or mother.
My biggest hope for this post is that something here resonates with you and improves your life as well… even if it is a very minor improvement. Improvement is improvement no matter how small.
*Please note that at absolutely no expense to you, I may receive a small commission on some of the products listed.*
Underwear Lines
Ughh… underwear lines.
Somehow those tiny little lines manage to ruin outfits day in and day out. How do such little, insignificant lines bother me so much? Although I may be on the smaller end when it comes to body frame, I do have some junk in this trunk. That’s why I love fenty panties. They are super comfortable and easily hide any unwanted lines.
Side note: I don’t promise they are foolproof. In some very tight, thin leggings – you can faintly see lines. But overall – these panties are awesome!
Ice For Blood Stains
Did you know ice can remove fresh blood stains? Ya, me neither. (Thank you Jess!)
Try it out… the next time you nick yourself shaving and get blood on the carpet – grab an ice cube and rub it out alongside a paper towel.
It’s like magic!
Weight Loss Tip
My freshman year of college I gained 35 pounds. Oh… and that wasn’t for the whole school year. We’re talking four months here. August to November.
And then there were those two pregnancy’s where I gained around 50 pounds each time.
Sweet.
So yes – I do have a bit of experience in loosing weight and keeping it off.
While there are many tips for healthy weight loss, including a balanced diet, no sugary drinks, and to lay off the sweets… I feel like this tip seems to get looked over…
Do not eat or drink (besides water) after 7:00 p.m.
I understand this will be difficult for many of you. Trying to schedule an earlier dinner seems almost impossible. But you can do it.
Make it work, girl. Your metabolism will thank you for it.
Face Tape
Yes, you read that correctly. Face tape. More specifically, this medical tape which I use on my face while sleeping every single night. This magical tape will diminish and prevent wrinkles caused by your sleep position.
I actually have a whole post dedicated on how to Prevent & Reduce Wrinkles Naturally: Better Your Skin Health. Come on, give it a try. Check out the post here.
Puffy Under Eye Solution
Puffy under eyes? Say sianara to those bad boys. Monat 30 Second Eye Cream really works. It is a must in my morning routine.
Tip: Follow the instructions: don’t use too much – lightly pat in the product. (Don’t rub.)
Self Tanning Lotion and Dry Ankles
Does anyone else struggle with self tanning lotion on their dry ankles?
It doesn’t matter careful I am or how much barrier cream (regular lotion) I put on prior – I always get dark spots on my dry ankles.
My solution? Negate the issue – wear socks. 🙂
Yes, you will have a sock tan line… some of you may not be okay with that. (Sorry.)
Me? I’d much rather have a sock tan line that looks natural than have little brown circles on my ankles. Plus, if it’s winter time, how often will people see that tan line anyway?
Budgeting Basics
Suck at Budgeting? Get back to the basics – download “Spending Tracker”.
This app is not pretty; it’s actually kind of ugly. It’s nothing special – that’s exactly why it works so well. So many other budgeting apps/sites are awesome and extremely intuitive. However, because they do the work for you – (log your expenses for you), your spending awareness goes down.
With this app, after every single purchase, YOU need to log the amount spent and category of what was purchased. This will improve your finance accountability and awareness.
Oily Face
Does your face get oily mid-day? Ugh.. annoying, right?
Well… remember those Clean and Clear Oil pads you probably used in high school? Yep… Those. They’re still around. Haven’t gone anywhere. And they still work super well.
Organize Contacts in Your iPhone
Did you know you can create groups in your iPhone contacts? I didn’t. It’s super easy. It does however require you to login into your iCloud account from a computer.
Don’t have your computer handy? Here’s a tip… Create groups using the “Company” label.
When editing or adding a new contact in your iPhone, under “Company”, label it whatever makes sense. (Your work, school, church, neighborhood, etc.) Likewise, be sure to be consistent and label it the same for everyone in that group. For example: For church, I’d write “GraceCity, for school – “Magnolia”. Next time you want to do a group message, type in the assigned label and all those contacts pull up. However, you will need to type it for each person if wanted to do a group message.
This also helps when you have forgotten a new contact’s name. (Please tell me I’m not that only one who meets a new mom at their daughters school and forgets their name within two hours.)
When this happens, I just type in the name of my daughters school and see all of the contacts who go there. Having a list of names is much easier than an entire contact list to go through.
Easily Fix Slanted Writing
It doesn’t matter how hard I concentrate – if I am writing on blank paper, the words always seem to slant. (You’d think by 33 years old I’d be able to write in a straight line. Apparently, not so.)
Here’s a SUPER easy tip to prevent the slant: place an envelope or another piece of paper on your note to create a line.
(I feel like this tip is almost too easy. But yet again, I only started doing this a few years ago. Most likely there are many of you who already do this and are rolling your eyes at me for sharing. Sorry for the inconvenience – but I did state these were EASY and practical tips. 😉)
That’s All She Wrote
Alright mi amigas – that’s all for today. Please come on over and check out “Hood” Tips Part 2 – Daily Motherhood Suggestions to Improve Practical Life. Let me know what you think of these suggestions in the comments below. Helpful? Obvious?
And if you really want to help a sister out, go ahead and subscribe. 🙂
Thanks ladies!
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