The very day the hubs and I found out we were having twins (going from a family of three to a family of five!), I knew I had to take drastic measures to streamline & simplify our lives.
Sounds easy enough, doesn’t it?
It turns out “simplifying” & “streamlining” would end up being much more difficult than I thought.
Just as many of my Dallas Moms Blog counterparts have confessed, most moms truly want to be able to do it all.
I work outside of the home at a job I truly enjoy. I not only want a successful career but I want to be the perfect wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend (no comment from the husband gallery please!).
This is no small task, indeed.
We all know perfection is impossible and that our loved ones certainly don’t expect perfection from us, but that doesn’t change the fact that we expect it from ourselves.
Recipe for stress? Why yes. Opportunities to alleviate some of that stress? But of course!
I’ve now found myself on an eternal search for businesses that strive to make my life easier. Some come with additional dollar signs and others don’t. Here are just a few of what I call “mommy conveniences.”
Curbside services
- Fun stores such as Central Market, Whole Foods & Container Store offer complimentary curbside service to make your shopping experience less hectic. At Central Market, just do your grocery shopping, check out & either load your littles in the car and pull up to the green podium to have a wonderful Central Market employee load your bags or they will provide “walk out” service for you (you know, like the old fashioned days of grocery shopping). They’ve even been known to help load up the littles in the car too!
- Sam’s offers “Click & Pull” service – select all the items you want online, click “Complete Order” by 5pm, and your groceries will be loaded on a cart and ready for pick up the next morning!
- If the curbside service isn’t enough to make you swoon, then you can always check out the grocery delivery options that I wrote about here and Jenny wrote about here.
Pet Love Mobile Groomer
Got pups? There are several different options in the world of mobile pet groomers. We use Pet Love, and although they are a little more expensive than our regular groomers (about $10 more per pup), they score a 10 on the convenience scale! Not only have they been known to squeeze us in at the last minute, but they drive their van right up to your house, the groomer comes to the door to get the pup(s), takes them to the van and upon their return, voila! Our little beauties are cleaned, plucked, expressed & freshly groomed, and I never even stepped foot out my front door!
Amazon Prime/Amazon Mom
- If you haven’t discovered the greatness of Amazon Prime, then I have some news for you! By joining Amazon Prime ($79 per year) you get FREE 2 day shipping on any items purchased from Amazon, unlimited instant streaming of movies and TV shows & a free Kindle book each month. In case you haven’t searched Amazon’s website lately, you should know that you can buy just about anything there.
- Additionally, once you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can join Amazon Mom for no additional charge. Amazon Mom provides you with 20% off diapers and wipes delivered right to your door!
After Hours Salons
- I recently learned of an amazing little treat – after hours salons! The one I’ve been to is called Lush Nail Lounge (Greenville & Lovers). They offer all kinds of spa services (manis, pedis, shellac, massages, waxing, etc) coupled with several tasty beverages to choose from AND they’ll provide all this after hours! They are always open until 8:30pm, but they’re also open by appointment until midnight. NO KIDDING!
Drive Thru
- And I’m not talking about the burger and taco type. There are actually yummy mommy-preferred drive thru options like Starbucks (Northwest Hwy & 75), Start (Greenville Ave.), Jimmy Johns (Plano), Panera Bread (Tollway & Beltline) and Potbelly (Tollway & Parker).
Mommy’s helpers
- Need to get stuff done around the house without having to chase, feed, entertain & chorral the littles? Hire a “mommy’s helper!” For much less than the going rate of a full blown babysitter, you can employ an 8-12 year old to serve as entertainment for your kiddos while you step up your productivity level around the house or just take a nap (gasp!). Of course the mommy’s helpers’ fees will typically range from $5-$8 per hour depending on the number of kids you have and their ages.
After hours pediatrics
- We’ve been fortunate not to have to use these services yet (oh just wait…I have three boys living under my roof now), but many of my mom friends have raved about Pediatrics After Hours. They have three locations – Dallas, Plano, Garland (with an Arlington location scheduled to open in September). You get quality pediatric care from board-certified pediatricians after hours (isn’t that when fever always seems to strike anyway?).
What other conveniences around town or online make your life as a multitasking mom more manageable and/or easier?
