Right now I am in the middle of packing for a whirlwind trip to San Diego for the weekend, with only my little Abigail to accompany me. And while my life B/K (before kids) would have meant a stress-free flight with an excuse to go shopping, my life A/K (after kids) is are you crazy?? a little different. Attending a wedding and preparing to leave my husband and two older girls for a weekend now entails a shopping trip to the mall with three high-energy children (ack!), food preparation (and I don’t even get to eat any of it!), and stocking up on paper diapers (traveling with cloth diapers is something I opted out of looong ago).
Man, I’m in for a rough week. Or am I?
A few weeks ago Jenny wrote this fabulous post about options for moms who want to do their grocery shopping from home. Today I’m going to go over a few of my favorite and fabulous websites for getting my shopping done while my littles are napping or [more likely] running around the house.
* Amazon.com – As I’m sure most of you know, Amazon is amazingly simple to navigate and has almost everything under the sun you could ever need. This means that if I’m running low on diapers, wipes, a Melissa & Doug toy or even a cloth diaper cover, I can find it and it will be here within a few days. If you join their prime membership and pay the annual $79 [which I have!] you get free 2 day shipping on most items. For me this is a HUGE deal, as I can order something that I know I’ll need to go to the store for at some point that week, and not have to go to the store at all. Amazon also has an extensive network of used booksellers they deal with, so if I’m not up to Half Price Books with three little girls in tow I can get a description of the books, its condition, and have it shipped to me as soon as I place my order.
* Zappos.com – Ahhh, Zappos, how I love thee. With free shipping BOTH ways and a fantastic selection of clothes and shoes for adults and kids, Zappos officially has my full support. Need a swimsuit? Read the reviews and order away, knowing that if it doesn’t fit you can send it right back. Need a last minute dress and shoes to wear to a wedding but have zero time to get to the mall? Again, Zappos fits the bill. Did I mention they also offer free next day shipping on all of their items?
* Shutterfly.com – There are several places nowadays from which you can order photo books, prints, and personalized cards, but I must say that Shutterfly is still my favorite. Birthday invitations and Christmas cards come quickly, and with an option to have them address, stamp, and send out the cards you can KNOW you’re saving time.
With the ease of technology my diapers arrived from Amazon, my dress and shoes arrived from Zappos, and I saved money AND sanity by not having to be “that” mom (the one yelling while her children try to open the dressing room while she’s attempting to squeeze into something flattering AND climb under that devilish gap they seem to put at the bottom of most fitting room doors (seriously, did a man design those??).
Do you have any favorite online shops or sites that make your life with kids easier?
