Simple Family Life

How Minimalist Moms Can Shop For Their Kids (Pro Tips)

Here’s how to shop for your kids if you are more minimalist, on a budget, or want to create a more simple family life.

For little people kids sure have a lot of stuff. Partly because we’re given a lot in preparation for them. Partly because we aren’t really sure what they’ll need and we don’t want to deprive them.

And partly because we just plain ole overbuy.

baby with clothes on her head as her mom shops for kids

Not because we’re trying to be greedy, but because looking around us it just seems like we need tons of stuff.

I am not a full on minimalist. I’m not completely against plastic toys. I don’t think kids should avoid *all* technology.

However, I do think that in an effort to be “good” parents we often mistake that to mean we need to have tons of things so our children aren’t deprived or missing anything.

If you want your children to turn out well, spend twice as much time with them and half as much money.

Abigail Van Buren

Here are some small habits to shop less but still give the kids all they need

Of course it isn’t bad to provide things for our children. But are we just spending unnecessary money when we could be putting that same amount in a child savings’ fund? Here are some tips on how to shop for your kids well if you’re trying to be more simple in your approach to purchases.

[Read more…]

The More Kids You Have The More…

The more kids you have the more noise you have, the more fun you have, the more people you have to help you do chores, and much more. If you’re looking for honest truth… you’ve found it!

I’ve got 5 kids…

I had them in 5.5 years…

If you’re interested in the pros and cons of having kids close together, look no further!

My little 3-year-old came running to me with the Mommy’s gonna be mad look on his face and said… “Daddy’s yaptop is bwoken...”

The first thought that went through my head was “better his laptop than mine.”

Well, turns out… it was mine.

My 4-year-old (who knows he shouldn’t play with my computer) was doing something crazy to it and now the top screen flips all the way back. Somehow it still works, miraculously, if I prop it up.

Let’s just say that I got angry… and yelled.

I had an eye and nose flare that’d scare a charging bull. Then… I put my son in his room a few minutes early for a nap, and calmed down.

There’s more…

Fast forward 24 hours and my 3-year-old nearly broke the Brand New Laminator I’d just unboxed and… well… I had to have a sit down with myself and come to terms with my expectations.

No, I can’t baby or childproof a whole entire house just because I had kids. No, I can’t expect things to run as smoothly as they did when I only had 1, 2, or even 3 kids. The fact is… having more kids means more.

A lot of more!

More this and more that and more of the other… certainly more money.

Here’s where I’m at these days with my 5 kids aged 5, 4, 3, 19 months, and 6 weeks:

The More Kids You Have… The More That Things Break

Like… daddy’s iPod, my laptop, my laminator, unbreakable water bottles, toy cars, plates, calculator cases, books, car keys, sippy cups, your sandals, and anything else that can possibly break.

Nothing is truly safe…

In reality, you can watch one like a hawk. Two… you can sort of watch closely and monitor fairly well.

Three, meh… things are getting dicey. Four and five, well… start buying plastic.

The more kids you have the more things break and other facts.

The More Kids You Have… The More Noise

It is just So, SO LOUD over here. Not sometimes, but always!

When it it loud?

When everyone is happy
Nobody is screaming, it’s still loud
When these kids are whispering…yes, still loud
What about when their upset… really loud!

Read: 7 Things To Do When the Kids Get Too Noisy

Motherhood & Wellbeing

Parenting on the Same Page

You and your co-parent (spouse, ex, step, etc.) won’t always see eye to eye—but that doesn’t mean parenting has to feel like a constant battle. This workshop will help you communicate clearly, find common ground, and handle disagreements without drama, so you can focus on raising great kids instead of fighting over the details. Because parenting differences are normal, but constant conflict doesn’t have to be.

Start Now

The More Kids You Have… The More Hugs and Cuddles You Get

Sometimes I just want to grab all the kids and lock them in a room and hope they all feed themselves (without eating each other) and just fall asleep.

It’s true… sometimes I need to be left alone for Pete’s Sake!

When this happens, the best remedy for me to get happy hormones flowing again is a cuddle fest.

I grab whoever is in reach and hug, hug, hug and cuddle away. I tickle and squeeze and tell them disgustingly sweet sappy things that I feel from the bottom of my heart (thank you hormones) and I feel better.

There are just sooo many to choose from, I never without a hug.

Read: Why Cuddling Is Good for Kid’s Brains

The more kids you have, the more cuddles you get!

The More Kids You Have… The More You’re Awake

Even if you have great bedtime routines and your babies and toddlers mostly sleep through the night, there are still the outlying incidents that wake you.

What do I mean by outlying incidents?

Accident in the bed
Sore throat
Bad dream
Night terror
Need water
Saw a monster

As you can imagine, this list could go on for miles...

Well, the more kids you have the higher the chance you’ll be woken up because there’s a wolf under the bed. Ya, know!

What about nap times?

Even if you have good independent play times and everyone goes down to nap at the same time, you may still be feeding a baby or wiping a bottom when you’d otherwise be able to rest.

Read: 28 Things To Do When Your Baby Won’t Sleep

Boundaries & Behavior

0-5, 6-12

Goodnight Bedtime Battles

This workshop will give you a simple, sanity-saving bedtime system that actually works—one that helps your kids wind down, fall asleep without endless stalling, and stay asleep (so you can finally get some rest).

Start Now

The More Kids You Have… The More Independent They Will Become

When people come over and my children seem needy I often hear, “Do you want me to [do x] for [so and so]?” My answer is usually, “No, they’ll figure it out.” Why? Because they do. They figure it out.

I wouldn’t suggest this method of total independence with morals and values, but with life tasks… it works!

It is also necessary because I only have two hands and – while I’m efficient – I can’t feed a baby, change a toddler, direct a preschooler, and pour a drink at the same time.

What can they do on their own?

Get their own water
Put on their own clothes
Carry bags of groceries
Fold and then put away towels or clothes (yes, its possible!)
Wash their own hair
Feed themselves
Clean up their rooms

They’ll probably make a mess, get frustrated (which we know is okay). They may and go through a period of trial and error.

But… they figure it out! You know what? They are quite proud of themselves.

Read: Phrases That’ll Help Your Kids Be More Independent

The more kids you have the more of everything you get too!

The More Kids You Have… The More Whining, Fussing, and Crying

I’m just being honest here. Sometime the whining, fussing, and crying can be overwhelming with more kids! It’s just reality…

With one kid, well.. you can sort of avoid whining fairly easily by giving them what they want and it isn’t even that inconvenient. Two, same story (at least it was for me).

Third, fourth, and on and on… you simply can’t find enough empty rooms to walk away from the whining. Tantrums, whining and “he took my car!!!!!”

Let me give you a real life example:

You are nursing a baby and then putting a toddler down to nap. Suddenly a preschooler has stolen the second child’s bike. Simultaneously, someone bit the other and before you know it there is whining, fussing, crying.

You’re thinking… why can’t we all just act like adults here?

Oh, that’s right. Because we’re not.

Boundaries & Behavior

0-5, 13-18, 6-12

Bye, Bye Backtalk

Backtalk isn’t just annoying—it’s draining, discouraging, and makes even the simplest requests feel like full-blown negotiations. This workshop will give you a step-by-step plan to stop the constant pushback and start building respectful, two-way communication with your kids. Because when you know how to hold boundaries and help your child feel heard, the fight fizzles—and connection takes its place.

Start Now

The More Kids You Have… The More You Major on the Majors

Let me explain… some things are just not as important as others. Life becomes discerning which is important, and which to ignore.

Parenting with lots of kids means that you get lots of practice deciding whether to follow popular trends, or doing what works with your family values.

If they don’t want to wear pants at home? That’s cool. If they pee in the yard instead of coming inside, yes, that’s just fine. Oh, except maybe not since neighbors have reported seeing “one of the blonde boys” (all of them) peeing. Oh well. This is not something I care about.

When you’re parenting lots of kids and a situation arises, you stop to ask yourself questions like:

Do I have a teaching moment about how to sort toys, or stop my toddler from falling down the stairs?
Should I spend time worrying about raising perfectly potty trained children or stop my 18 month old from wondering outside and falling into the pool?

When you have lots of kids, shenanigans are going to happen. Roll with the punches and just… let the minor things be minor.

The more kids you have, the more time you spend on the important things.

The More Kids You Have… The More Laundry

I don’t have anything else to say about that. Oh wait, yes I do!

One nighttime accident (depending on if it’s winter or summer) can be an entire load of laundry.
Give 4 kids a tub bath and sop-up the insanity that ensues. Well, mom…that’s another 2,456 towels which is probably 3 loads of laundry!
Plus, clearly, I’ve got to separate whites, colors, and delicates and there we have it.

People say kids can take over their own laundry at 8. I think that is two years too late for us. When you’re raising lots of kids, teach them early!

The More Kids You Have… The More You’ll Worry

When my kids are in separate places, my heart feels outside of my body. There’s too many little people in different places to worry about!

One at school, two with a family friend, two with me, and husband somewhere else… there are simply too many things that can go wrong here.

I don’t even want to think about the teenage years when they’re all out on their own doing who know what while I’m at home waiting! There’s normal worry for a mom, and the more kids you have the more individuals you’re worried about.

Motherhood & Wellbeing

13-18, 6-12

Healthy Minds, Happy Homes

Taking care of your mental health shouldn’t feel like another chore. This workshop shows you how to build simple, sustainable routines that support your well-being and your kid’s emotional health—without the stress or overthinking.

Start Now

The more kids you have, the more it's worth it.

The More Kids You Have… The More Blessed You Are

All in all, the more kids you have the more blessed you are. Oh, so many blessings!

I’m blessed to lay with my 19 month old and snuggle while he drinks his milk from a bottle.

I’m blessed to hear my son talk about dinosaurs with their proper names and blessed to hear my littler one pronounce all his S’s as F’s and I want to record every one.

So very blessed… blessed that these little kids love me and call me mom! Blessed I was even able to have kids and nurture a family.

The more kids you have the more of everything you have.

More squealing means more excitement.

Many more diapers means more baby bottoms.

More mouths to feed means more mouths to kiss.

Some people say less is more, but really… MORE is more.

The Family Binder: Why You Need One & How To Do It (Quickly!)

How to make a rocking home family binder that helps every adult in the house have instant access to important info.

For me, there’s little I find more satisfying than an organizing project.

So after I got sick of looking at my important papers stacked on the table, I tackled this binder.

What’s a family binder?

It’s a binder where you keep photo copies of all you important info so you can find it all in a glance. If you have to dip out quickly, leave your affairs to someone else, or get account numbers quickly… this is the place you go.

This is a relatively quick and oh so terribly satisfying way to consolidate your family’s business and feel organized and in charge in the process. There are many ways to go about it, but I wanted our binder to be a quick reference guide with copies (not originals) that could be referred to quickly for any and all important family information.

Here’s why a family binder is a good idea

The family binder is sort of a command central for all your administrative accounts and info.

[Read more…]

Relationship Building Questions To Ask Kids (With Printable!)

These are excellent questions to ask kids to help them open up, learn more about each other, and really build the parent child relationship.

We are huge fans of talking around here.

I, in fact, hardly ever shut up.

It’s no surprise that my children – all 5 of them – also talk a lot. With 7 people in a home it can be hard to get a word in. So one thing we like to do to make sure each child gets to share… is take turns with questions.

At the dinner table, we will go around with fun questions or trivia and let each child talk.

They love it and we feel we get to know them more and more!

Parents are sitting at the table with kids asking them questions to ask kids.

Remember… these are relationship building questions when you are trying to have a conversation.

If you are trying to get information from your kids because they’re clammed up… I recommend statements, not questions.

Questions to ask children who are shy

No matter how talkative kids can be when playing and goofing off, some will be shy when asked questions directly.

Believe it or not, I was like this as a kid. I had to be “pushed” a bit to open up.

It’s important to give your shy kids opportunities to share out. Be sure to include them in your family discussion time. Here are some questions that can help:

What is your favorite outside toy or game?
Do you have a favorite inside toy/game? Why?
If you could be any animal, what would you be?
What is your favorite day of the week? Why?
Tell me about your favorite food.
If you could only see in two colors, what colors would you choose? Why
What was the most fun thing that you did today?
What do you love about your life?
Can you tell me about time that you were really happy?
If you could have any superpower what would you choose and why?
If you could visit any place in the world, where would you go? How would you get there?

Silly questions that will get everyone giggling

I absolutely love rolling with laughter at the table with the family. How cool is it going to be for my kids to look back on this time and remember how much they giggled and laughed!

Here are some questions to get everyone enjoying their family time together:

Turn the numbers of your age around. How would you talk if you were that age?
If you could be invisible for one day, what would you do?
If you could eat one thing every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Would you rather swim with a shark or a crocodile?
Pretend that you have a pet parrot. What would you teach it to say?
If you could switch places with me for a day, what would you do?
What do you think animals say?
What is your favorite method of laughing?
If you were a teacher, what would you teach your students?
What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you?

Dinner table questions… choose this or that

My kids love This or That questions! They often ask for these questions before any of the others. In fact, they love hearing what their siblings and we have to choose for an answer.

You’ll be surprised how good of a listener they become and how much they begin to love hearing about each other.

Would you rather be incredibly smart or hysterically funny?
Would you rather live in the city or on a farm?
If you could choose, would you rather be 5 years older or 5 years younger?
Would you rather be an astronaut or an ocean scuba diver?
Is it better to be too hot or too cold?
Would you rather have a tall neck like a giraffe or a long nose like an elephant?
If you could choose, would you rather be a captain of a ship or pilot of an airplane?
Would you rather be able to understand what animals are saying or have them understand you?
For a trip, would you rather go to the beach or the mountains?
For a treat, would you rather eat cake or ice cream?
Would you rather be able to breath underwater or fly?

Questions to ask your kids about their life away from you

Remember, this isn’t prying… but simple parenting skills. Not every kid is the same, some need to be asked to share experiences before they will open up about a time they were away from you.

One of my younger boy’s specialty is to share something about a trip he went on with a family member years ago. I’m not sure why he chooses to share these memories years later or even how he remembers them… but I’m always glad when he remembers and shares.

It’s like if I never would have asked, he would never have shared…

What types of snacks and foods did you eat?
Did you feel completely safe and comfortable?
Was anyone there that you didn’t know?
How much time did you spend indoors/outdoors?
What is your favorite thing to do with your friends?
Was there any arguing with your friend/cousin going on?
Tell me what you love most about being there?
Is there anything that you don’t like about being there?
Was there ever a time where you wanted me to come get you?
Was the adult available and around all of the time?

Q’s about kids’ dreams and the future

Don’t spend all of your time on questions to ask your kids that are just for fun. Use this time to grow with them.

Not only is this a great opportunity to share, but it’s also a great opportunity to teach listening appreciation and acceptance of different viewpoints.

We all want out kids to be supportive and appreciative when hearing others dreams. Guess what?

This doesn’t always come natural… the discussion that comes with the following questions will lead itself to opportunities to teach and model.

What is your biggest dream?
Can you tell me is something that you’re really good at?
What is the best part of your day?
Tell me something that you’re really looking forward to.
Can you think of something that you really want to learn how to do?
Is it more important to be rich or kind?
When do you feel the most proud to be you?
What do you think is the best part about getting older?
What would yo most like to be? Why?
What do you think your lie will be like ten years form now?

It’s ok if you bounce around these questions and not have lengthy discussions each night at the dinner table.

However, you’ll find that gearing your family’s conversation in directions that cause you to get to know them and teach values will be rewarding.

Minimalism With Kids – Use it Up, Wear it Out, Make it Do, or Do Without

It can seem impossible to even consider minimalism with kids in the house, but you can simplify, declutter, and live simply.

If you’ve moved multiple times, gone through boxes of clothes or toys, or done any type of decluttering challenge then you know this…

Families with kids gather tons of stuff.

child playing simply with a few toys on floor

Whether we like it or not, stuff just keeps trickling in. It’s a constant effort to pare down the stuff, but it is so worth it.

Before I get into how we can live a more minimalistic life with kids at home, here are some benefits of minimalism.

Less mess = less time tidying| This goes for kids and moms. Tidying routines help, but the less stuff everywhere the cleaner the home naturally is.
Less stuff = less choice = less power struggles | Your kids don’t argue over which clothes to wear when they only have a handful or two.
Having less stuff costs less money | There’s more money to put towards college, retirement, vacations, and things that will improve your quality of life.

How to embrace minimalism with kids in the house

I think if we develop a mindset of minimalism with kids in the family then we’ll raise more responsible and level-headed kids. Here are some thoughts on this motto and how it can relate to life with our kiddos.

Let’s adopt a motto from The Great Depression…

“Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.”

1. Use it Up.

A first good rule to minimalism with kids at home is this… use up what you’ve got.

This is referring to consumable goods and material things you already own. No need to buy more of something you already have. It’s good to stock up on some essential items, but be wise in how much you purchase.

Read: Baby must haves for even the most minimalist mom

minimalist baskets on floor with kids toys

Ways to use up what you’ve got instead of always gathering more

“Shop the pantry” before making your grocery list and try to make multiple meals with similar ingredients to prevent waste. Your grocery bill will be lower and you won’t have a pantry and fridge full of food that goes bad.
Buy only one or two personal hygiene products at a time. Instead of having counters full of shampoos, conditioners, and other products, buy just enough for now plus one more.
Before you buy new clothes for the kids, hand down what you can. You don’t need so many clothes the kids never repeat them in a month. Use what you have until they’re grown out of, then buy more.
Got furniture the right size, but wrong color? Refinish it or paint it. Sometimes reusing or “shopping the house” helps you find something that works without making a big purchase.

Read: Common habits of organized stay at home moms (with printable)

2. Wear it Out.

Here we refer to clothes, or things that have a life of wear and tear and then must be retired. As I grow older I have started to prefer having a few good quality things over many things of subpar or average quality.

They last longer, go out of ‘fashion’ slower and help me to feel a bit more luxurious in my quest to simplify. When I’m shopping I’ll generally buy shorts, tops or dresses that are versatile and don’t scream “you wore that last week” so that I can rotate scarves, jewellery or shoes to freshen the look up.

Buy simple things that can be used over and over again

In your quest for minimalism with kids around, one of the best things you can do is to buy things that won’t “expire” quickly.

Kids accumulate things. Since I’ve had mine fairly close together and I’ve done my best to take good care of everything, we have reused every single baby thing we haven’t worn out.

minimalist mom with daughter holding laundry basket

In fact, even with 5 kids, I only have very few baby must haves. Here’s how you can go about being minimalist no matter how large your family is. In fact, I’d argue, the larger your family is the more minimalist you become naturally.

Buy swaddles, bibs, infant seats, car seats, cribs, and pack and plays, etc in neutral colors so you can use them with all your children.
Buy good quality toys and use them until they’re broken or grown out of. You can also rotate toys to help keep them alive longer.
When purchasing clothes, think fewer and better. If a child can wear something longer because it’s nicer (and they look cute so you are less tempted to buy more!) then you’ll spend less money and have less laundry. Win win.

3. Make it Do.

Now, this can be hard for certain Type A mamas, like myself.

If I feel that something isn’t quite working in the house then I am quick to think of a new and improved system. Normally my thoughts go to purchasing something to make it run more smoothly. And sometimes – when we do a house walk for niggly things – this works well.

But sometimes, we don’t want more “stuff” as a solution and we just want to find an answer to a problem that we like, with stuff we already have.

How to make do with what we have in a materialistic world

When you live alone, minimalism is much easier, minimalism with kids gets tricky because we honestly need more things to make the day go round. But we CAN make do, here’s how.

Get off social media. If we are always looking at everyone else’s cute houses and kids and lives then we will spend $$$$$$. No two ways about it. You may even need a social media detox.
Wait 48 hours before purchasing. If you feel like you want something – NEED SOMETHING – wait a couple of days before buying it. Email it to yourself and label it ‘want to buy’ then try to forget about it. Unless it’s something you really need, odds are you’ll forget about it.
Shop your house. Or your friends’ house. If you want some new furniture or decor, see if you can move some from another room. Re-use what you’ve already got before purchasing. Often it’s freeing to find a solution that cost you nothing.

Read: My “Daily Escape” to a Quiet Place & Why It’s Necessary

4. Do Without

Doing without does not come naturally and is not altogether pleasant. I think that often we don’t actually have to do without something, but we simply need to be wiser in how we go about acquiring it.

If you were ever really tight on money then saw an increase in salary or income, you will know about the Lifestyle Creep. When you couldn’t afford it, no worries.

You didn’t buy it.

But when you had some extra money, you’d just buy whatever you wanted as soon as you wanted it. This leads to the opposite of minimalism. It leads to lots of stuff!

How to “do without” for a while to get what you want later

Save up for your purchases. Sure you could charge it, but it’s actually fun to save up and buy without owing anything.
Delay big expenditures until special occasions. If you want a nice handbag, wait until you’ve hit a life milestone. Want a pretty necklace? Buy it while on vacation. Instead of just buying whatever you want whenever, attach it to an occasion and it’ll be more memorable and satisfying.
Plan out purchases. You can plan out purchases then follow the plan. Decide at the beginning of the quarter or when you plan your year and then purchase them at the set aside time. It’ll help you get into the practice of deliberate spending.

Minimalism with a family isn’t impossible!

To sum it all up, here are some ways you can bring minimalism with kids into your home.

Only have toys that kids play with regularly, not extras everywhere.
Donate 32,423 of your sippy cups and just use one or two.
Cull your children’s clothes so they have all they need, but not so many extra that the laundry is never done.
Get rid of extra devices that the kids always fight over. Kids need to play, not zone out.

You can do this, mama!

10 Things Every Mother Needs on Automatic Delivery

Inside you’ll find some products every mother needs on Subscribe & Save with Amazon. Post contains affiliate links.

“How long have you had those toothbrushes?” my mother asked me.

Distracted, I wrangled my child onto the counter so I could attempt a Tooth Brushing Session.

With 5 kids ages 6 and under, the bedtime hours are insane. They are half parts sweet and half parts sour. You never know what you’ll get until 6:30 p.m. rolls around.

Someone who is NOT potty trained is running around naked, someone is asking for another book, someone knows they’ll have a nightmare so they need the light on and – by the way – they think playing with toys for a while would help.

“A few months? Six months? Longer?” my mom kept asking. “They look worn out. You know what Ms. Connie told me the other day?“

Ms. Connie is our neighbor and friend who also happens to be a nurse.

“She said the minute your child gets sick you should throw away their toothbrush.
Use a new one then, as soon as they are well, throw THAT toothbrush away and get a brand new one.
That way they aren’t brushing their teeth for months with a bacteria covered toothbrush.”

I can’t even pretend to know how long I’d had those toothbrushes, but you better believe I threw them out.

Now… I get them in the mail.

A few months ago I found the Subscribe & Save feature on Amazon Prime and it has become a lifesaver for us.

You choose which products you use regularly.
You decide what frequency you’d like them delivered (every month, every two months, every 5 months, etc.).
You get notified when your items will ship and you receive them automatically.

Tip: It’s a good idea to get heavy things delivered straight to your home. If it takes up a lot of room in the cart or is quite heavy, get it shipped automatically.

Another Big Benefit

Another big benefit of using Subscribe & Save is that you get a discount depending on how many items you get automatically shipped. So you can save up to 20% on some items simply because they’re shipping to you.

Benefits:

You get things sent straight to your door
You don’t have to worry about remembering to add it to the list or ordering it
You save money by having it ship automatically based on how many items you select
You were going to spend the $ anyway so now it’s simply automated

To me, it’s a win win.

Every family has different products they consume on the regular, but the Subscribe & Save program has hundreds if not thousands of products available. I spent time walking around the house looking for items we always seem to “run” out of and forget to pick up at the store.

As well as items I often forget to replace, but that need replacing regularly for hygienic purposes.

These are things you will have to replace regularly anyway, so why not get them shipped automatically to your house with FREE shipping (included with Amazon Prime) and also have boxes for your kids to play in!

Read: Common Habits Of Organized Stay At Home Moms (With Printables)

1. Toothbrushes and Toothpaste

Dentists suggest changing your toothbrushes every 3 to 4 months. Seriously! Most people don’t do this because who remember? Plus, if the toothbrush looks fine and works it doesn’t really “run out.”

We get toothbrushes come on rotation every 3 months now. They’re inexpensive so this isn’t a big expenditure, it’s just more sanitary than keeping your toothbrushes for months and months.

Subscribe and Save: Toothbrushes and Toothpaste

2. Sponges

Depending on how often you sanitize your sponges, you’ll need to replace them on the regular as well. If you buy less expensive sponges they actually wear out and aren’t as effective quickly.

The more expensive ones last longer, but will still need replacing every few months if you don’t sanitize them regularly. You can choose on the Subscribe & Save to get your sponges sent every few months as you think they need.

Subscribe and Save: Sponges

3. Trash bags

We often run out of trash bags, I’m not sure why. These things are staples that need replacing regularly. We use one trash bag per day in the kitchen, so we need replacements each month at least.

If you have a lot of rooms and want to keep trash bags handy in different sizes, ordering them through Subscribe & Save is easy and convenient.

Subscribe and Save: Trash bags

4. Dish soap, Dishwasher Detergent, and Laundry Detergent

You probably have a fairly predictable dish washing routine. We typically do 1.5 loads a day. Meaning we do a load a day and an extra load every couple of days. So, that means around 45ish loads a month.

Now we get dishwasher pacs and dish soap delivered so I don’t have to, ahem, leave dirty dishes in the sink because we’re out of both.

Subscribe and Save: Dish soap and detergent

5. Diapers and Wipes

Well, this is self-explanatory. If you have ever run out of diapers and had to do an impromptu potty training session with your little ones who are not actually capable of potty training simply because you ran out of diapers… you know the benefits.

Subscribe and Save: Diapers, Wipes, and Diapering Products

6. Pet Food

We have a pet rabbit. Sure, she eats carrots and cabbage and other things as well as the food, but if we run out it requires an extra trip to the Tractor Supply. And, as I hope this post has made clear, I try to avoid trips to town if I can.

So I just recently started getting rabbit food sent to the house. If you have a cat or dog or gerbil or whatever else, you can get food sent. This also means you don’t have to pick up heavy things at the store and schlep them around.

Subscribe and Save: Pet Supplies

7. Coffee, Tea, or your Drink Of Choice

I used to drink Coke Zero but I finally had enough courage, strength, and cajones to quit. I drank too many a day and relied on them as a comfort drink.

So then I switched to coffee and now I’m addicted to decaf coffee. If you’re a tea drinker or La Croix drinker or whatever else, you’ll love these deliveries.

Subscribe and Save: Coffee and Tea

8. Snack Foods and Pantry Staples

The kids much of the same food on the regular. Whether it’s juice drinks, raisins, flour, veggie sticks, these snacks are a part of our normal shop.

Of course, we buy fruits and veggies and meat and what not at the store itself, but the pantry items coming to the home automatically save time and effort.

Subscribe and Save: Staples and Snacks

9. Vitamins and Supplements

If you take regular vitamins or supplements, having them automatically shipped saves you time AND saves you from lapsing.

I forget to take pills unless they’re front and center and will easily stop taking things if something runs out. If you have the same issue with pills (provided they aren’t prescription) this will help.

Subscribe and Save: Vitamins and Supplements

10. Toilet Paper and Paper Towels

I can’t count the number of times people in our household had to use baby wipes because the toilet paper was gone. Or use toilet paper because the baby wipes were gone. This will prevent that madness.

Subscribe and Save: Toilet Paper and Paper Towels

I’m sure there are other things I’ve missed here, but these are the basics we like to get shipped automatically. There is a lot of relief that comes with knowing you always have the necessities on hand and don’t have to make a quick trip to the store.

Or… if you live in a rural area like me… you won’t have to make a “trip to town.”

Now, hopefully, the kids aren’t brushing their teeth with germ infested toothbrushes. We’re getting them in the mail and replacing them, whether I’ve thought of it or not.

Automatic delivery… It won’t cost you any more money, but it’ll save you time and effort.

Simple Family Life

Here are some small habits to shop less but still give the kids all they need

Well, turns out… it was mine.

There’s more…

Mom Problem Solving Worksheet

The More Kids You Have… The More That Things Break

The More Kids You Have… The More Noise

The More Kids You Have… The More Hugs and Cuddles You Get

The More Kids You Have… The More You’re Awake

The More Kids You Have… The More Independent They Will Become

50+ Life Skills (By Age!)

What can they do on their own?

The More Kids You Have… The More Whining, Fussing, and Crying

Let me give you a real life example:

The More Kids You Have… The More You Major on the Majors

The More Kids You Have… The More Laundry

The More Kids You Have… The More You’ll Worry

The More Kids You Have… The More Blessed You Are

Self-Care Routine Tracker

What’s a family binder?

Here’s why a family binder is a good idea

Questions to ask children who are shy

50+ Connection Questions

Silly questions that will get everyone giggling

Dinner table questions… choose this or that

Questions to ask your kids about their life away from you

It’s like if I never would have asked, he would never have shared…

Q’s about kids’ dreams and the future

How to embrace minimalism with kids in the house

1. Use it Up.

Ways to use up what you’ve got instead of always gathering more

2. Wear it Out.

Buy simple things that can be used over and over again

3. Make it Do.

How to make do with what we have in a materialistic world

Tidy Routines CHECKLIST

4. Do Without

How to “do without” for a while to get what you want later

Minimalism with a family isn’t impossible!

Here’s how the Subscribe & Save program works:

Another Big Benefit

10+ Things Every Mother Needs on Subscribe And Save from Amazon

1. Toothbrushes and Toothpaste

2. Sponges

3. Trash bags

4. Dish soap, Dishwasher Detergent, and Laundry Detergent

101+ 15 Minute Projects

5. Diapers and Wipes

6. Pet Food

7. Coffee, Tea, or your Drink Of Choice

8. Snack Foods and Pantry Staples

9. Vitamins and Supplements

10. Toilet Paper and Paper Towels