Organized New Mom Tip #14: Relax your wardrobe

This might sound like a “duh” kind of tip, but it’s harder to do than it seems. At first, in the midst of all the pooping and spit up, I didn’t care at all that I was spending my days in a t-shirt and yoga pants, but after awhile I caught myself looking longingly at my high-heeled “hurts-like-hell-but-man-do-they-make-me-look-good” knee high boots. If you’re a SAHM like me, it’s especially hard because you don’t get to enjoy fancy outfits during normal working hours away from home. The most important thing about this particular organized new mom tip is that you’ve got to tell yourself you’re going to do it. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself buying pretty dresses and strappy sandals yet opting for comfortable shoes and 100% cotton when you leave the house. Trust me. In the long run, dressing down your closet makes life much easier both physically and financially.

Organized New Mom Tip #13: Exercise

Ugh. I know. Sometimes the last thing a new mom wants to do is pull on her yoga pants (that are probably a bit tight because of the baby weight) and hit the gym. Believe me, I can sympathize.

I gained around 50 lbs. with my pregnancy, and I was anxious to get it off ASAP.  I remember being disappointed when my doctor told me I couldn’t do anything but light walking for exercise for 6 weeks after giving birth. So I walked. I walked and I walked and I walked – lightly. I was slowly losing weight but I discovered something more important happening. I felt FANTASTIC when I was walking. Everyone knows the stresses of a new baby can make you feel like you don’t have much control in your life. I found that exercising-even just light walking-gave me back that feeling of control. My focus on losing weight suddenly faded away and I was able to relax and just enjoy my daily exercise.

When I was able to do more strenuous exercising, I worked hard to make time during the day just for me to work out, and it paid off. Not only did I end up losing more than just my baby weight, I became a much happier, much calmer, and more organized new mom. Exercising is now just a part of my daily life, and if I skip it, I feel like something is missing.

Not sure how to get started?  Here’s what worked for me:

·         Take your baby for a daily walk. Like I said before, it’s all you’re allowed to do the first 6 weeks.

·         Once you’re ready to do more, schedule a light workout while the baby naps, because the dishes are less important. I started with a post-natal yoga video while Will slept in the bouncer next to me.

·         Join a Mommy/Baby Yoga or Exercise class. Since I’m not into group workouts I never did, but I have mom friends who did and really enjoyed them.

·         Find a workout facility that offers drop-in child care. Once you find the right one, you’ll be hooked. I still take Will to our local rec center at least once a week. You’ll get an uninterrupted workout, plus your little one gets to socialize with other babies.

As everyone says, start slow. If you find yourself dreading your workout, stop immediately and find a new one. Before you know it, you’ll be in the market for a smaller pair of yoga pants. J

Organized New Mom Tip #12: Keep Essentials on or Near the Changing Table

Everyone knows to keep the diapers and wipes near the changing table, but what new moms don’t realize is how many other things you need to do for your baby on the table besides wiping a bottom.  I quickly realized after Will was born that I needed to overhaul the whole changing area. The hanging mobile was moved from the crib to the table where he enjoyed it all the time, as you can see from the picture to the left. 

Here’s a list of everything I kept handy around the changing table the first few months after Will was born:

·         Diapers

·         Wipes

·         Diaper Cream

·         Baby Tylenol/Other Meds

·         Thermometer

·         Baby Toothbrush

·         Baby Nail Clippers/File

·         Nose Aspirator (the bulb thing)

·         Extra Pacifier

·         Comb

·         Onesies

·         Baby PJs

·         Baby Socks

·         Bibs/Burp Cloths

·         Receiving Blankets

·         Extra changing table cover

·         Sunscreen

·         Kleenex

·         Hand Sanitizer

·         Small Squirt Water Bottle

·         Extra Rattle or Board Book

Although this list seems excessive, I used every last item from this list almost daily, and I suspect other parents do too. Most of these items are small so they’re much easier to organize than at first glance. I have some open storage below the changing table for the linens, so if you actually have a dresser, you’re set. For the rest of the little items I hung pocket storage above the table which works perfectly, since it’s important to keep meds out of reach of grabby little hands.  The pictures below give you a better idea how I organized the table area. Keep in mind that I now have a 19 month old, so the items pictured are a bit different from the above list. 

Convenient pocket storage hung to the left of the
changing table keeps meds and small items
out of Baby's reach 



Interesting images, toys, and books keep Baby happy-
I had to take the mobile off when Will started
pulling it down, but he used it for a good 9 months :)



Storage baskets are a new mom's best friend.

I also have some big storage baskets underneath the crib