Category: Tips & Hacks

Tips & Hacks

Christmas Safety Tips for Toddlers You NEED to Know

thesaltymamas

The holiday season is upon us, and before you know it we’ll be bringing in trees, stringing up lights, and hanging stockings and garlands from mantles and bookshelves. It’ll look beautiful, and so festive- and it will be oh-so-tempting for the little hands around you.

Those curious toddler fingers (and let’s be honest-climbing little legs) will be thrilled to discover all the newfound decorations in your homes. They’ll zero in on the tree first, of course – those ornaments DO look an awful lot like their ball pit balls, you know- but they won’t stop there.

Before you know it, your garland will be down, your stockings will be unhung by the chimney, and the little baby Jesus will be scooped right out of his manger and placed into your preschooler’s doll house.

So how DO you keep your toddler away from the Christmas tree? And-most importantly- what Christmas safety tips for toddlers do you need to check out? After five toddlers and LOTS of trial and error, we’ve got a foolproof plan to keep your little sugar plums out of the ER this holiday season.

Wondering how to keep a toddler away from the Christmas tree? Or how to baby-proof your Christmas decorations? Find the safety tips you need this holiday season at TheSaltyMamas.com. #toddlers #baby #babies #christmas #holidaysafety #mom #parenting #kids #holidays #holiday #christmasdecorations Continue reading “Christmas Safety Tips for Toddlers You NEED to Know” →
Tips & Hacks

The Best Personalized Christmas Gifts for Kids

Salty Christine

Growing up, one of The Salty Mamas (Christine) found her name on every pencil or bike license plate in town. While the other Mama (Jaymi) had more of a challenge. And while we didn’t veer too far outside of more traditional names, the internet means never having to miss out on awesome personalized gear. Which means amazing opportunities for personalized Christmas gifts for kids.

Here are some of our favorites, that might just be showing up under our trees this year.

This year, make the holiday extra special with these personalized gifts! #holidays #christmasgifts #christmaspresents #giftsforkids #bestgifts2018 #bestgiftsforkids #kidsgifts2018 #bestchristmaspresents #christmasgifts2018

Continue reading “The Best Personalized Christmas Gifts for Kids” →

Tips & Hacks

Quiet Your Anxious Mind (So You Can Fall Asleep Fast!)

Salty Jaymi

It never fails- I’ve had a long day. I’ve had a million things on my plate, a million tasks to accomplish, and too many things to keep track of. I’m downright exhausted, and all I want to do is fall into my bed and spend the next eight hours in blissful, unconscious rest.

So why can’t I turn my brain off and fall asleep?

If you suffer from anxiety, this experience is far too familiar for your liking. We are exhausted, but our poorly wired brains won’t give it a rest so that we can GET some rest. One thought spirals into the next, and before you know it you’re agonizing about that comment you made to Sharon three days ago and if she’ll hate you forever because of it.

No? Just me?

At any rate, if you have difficulty falling asleep because your thoughts just won’t quit, we want you to know that you’re not alone.  We’ve been there (you know, only like, every night or so). And as a result, we’ve come up with some fool-proof strategies to help you shut down your brain and fall asleep fast.

You're SO TIRED, so why can't you SLEEP? We've got trips to soothe your anxious mind and help you fall asleep fast at TheSaltyMamas.com. #anxiety #sleep #sleepless #howtofallasleepfast #sleepbetter #anxious #mentalhealth #selfcare Continue reading “Quiet Your Anxious Mind (So You Can Fall Asleep Fast!)” →
Tips & Hacks

7 Bathroom Cleaning Hacks to Get a Sparkling Clean Bathroom

Salty Jaymi

I was a late bloomer in the cleaning-bathrooms department. I did have bathroom cleaning lessons, but they didn’t come at what I consider an appropriate age- say, between the ages of 8 and 16, for example. Nope. Two days before my wedding, in a hot panic, I desperately asked my mom to show me how to clean a bathroom. How I had avoided it until then is a complete mystery, but it was one of those life skills I was pretty sure I was supposed to have, but failed to, pick up along the way. I was eager to learn some bathroom cleaning hacks before I had to confess to my new husband that I was a complete failure in the adulting department.

Presumably, you learned how to quickly clean a bathroom somewhere along the way. It is rarely anyone’s favorite household task, but it is one that you’ll certainly notice if it hasn’t been completed in a while.  It’s a proverbially dirty job, but somebody’s gotta do it. Spoiler alert: that person is you.

So if you’re trying to find out how to make cleaning a bathroom easier, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve come a long way since those wedding-week-lessons, and I’ve accumulated the best bathroom cleaning hacks in the past eleven years or so. They’re not going to make the need to clean your bathroom go away, but they WILL make it easier. And frankly, that’s about all we can hope for in the toilet-scrubbing department, am I right?

Need to step up your bathroom cleaning game? We've got bathroom cleaning hacks to make it quicker- and just a little nicer- at TheSaltyMamas.com. #bathroomcleaning #cleaninghacks #cleaningtips #cleaning #housekeeping #bathroom #clean #bathroomcleaninghacks
Continue reading “7 Bathroom Cleaning Hacks to Get a Sparkling Clean Bathroom” →

Tips & Hacks

Guest Room Touches That WIll Make Company Feel Right at Home

Salty Jaymi

It’s that time of year again. And I’m not talking about Pumpkin Spice Lattes, or even holiday cheer. Nope- we are rapidly approaching houseguest season.

Before we know it, my too-small house will be filled to the brim with friends and family members hoping to crash with us for a few days. Sometimes they’re just on their way through, and other times, they settle in for a week or two. Either way, we want to make them feel at home.

So if you find yourself with a few extra guests on your hands, we’ve got some tips to help make get your guest room ready for holiday houseguests.

Expecting houseguests this holiday season? We've got tricks to make your guest room extra comfortable. Check out the full list at TheSaltyMamas.com. #guestroom #holidays #christmas #thanksgiving #houseguests #homedecor #guestroomdecor #guestroomideas Continue reading “Guest Room Touches That WIll Make Company Feel Right at Home” →
Tips & Hacks

How to Potty Train a Boy (Without Driving Yourself Crazy)

Salty Jaymi

If you’ve hung out around the site for long, you know that I do NOT believe in gender stereotypes. I want my boy to play with dolls and my girl to play in the dirt, and I want them both to grow up to be whatever they want to be. But sometimes, there are undeniable differences between the sexes. And nowhere are these more obvious than when you’re trying to figure out how to potty train a boy.

My daughter was stubborn as all get out, but potty training a girl seemed to be pretty straightforward. You sit. You pee. You receive your bribe reward. A couple weeks later, you’re walking around in big girl underwear like it’s no big deal.

But with a boy there are certain…physiological differences. Namely, a penis. But you might also find that your son has different interests and energy levels to contend with,  and that presents its own challenges.

So if you find yourself with a kid of potty training age, and that kid happens to have a penis- here’s how to potty training a boy (without going crazy in the process).

Need help potty traiing your little boy? We've got the tips and tricks you need to potty train your toddler quickly at TheSaltyMamas.com. #pottytraining #toddler #pottytrainingaboy #toddlerboy #parenting #kids #potty #adviceformoms

Continue reading “How to Potty Train a Boy (Without Driving Yourself Crazy)” →

Tips & Hacks

Tips for Getting Your Preschooler to Clean Their Room

Salty Christine

One of the most epic battles we wage as parents, is the war against clutter. There’s so. much. stuff. EVERYWHERE. And unfortunately for us, our little ones probably aren’t very good at cleaning it up on their own. But that doesn’t mean hope is lost. There are some great preschool and toddler room cleaning tips that can help you keep your sanity. And keep their rooms clean.

Here are seven of our favorites!

Kids are messy, so here are 7 tips to help them learn how to keep their rooms clean! #cleaningtips #cleaningforkids #kidscleaningtips #toddlercleaningtips #preschoolercleaningtips #cleaningwithkids #kidscleaningtips #kidscleaninghacks #hacksforcleaningwithkids #toddlercleaninghacks #playroomcleaningtips #playroomcleaninghacks #howtogetmykidtoclean #howtogetyourkidtoclean #howtomakecleaningfun

Continue reading “Tips for Getting Your Preschooler to Clean Their Room” →

Tips & Hacks

More Than Washing Shoes- The Best Tricks to Make Old Shoes New Again

Salty Jaymi

I don’t know about you all, but this mama is on a BUDGET.  My kids do get the occasional new pair of shoes, and I buy new uniforms for school (only if I can’t find a hand-me-down version). But more often than not, my kids are sporting hand-me-down shoes or clothes I purchased at a consignment shop.

But even though my kids are rocking someone else’s outgrown duds, I don’t want them to LOOK like a dud. And washing shoes in a washing machine is a pretty big risk! So over the years, I’ve found lots of ways to keep their clothes looking fresh, right down to their kicks. Through some trial and error, I’ve finally found the best way to clean kids’ shoes, from Converse to Skechers light up shoes. It’s a bit of a process, but MAN does it make a big difference.

Trying to clean up your kids' shoes? If you've got hand-me-downs- or just dirty shoes!- check out this tutorial to get them looking brand new again, from TheSaltyMamas.com. Continue reading “More Than Washing Shoes- The Best Tricks to Make Old Shoes New Again” →
Tips & Hacks

13 Things You Had No Idea Your Amazon Echo Could Do

Salty Jaymi

It’s no secret that we LOVE our Amazon Echos.  Alexa plays a larger role in our lives than we’d care to admit (I mean, she’s basically our coparent).  She’s our kitchen companion, our dance party DJ, and the deliverer of our groceries. So yeah, you could say we’ve formed an intimate relationship with some AI technology. Welcome, to the future, people. As a result of this relationship, however, we’ve discovered several unique Alexa hacks for parents.

When I first got my Alexa, I was super put off by it.  The volume level in my house increased exponentially. I didn’t really know what to do with it beyond playing music (and they wanted to charge me $5 a month to do it!). To top it off, many people told me I had just given the NSA direct access to my home. Let’s just say, I was kind of regretting my purchase.

But as time went on, I discovered that Alexa had a lot more uses.  She could set timers and reminders for me, so when I found my arms full of toddler, I could still keep myself on track. She played ALL of my favorite songs at a moment’s notice. And her Yo Mama jokes are on POINT.

At this point, I’m spending a LOT of time with Alexa, and I’ve gotten to know her pretty well. And that includes figuring out some AMAZING Alexa hacks for moms.  Read on to discover some of our favorites!

Bet you had NO idea Alexa had this many uses! Find out the best parenting hacks for your Amazon Echo in this post from TheSaltyMamas.com. #alexa #amazonecho #echohacks #alexahacks #parenting #momlife #amazon #kids Continue reading “13 Things You Had No Idea Your Amazon Echo Could Do” →