The 27 Best Parenting Hacks You Need to Learn

1 Corral Your Kids in a Kiddie Pool (Indoors!)

Extend the life of an inflatable kiddie pool well past Summer by using it as an indoor playpen. Toss a bunch of your baby's toys in there, and buy yourself 10 minutes to vacuum, fold laundry, or make a quick phone call.

Source: Flickr user Jason Berberich

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2 Use Shower Curtain Hooks as Bag Hangers

Keep handbags easily accessible and organized by putting shower curtain hooks on your closet rod.

Source: Real Simple / Burcu Avsar

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3 Use a Lazy Susan in the Fridge

In my house, salad dressing and condiments always seem to get easily overlooked on the refrigerator door. Using a lazy Susan on one of the fridge's shelves keeps everything at eye level — so smart.

Source: Martha Stewart

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4 Use Baby Food Jars For Spice Storage

After painting the lids with chalkboard paint and filling the jars with spices, baby food jars easily become part of a great-looking spice rack or drawer.

Source: Frugal Decor Mom

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5 Suck Down the Medicine

There are plenty of ways to get your child to take his medicine, but this is our favorite. Dip a small lollipop in the medicine and let the child lick/suck it each time you dip it. When the medicine's gone, they can finish the lollipop.

Source: Rebecca Gruber

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6 Save Your Car's Cup Holders

Crumbs and stickiness will become a thing of the past (at least as far as your cup holders are concerned).

Source: Kids Activities Blog

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7 Use a Drying Rack to Keep Coloring Books Organized

A drying rack is just the right size for coloring books, and its caddy can hold markers, crayons, and more.

Source: Real Simple / Antonis Achilleos

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8 Roll Your Clothes When You Pack a Bag

Maximize the storage space in your luggage by rolling clothes instead of folding and stacking them.

Source: Instagram user superprincessjo

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9 Microwave Two Bowls at Once

To fit two bowls into the microwave at the same time, simply place one on top of a glass so that it sits higher than the other. How easy is that?

Source: Lisa Horten

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10 Keep Activities Easily Accessible on a Road Trip

Keep kids' toys, snacks, and other supplies within arm's reach by attaching suction cups to a shower caddy and mounting it onto the window.

Source: Instagram user alliaars

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11 Keep Your Travel Toiletries From Destroying Your Clothes

Unscrew each lid, add a small square of plastic wrap, and screw the top back on. It's an easy way to prevent a liquid or gel explosion.

Source: Reddit user thinkadinky via Imgur

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12 The Safest Way to Clean Up Broken Glass Mishaps

Every good party has a casualty of some sort (especially if there are kids involved), and if yours happens to come in the form of a broken glass, employ this safe method for cleaning up the wreckage.

Source: Sarah Lipoff

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13 Use an Ice Cube Tray For Jewelry Organization

Pretty porcelain jewelry boxes look great displayed on your dresser, but earrings and chains often end up tangled or misplaced. Keep jewelry and other small trinkets neat and tidy in individual ice cube tray compartments. It may not be pretty, but it works!

Source: Emily Co

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14 Organize Wrapping Paper

Cut a toilet roll through the middle, and wrap it around wrapping paper to keep things in place and prevent it from unrolling.

Source: Apartment Therapy / Joy Astle

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15 Use a Command Hook as a Bib Hanger

Until I discovered this trick, my baby's bibs were never in the right place when I needed them. Now I just get him situated in his high chair, reach back, and grab a bib — easy and out-of-sight!

Source: Instagram user popsugarmoms

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16 Create a Spill-Free Sipper

Insert a crazy straw into a cup upside down to keep the drink where it belongs and off your car seats.

Source: Instagram user tabid

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17 Fix Squeaky Floors With Baby Powder

If you've got wood floors that always seem to squeak, then fix the problem with a quick dusting of baby powder. This astringent powder leaves things nice and fresh while keeping down the screeches — just sprinkle some onto the trouble area, and sweep it into the cracks with a broom; problem solved!

Source: Sarah Lipoff

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18 Turn an Old iPhone Into an iPod Touch For Your Kids

Image Source: Getty

Upgraded to the latest iPhone? Instead of trying to sell your old one, make your kids' days by converting it into their very own iPod with one easy step. Magic!

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19 DIY Outlet Cover

Skip those funny little outlet covers from the baby-proofing brands, and instead seal off hazardous electrical outlets with Band-Aids.

Source: Lisa Horten

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20 Use a Shoe Organizer as a Stash For Car "Stuff"

Place an over-the-door shoe organizer on the passenger seat to store toys, books, emergency supplies, and more.

Source: Instagram user sonaturallyme

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21 Prep Your Kids' Strawberries

Simple strawberry solution alert: get rid of those pesky stems without wasting too much of the fruit by inserting a straw into the bottom of the strawberry and pushing up. The leaves will come off, too!

Source: Flickr user Kathrine Felland Gunnlogsson

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22 Make Kids' Slippers Slip-Proof

Call off your search for special nonslip slippers for your little ones, and instead upgrade the pairs they currently own with Prudent Baby's hot glue gun solution!

Source: Prudent Baby

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23 Keep Art Supplies Under Control When You're On the Go

Future artists will love this hack from Stacy Vaughn. Simply add some paper and colored pencils to an old DVD case for an easel your child can take anywhere.

Source: Stacy Vaughn

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24 Use a Curtain Rod For Easy Ribbon Access

You don't need an elaborate gift-wrap room to give yourself organized, easy access to your supplies. Install a small curtain rod or towel hanger above a desk or countertop for a neat wrapping station.

Source: Country Living / Steven Randazzo

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25 Use a Pegboard For Bathroom Storage

Pegboards are common in classrooms, so why not use them at home? Martha Stewart suggests using them in the bathroom to keep toys and towels off the floor. Attach wire baskets, pegs, and hooks to the board to store bath toys (it will help them dry between baths, too), hang towels, and even keep a toothbrush from falling in the sink.

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26 Keep Bugs Out of Juice

Bug juice got its name for a reason. But your tot's juice doesn't have to be full of bugs during a picnic or dinner al fresco. Simply place a cupcake liner over the cup, and the bees and bugs will leave their drink alone!

Source: Instagram user foods2hack

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27 Easy Peel Mandarin Oranges

Forget peeling and then pulling apart mandarin oranges — the process leaves your fingers smelling like oranges for days! JewelPie has an easy — adult-only — way to get the job done, and kids will love picking the slices off the peel!

Source: JewelPie

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