Prior to having kids, I always thought that I was a pretty organised person. I had managed to juggle working full time, having the house under control and never needed a calendar for appointments as I could easily recall them.
Fast forward five years. I’m now mum to three little boys and it’s pretty safe to say I’m not quite as organised as I used to be. When it comes to staying on top of our family life and household tasks, half the time I can’t remember what I walked into a room to do, let alone remember appointments and schedules… I’m open to trying pretty much anything that will help to make my life a little bit easier.
Since my phone or tablet are usually close by 24/7 (and yes I’m a little ashamed to admit that), I’m a big fan of apps that promise to help get me organised and remember ALL of the things. I’ve used quite a few different apps over the years to organise my work life, kids’ appointments and our household, but these 11 apps I’m sharing with you today seriously make a huge difference. They keep me organised and on top of things — well, as much as any mum with young kids can be anyway!
I’ve used several of these apps (such as Paprika) for a few years now. Using these apps has helped me feel less overwhelmed about our day to day lives.
I have used the Baby Bump app during each of my pregnancies (and loved that I was able to compare bump photos that I’d saved in the app from previous pregnancies during my most recent one). I discovered iBaby Feed shortly after the birth of our second son and found it to be a LIFESAVER when it came to keeping track of how much milk I was expressing during his 4 week NICU stay and then timing his feeds during those first few months. As I work from home, apps like Evernote and Dropbox help me share documents and images on the go, as well as write down notes and ideas as they come to me. I know there is NO WAY I’m going to remember anything even five minutes later!
While it was only just on three years between the arrivals of our second and third babies, I had completely forgotten when babies should be meeting milestones, starting solids and even when vaccinations were due! The Save the Date to Vaccinate App released by NSW Health is the perfect way to manage appointments (and remember when vaccinations are due!) for babies right through to adults. I love that it alerts me that an immunisation is going to be due soon, allowing me time to make the appointment and get the vaccinations done on time.
You can check out my other apps I think mums can’t live without in the slideshow at the top of this page.
What do you do to keep on top of mum life? Do you use apps to help you out too?
Find out how Lauren organises family life:
Top image: Getty / Other images: Lauren Matheson
11 Apps that Mums Can't Live Without - AU
-
Save the Date to Vaccinate
Time flies when you are a parent, and making appointments for your kid's vaccinations can be one of those jobs we keep putting off. That is if you even remember when each immunisation is due in the first place! This is where the NSW Health Save to the Date to Vaccinate app comes in. This app will work out when your child's vaccinations are due and sends you a reminder when it's time to book their appointment. It's also a great way to keep track of the dates that your child had their immunisations, and as it's on your phone you will always have it with you.
You can learn more about the app here.
-
Baby Bump
This is another app I have used during each of my pregnancies. I find it to be a great way of keeping track of each bub’s progress as well as reminding me what to expect when it comes to my own body changes too.
You can learn more about this app here.
-
iBaby Feed
I’ve used this app with all three of my boys and find it incredibly helpful to keep track of feeding times and the amount of milk I was expressing (particularly when my bubs were in the ICU). It's also a good reminder as to what side I last fed from! You can use it to keep track of the number of nappy changes and naps too.
You can learn more about this app here.
-
The Wonder Weeks
If you are wondering why your baby or toddler is acting up or is a bit more clingy or sensitive, the Wonder Weeks App has the answer! This app is great way for parents to know when their baby is making leaps in mental development, as well as offering strategies to help them navigate this tough time.
You can learn more about this app here.
-
Evernote
This is the perfect app for mums who are trying to stay organised. You can use it to make lists, take notes, store images or record voice reminders anytime you need to (helpful for people like me who forget things from one minute to the next). Evernote ensures your ideas, lists and other important information is never forgotten. You can also share ideas with friends and family by syncing across other devices. This makes it easy to access everything you need, no matter where you are.
You can learn more about this app here.
-
Paprika
This BRILLIANT app allows you to save recipes from the internet, organise them and then create your meal plans and shopping lists. It really does streamline the whole meal planning thing and it's so handy to have all your recipes filed in one place and easy to access.
You can learn more about this app here.
-
Woolworths
Once you've used Paprika to meal plan (see slide before this one) and sort out your shopping list, you can then jump onto the Woolworths app. Buy your groceries on the spot and arrange to get them home delivered! Streamlining my meal planning and shopping this way has saved me loads of time and money. It's a real sanity saver too: there is no way I am tackling the supermarket with my three little boys in tow.
You can learn more about this app here.
-
Mumgo
If the idea of taking the kids out shopping with you to hit the sales makes you cringe, you really need to check out the Mumgo app. Mumgo is a great way to shop for your entire family from your couch. I'm talking all our favourite brands at discounted prices right there in your phone. It makes birthday and Christmas shopping too easy. But beware if you are a bit of a shopaholic - this app can be dangerous!
You can learn more about this app here.
-
Chore Pad
I couldn't love this Chore Pad any more if I tried! It’s a brilliant way to help kids of all ages understand their responsibilities around the home and help motivate them to follow through on them as well. My two older boys are SUPER competitive and love trying to outdo each other by doing more chores - winning!
You can learn more about this app here.
-
Dropbox
If you are looking for the EASIEST way to share photos from your phone with family and friends, then the Dropbox app is for you! Along with photos, you can also share and access documents and other files from your mobile phone or iPad - perfect for mum's on the go.
You can learn more about this app here.
-
Mind the Bump
This app has been developed by Beyond Blue and Smiling Mind (another great app). It's aimed at helping to support the physical and metal health of mum’s during pregnancy and the first two years. I discovered this app during my last pregnancy and found it extremely beneficial. It helped me carve out some space just for me to help work on my own wellbeing. This helped me stay on top of things in my day to day life.
You can learn more about this app here.
