You’ve heard it over and over, and it started when the baby was still in your belly. “Motherhood is hard!” It’s emotionally exhausting, mom brain is real, and you long for a community to feel less alone. Also, who has time to grocery shop? Thank goodness for technology. Apps were intended for productivity assistance, and many of them can be game-changers for motherhood, accessible at your fingertips. From help with organization and playdate options, to recording memories and deciding what’s for dinner, these are 10 of my favorite apps for simplifying motherhood. Maybe you’ll find an extra two seconds of the ever elusive “free time” after using some of these. Maybe.
1. Cozi
Cozi is a free, all-in-one family management tool to stay organized with LIFE! You can do everything from writing out your shopping lists, keeping meal plans, journaling all your overwhelmed thoughts, to looking ahead at the upcoming activities on your calendar. Each child is assigned a different colored dot that’s easy to spot and distinguish on the calendar. The app is also aesthetically pleasing and schedules can be synched across multiple devices.
2. Instacart
Wait, I can get diapers and wipes delivered to my house in as little as an hour? Yes, please! Instacart shoppers are in hundreds of major grocery stores across the country to shop and deliver products to your door. You can save previous shopping lists, use exclusive coupons, view nutritional information, filter food searches by dietary needs, and communicate with your personal shopper. A new feature in the app is “Group Carts,” which allows you to shop together with friends and family.
3. Marco Polo
I’m a SAHM with 2 toddlers. My days are filled with wiping butts and cooking meals that will be rejected 50% of the time. Adult interaction and building community is something I crave. Enter, Marco Polo! You can send (Marco!) and respond (Polo!) to video, text, and image messages from groups you create. Marco Polo is for the busy mom. You can use it when it’s convenient for you to have a moment to talk, even if your schedule doesn’t align with your friends. Your friend can watch live in real time or later. I use it on a daily basis to share struggles, triumphs, or engage in girl talk with my fellow mom friends. Thank you technology for helping me build my tribe!
4. Yowza!!
Yowza!! collects coupons to your phone based on your location. Many coupons come directly from the manufacturer, so they are exclusive to the app. Coupon deals can also be saved in-app and scanned directly from your phone by the retailer cashier.
5. Remember the Milk
This app makes my Type A personality happy. Organize and manage everything you’re used to storing in your head. For some people, a central place for multiple to-do lists may seem overwhelming. For me, it simplifies life. Remember the Milk will also alert you when a list item is coming up so you can attempt to be more on time and look less like a hot mess. Just me?
6. Pinterest
Sue me, I’m one of those unashamed Pinterest moms. I mean, it’s my one-stop app for recipes, fashion inspiration, holiday feels, party planning tips, hairstyle ideas, home decor and more! The possibilities are endless. Pinterest helps me be more creative than I am with my kids’ meals and the activities we do together. It’s also a mindlessly easy way to pass time after the kids go to bed and Mama finally gets to unwind.
7. Qeepsake
This was a Shark Tank pitch! I love that show and thought Qeepsake was brilliant. Save every memorable moment of your child’s life into albums/photo books, all via text messaging! When you sign up, you can get daily or weekly text message prompts that ask you a pertinent question about your child. Everytime you answer, your response is saved in the app as memories and milestones added to an online journal. You can also save photos and build collages, importing posts from your social media to print into an actual photobook. Such an easy way for the busy mom to document special moments and create a baby book or yearly books.
8. Artkive
This should be every mom’s best friend! I’m so glad I found out about this app from other fellow moms. Never feel guilty again about throwing away your kids’ artwork! Chronologically store photographs of your child’s art/schoolwork in your “Artkive“, then use the app to turn their creations into high quality, hardcover books. The books make great gifts for grandparents and keepsakes for you to pass on to your children when they grow up. It’s the #1 app of its kind, and I’m a sucker for a good pun.
9. Door Dash, GrubHub, or Postmates
Want breakfast delivered? In the mood for an afternoon pick-me-up coffee? Need a midnight snack? There’s an app for that! Between the three of these apps, you have access to tons of local and chain restaurants that will deliver food to your doorstep! We used GrubHub recently for munchies after a wedding in Atlanta. Taco Bell delivered to our hotel room! I’ve never been more satisfied. Don’t judge me!
10. Pogo Pass
For one price, you can get a pass to use for numerous events/venues in Kansas City, over the course of a year. Currently, there are 16 family friendly options with Pogo Pass KC, including: Science City, Kansas City Zoo, Paradise Park, Skyzone, Wonderscope, Mavericks games, and more! Talk about bang for your buck! The app simplifies the process for checking-in at any participating location with the scan of a barcode. It also keeps track of what you’ve already visited and what each venue/activity includes. Pogo Pass is also available in 6 other cities across the nation and still expanding.
All these apps are available across both Apple and Android platforms, so you can download them from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store. Let technology work for you. Make life easier on yourselves, moms!
