Otis is six months old today!! I am happy to have made it through what I consider to be the toughest time and today I wanted to reflect and share some short cuts that I used (some I still use) to get through.  

1. Slow cooker

I purchased this slow cooker when Otis was a couple of weeks old. When my first son was born it didn't matter if we had dinner late (or not at all). But now I have two children to look after. I call this a short cut becuase I don't use any recipes, it's simply the vegetables, meat and stock/hebs/sauce I have on hand. I usually prepare this in the morning when getting Caspar's lunch ready and it's all set for dinner time. 

2. Pre-made salads

I still eat some pre-made salads from the gorcery store. It's so easy to grab for a snack and much healthier than other foods I would reach for. 

3. Washer-dryer

We have just come out of winter and the washer-dryer has been a life saver for when I've needed to change sheets in the middle of the night (sick kids) or if I didn't get around to washing the nappies (we are now using 100% cloth). Put in a dirty load and it comes out clean and dry. Not something I do everyday, but it's helped when needed.

4. Bathroom wipes

This is the short cut I am least proud of. In the first months after Otis was born I wasn't really interested in cleaning and the wipes saved me from being totally embarassed at the site of an unclean bathroom. 

5. Hand-held vac

If you have been to my house in the last six months, it's likely that five minutes before you arrived I was running around the house with our hand-held vac. Our dog sometimes like to visit us inside and for someone who doesn't like dog hair all over the floor this too has been a life saver. 

I have totally come clean with my short cuts. I would love to hear about the short cuts that you sometimes or all-the-time take. I think it's fun to hear how other people manage, honestly!