How to be a Cool Mom and not a Janitor

Bag Lady MomOne thing no one told me about mothehood was the number of bags you are going to have. Diaper bag? Sure. You have that shit planned out for months before baby. Spreadsheets of crap to fill it even. When I went back to work, I was prepared for the emotional juggling but not the physical juggling needed to complete my day. Purse, diaper bag, pump, gym bag, bottle bag and lunch. Oy!  Dropping off an infant in a carrier just added to the madness (no one remind me of the fact we have to do this  WITH a toddler now…maybe I can get him a backpack for carrying my things…). New problems arose that I had no idea would be there. Almost 3 years in and I still am seen walking to my office with at least 2 bags a day. Sadly, it has nothing to do with being a mom anymore, I am just bag centric now.

Now balancing all these bags, you run into a problem or 2. Say you are going to the car after daycare pick up. Toddler on hip, purse on one arm, bag full of pee clothes and you need your keys…in your purse. Yeah. Not fun. You keychain contains who knows how many keys, discount cards and key fobs.  It sure isn’t going to fit in your tiny pockets. Heaven forbid you are wearing a skirt with NO pockets. You are pretty much screwed.

But are you? I have recently added some things to my arsenal that have dwindled my janitor sized keychain and helped me stop looking like a hot mess.

Key Ring AppKey Ring App

Cashier: “Do you have our rewards card?”

You: “Um somewhere on here ::spin keys like a 1980’s roladex::”

Has this been you? Or better yet, your partner drops you off to run in for cereal and beer and you don’t have you keys AT ALL. BLAST! Fear not, my friends. Meet Key Ring. Scan in all those cards and never need those bits of plastic again! Just need your phone.

Key Ring also does promos and coupons through it’s app now, so you might even get an extra deal you didn’t even know existed. It is available for iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Blackberry and FREE!

Now your keys are less janitorial, let’s snaz that shiz up and help you keep track of them.

StretchkyStretchky Key Chain

This product is pure genius. I actually won this on a Facebook contest but holy crap is it awesome. One of those things you never knew you needed but YOU DO.

First off, it just slides on your wrist.  Running into daycare? Slip that puppy on. Going on a walk and don’t have any pockets? BOOM. Trying to carry ALL THE BAGS but need to get to the key to unlock your car. SHAZAM.

The extra benefit for me is that even when it is in my purse, it makes it a bigger target to grab. I can feel around and find the bad pretty easy.

Lisa makes these in all kinds of fabrics and it is really durable…I mean it has with-standed the inside of my purse. It deserves a medal or something.

So there. 2 ways to control some of the chaos in your life and look cute doing it. I know I am not solving world hunger here but if you have to spend a little less time digging for keys and save a little cash while doing it? So be it. You’re welcome.

Disclaimer: I wasn’t paid by Monkey Lisa or Key Ring App. I honestly just love them both. I won the Stretchky in a completely unrelated contest and fell in love with it on my own. Thanks Lisa!

Photo credit: http://mylifeasagrownup.wordpress.com/2012/05/04/i-am-a-bag-lady/ – which hits on my points above. Fist bumps, lady.

9 thoughts on “How to be a Cool Mom and not a Janitor

  • May 25, 2012 at 10:23 am
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    Great ideas! I definitely struggle with keeping all of my crap together to get everyone where they need to be. Thanks for the app idea too.

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  • May 25, 2012 at 11:18 am
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    Love the key holder. I had the same problem. Only other tip I have is that I realized late in the game that I had waaay too much stuff in both my diaper and work bags. Would’ve thought I was packing for the apocalypse. I could’ve downsized substantially – especially since I was repacking them daily anyway – and lightened my load.

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    • May 28, 2012 at 6:27 pm
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      yeah i have even underpacked but they were still bags. I didn’t need to take diaper stuff to the office…but i needed something else. I could never win.

      Reply
  • May 25, 2012 at 12:52 pm
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    These are times where I’m thrilled to be a guy who wears cargo shorts pretty much every day. Wallet in the thigh pocket, phone in the left pocket and keys in the right pocket. Everything else can go in the diaper bag.

    Of course it also helps that I only have 4 keys on my keychain…

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    • May 28, 2012 at 6:26 pm
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      yeah cargo shorts work too. You can do the cool dad one 😉

      Reply
  • May 29, 2012 at 1:41 pm
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    One thing that I absolutely love about owning a Prius: Keyless entry/ignition. Why have they not made that a standard yet?? My keys have yet to leave my pocket in 3 years of ownership. I wish our Sedona had this as well, as that’s the most oft used family vehicle. But in the Prius, just grab a handle, slide in, and you’re gone.

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    • May 29, 2012 at 3:04 pm
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      Now see I have beef with the keyless thing. I like to FEEL I am driving a real vehicle. Something mechanical. I never thought having a key was a hassle…much less putting it in the ignition.

      I am not going off on you…promise…I just had this conversation last week with a friend with a new Lexus. Of all things to improve on cars, that seems like the silliest to me. Why not let me auto down ALL the windows? Or make back up sensors standard for safety? CMON SCIENCE!

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      • May 30, 2012 at 10:04 am
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        I thought that the keyless thing would be very “meh” as well, but even my extremely technophobe wife enjoys the keyless the most about the Prius. It’s certainly not an exiting machine to drive, but cannot argue with the fuel savings.

        Reply

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