4 Ways to Get the Most out of Your Wardrobe

You own more clothes than you wear. You get comfortable wearing your favorite pieces from week to week. Here are some steps to help your look be more diverse, make your clothes last longer, and help you purge yourself of unneeded/unwanted clothes. 

Four ways to get the most out of your wardrobe: 

Turn Your Hangers Around

Once you've worn a piece that hangs up, turn the hanger backwards, to signify that it's been worn. Try to go through your clothes until all items have been worn. You'll find gems that you forgot you had. 
Clean out a Drawer
For your folded clothes, have a cleaned out drawer that items go to once you've worn them. This leaves clothes you need to wear in your other drawers. When is the last time you've made it to the bottom of your drawer? Use this opportunity to really see what's been sitting in your dresser. 
Start Your Outfit with an Unworn Item 
Start your outfit planning with a clothing item that hasn't been worn yet in order to insure you get at least one thing you haven't worn recently into your clothing rotation. 
Sell, Giveaway and Throw Away
Through this process you will undoubtedly come across things you know you don't want or need any more. Get rid of them instead of taking up valuable space. If it's in bad shape, throw it away or turn it into a rag for cleaning. If it's in good shape but no longer your style or fit, sell it or donate it. I usually donate to Purple Heart. You can set up the donation online and they come to your house and pick up the items.  
This process really makes me think outside my usual box when creating outfits. It's also helped me find pieces I forgot I even had, and to get rid of things I know I'll never wear again. 
How are YOU getting the most out of your wardrobe?

Why you should get pregnant in January

This post contains affiliate links. 

My husband and I are avid planners. There aren't many decisions we make that aren't planned out and we have spreadsheets for most parts of our lives. When we decided to have a child we aimed to knock me up at the beginning of the year. I purposely got pregnant in January. Starting your pregnancy in January means: 
You'll be the most pregnant in summer.  
On the surface this sounds like a horrible thing, but being the biggest in the summer means spending way less money on maternity clothes than you would in the winter. Maternity clothes are expensive, and the more fabric you need to clothe yourself, the more expensive they're going to be. There is no need to buy maternity outerwear or sweaters when you're pregnant in the summer. I was able to stretch many of my summer dresses into maternity dresses. Also, flip flops. By the end of my pregnancy the only shoes I could fit were my Nike flip flops, I don't know what I would have done if I needed to wear closed shoes. 

You'll start breastfeeding in colder months. 
This is going to come in handy because you can get away with draped and heavy fabrics in the cooler months which can help you cover up while feeding if needed, and hide those wacky breast pads or surprise leaks.
You'll still be bundled up while you lose the baby weight. 
 I was glad to have a few months before I had to be in a tank top again. The fall/winter months gave me a chance to shed some of the baby weight before less clothes and thinner fabrics were a must. 
No matter what month you get pregnant in, you get a baby at the end, and that is spectacular. 

When did you get pregnant? What were the advantages of the time frame?

3 Ways to Keep Kids Interested in Their Toys

It used to feel like BabyCakes had a boatload of toys but we still found ourselves trying to figure out ways to entertain her. We do have a lot of toys, but they weren't keeping her interest. I stopped buying new toys and tried three things have that proven to keep her playing with the toys she does have.

3 Ways to Keep Kids Interested in Their Toys

Rotate Toys 

A great way to keep kids interested in their toys is to rotate them. Don't have all your toys out at once. Have a group of toys out and rotate them occasionally. Because BabyCakes is at school during the day and doesn't play with much during the week we rotate toys about once a month. If there is a long stretch of time when we are stuck in the house I may rotate them more often. Most people suggest 6 weeks as a good amount of time between rotations. This makes kids re-engage with items they haven't played with in a while and it's like they have a new toy!

Use Toys in a New Way

If your child doesn't seem interested in a toy anymore try using it in a new way. If they are tired of building with blocks try having them sort blocks by color. Create a homemade ramp to race toy vehicles down. Hook vehicles together with pipe cleaners and create a long train of vehicles to push around. Think outside the box!

Play in Different Spaces

Playing with a toy in a different area can be all a child needs to get excited about the toy again. If it's warm bring some toys outside for play. Set up a play space in the kitchen or any other room where your child doesn't normally play. This will give them the opportunity to interact with the toys in a new way!

Even with trying these techniques there may be toys that your child is just not into any more. Check out my tips for decreasing toy clutter.

How do you keep your child interested in their toys?

Related Posts: 

• Easy Sensory Stations for Toddlers
• Easy DIY Baby Ballpit
• 3 Ways to Entertain a Toddler with Plastic Balls

Corner Bakery Cafe Giveaway

Corner Bakery Cafe was gracious enough to send me $30 in gift cards and I'd like to gift them to one of the lovely Working Motherhood readers!

Credit: Corner Bakery Cafe Facebook Page

Corner Bakery Cafe started in downtown Chicago creating artisan breads and freshly baked sweets. Neighbors began to ask for sandwiches made with that fabulous bread, followed by homemade soups and salads. As guests' requests grew so did their menu and business.

Today they are serving ingredient-inspired, prepared-to-order food in 26 has states. Their menu includes salads, sandwiches, breakfast items, soups, chili, bakery goodies and more. Their kids menu is also very diverse.

Credit: Corner Bakery Cafe Facebook Page

If you live near a Corner Bakery Cafe enter to win $30 in gift cards below!

Giveaway closes midnight June 11, 2017. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway