Surviving motherhood: 10 clever buys that’ll make your life a little bit easier

Motherhood – it's one amazing gig, isn't it?

But can we also admit that is pretty friggin' hard too? Being a mum of young kids, it means that you are always on. You are always on call, always needed, always mum-ing. From the moment they wake up (so dang early!) to when they close their eyes at night, your life is no doubt a flurry of meal prep and feeding and lunchbox packing and school runs and playdates and ballet lessons and taekwando and nap-schedules and sensory classes and potty training and toy organizing and homework projects. No wonder we are all are feeling a little shattered from time to time. But having done this motherhood thing for a while now, I have come to realise that while sure, motherhood is amazing, it is also exhausting – and the best thing you can do is just hang on for dear life, try to slow down enough to enjoy all the magic, know that the rough times will pass – and get yourself all the props you can lay your hands on that will make your life right now that little bit easier. Such as: 1. Ember temperature control smart mug If you can never seem to enjoy a warm cup of coffee these days, you are about to meet your new best friend. Say hello to the Ember temperature control smart mug – literally an invention so perfect for mums on the go you'll want to weep with joy. Once you have purchased you mug, just download the free Ember app onto your iOS or Android device and pair your cup via Bluetooth. The app then allows you to set your perfect temperature for your beverage and sends you a notification when it is ready to drink. Oh, and you can customize your mug to keep your beverage at a chosen temperature, so that it is still hot when you have dealt with all you have to deal with and finally have time for your coffee. Genius? Oh, you better believe it. £114, Amazon.co.uk 2. Lululemon Align Pant Because look – we are busy mums on the go, and some days we want to just run around in our yoga pants – even when we aren't actually going to yoga. But we also want to look good while feeling comfy, and to fulfill both of those, you won't find any pant as perfect as the Lululemon Align Pant. This lightweight, high-rise version is designed to minimize distractions and maximize comfort as you flow through your yoga practice. Or, you know, push a stroller around Tesco. €98, Lululemon 3. Trilogy Everything Balm Duo Having pared down my beauty regime to the absolute minimum over the past few years because who the heck has the time (glowy skin + lipbalm + mascara – done), I am a sucker for great multi-tasking products. Which is why I think all mums should carry the new Trilogy Everything Balm Duo in their handbag at all times. The Everything Balm s a multi-purpose balm for your face and body to help soothe, soften and condition your skin. Perfect for moisturising dry patches, you can also use it as a lip balm, cuticle balm, moisturiser for baby or even as a post-shave soothing moisturiser. No, really! The Dreamy Balm, on the other hand, is a very special limited edition created to help you drift off to a restful night's sleep. Formulated with a naturalaromatherapeutic fragrance, massage a little into your temples when you go to bed and prepare for a the most refreshing and restful beauty sleep ever! €15.95, Cloud10 Beauty 4. Lumie Bodyclock Glow I don't know about you, but I find getting out of bed on these cold, dark mornings a bit of a challenge. However, that was until a friend tipped me off about the Lumie Bodyclock Sunrise Alarm Clock – and guys – you will not believe how flipping amazing this is. A light-based alarm is a far less shocking wake-up method where natural-looking light gently simulates sunrise – making your entire room brighter and brighter, until you wake up feeling refreshed, well rested and ready to tackle the day. This one that I got also comes complete with a fading sunset to encourage sleep at night as the light slowly dims, as well as 10 sleep/wake sounds including white noise. £90, Amazon.co.uk 5. The perfect carry-it-all bag Being a mum means forever carting everything but the kitchen sink around with you at all times. And if you, like me, are done with the nappy bag days, but still find you need a bag big enough to fit all the energy bars, Pokemon cards, TopModel colouring books, hair bobbins, water bottles, colouring pencils, tiny metal cars and then some – well then you are going to love this gorgeous Rae Feather bag – which you can have monogrammed to make it even more fabulous. Crafted from hard-wearing canvas in a versatile shade of grey, the Rae Tote features long shoulder strap and an inside security pocket. It folds away easily and will work for pretty much whatever, shopping, work, gym and just your general running around stuff. The Rae Tote, £95, Rae Feather 6. Totesavvy Removable Bag Organizer Insert Literally, this revolutionized my messy handbags, and made it so much easier to keep a constant tab on where everything is. These super-clever bag inserts were created by a mum (of course), who realised women might just want to use their regular handbag instead of a boring nappy bag when they had a baby. And voila, with this clever insert, you can. And it's not just for when you need a nappy bag. With the ToteSavvy insert, you can keep all your bits in their separate pockets, and just move the insert from one bag to another if swapping bags. The inserts come in different sizes too, and fit most popular tote bag styles out there. $65, Totesavvy.com 7. Pukka Organic Turmeric Gold Latte This has become my little morning secret – giving me a much needed boost of energy first thing – and setting me off on a healthy path for the day. I get up 30 minutes before I wake my children in the morning – that is my quiet and delicious me-time, knowing fine well that the rest of my day will be anything but. The warming ginger and sweet-tasting cinnamon and cardamom makes for an uplifting, satisfying and spicy caffeine-free boost, and once I have savoured every last drop, I am ready to face the day. And my kids. €5.49, Holland & Barrett 8. L'Occitane 20% Shea Butter Hand Cream I hate having dry hands, but as we all know – between all the hand washing and cleaning of surfaces we do as mums, as well as standing on the sidelines of some freezing soccer pitch at silly o'clock on a weekend morning, motherhood is often not compatible with a lot of beauty standards. But at least the L'Occitane 20% Shea Butter Hand Cream will ensure that your hands will always be baby soft. Each tube is enriched with 20 percent Shea Butter, as well as a blend of almosnd, honey, and coconut oil for added nourishment. So carry this miracle tube with you at work, at home, or on the move. €24, L'Occitane 9. Chillys Water Bottle Remembering to drink enough water just became a whole lot easier when I purchased this gorgeous stainless steel bottle. I now keep this with me wherever I go, just refilling throughout the day. Not only does it make me feel smug knowing I am not forever buying plastic water bottles, but I also feel so much better and more energised when I sip water throughout the day. €30.95, Arnotts 10. Kotanical Essential Oils + Diffuser To me, winding down at night when the kids are in bed, is an hour or two I really cherish as part of my day. I am not really a drinker, so don't wind down with wine, but give me all the lovely candles and essential oils, and I am game. I love supporting Irish businesses, and being a big fan of essential oils, when I came across Kotanical and got to speak to the founder behind the Dublin-based company, I was hooked. The oils are not only superb quality, they are also 100 percent organic, vegan-friendly and certified cruelty free by the Leaping Bunny Program. And how fab is this stone diffuser? Essential oil diffusers are a way to create your own custom home aromas without the synthetic chemicals of traditional room fresheners or candles, and this diffuser uses ultrasonic technology to diffuse essential oils without heating them. I currently use eucalyptus to wake us all up in the morning, and wind down at night with lavender. €79, Kotanical.ie