Prior to having children, I was the founder, owner, and operator of a successful small business teaching children and adults how to swim. When I was pregnant with my firstborn, I made the decision to become a stay at home mom- and it was quite the transition! My life became busy in so many different ways than it ever had been before.
During those early days as a new mom, I felt like my identity had become mostly “Mama.” Having my daughter (and later my son, too) brought me so much joy- but I felt like I lost a piece of myself in the process. The overwhelm was real, the chores seemed endless, and I missed having my own business.
As the days and years went on, I realized that owning a business and managing a home and family actually have a lot in common. As a mom, I was carrying just as many (actually a lot MORE) responsibilities than I did when I owned my own company. And just like in a small business, there was a need to figure out how to run things more efficiently.
Instead of allowing myself to be overwhelmed by the day to day tasks, I realized I needed to learn to do my daily mom life more effectively- and I’m now on a mission to figure out ways to do mom life smarter, faster, cheaper, and easier…and of course to share what I find with YOU!
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[Shark Bites- June 1.0] How to Ride the Alligator 🐊
Published 8 months ago • 10 min read
Streamline Your Mom Life.
Hey Mamas!
Welcome to the May (or June 1.0 with June 2.0 coming later lol) edition of Shark Bites- the monthly summary where I tell you about my latest ideas for streamlining mom life, plus what's coming up in the world of me and my blogging friends to help streamline your mom life!
The theme for this newsletter is SUMMER! For summer priorities, plans, and deals....read on! Be sure to check out the deals at the end of this email, too- there's some really nice ones this month!
In this Newsletter
Riding the Alligator 🐊
How I streamlined my mom life in May
This Month's Mom Hacks
Coming Your Way in June
Behind the Scenes at Mama Shark
Riding the Alligator 🐊
So we just finished a week at the beach with my side of the family, including my absolutely adorable almost-3 year old niece. She's super verbal and has the best little vocabulary- though like all of us, sometimes she just can't find the word for what she means.
One of our favorites this week was she wanted to "ride the alligator!!!...aka the elevator (how freaking adorable is that???).
I think a lot of us are like my niece when it comes to our summers: We know what we want and we do our best to explain it with words like "I want my kids to have fun" or "I want some time to relax"...but it just doesn't quite encompass what we actually mean, and maybe we don't even have quite the right words for what it is we want out of our summer. And when that's the case, it can be hard to actually achieve the thing you want.
If that's you, keep reading for some ways to get what you want out of this summer- to help you ride the elevator instead of the alligator. ;-)
How I Streamlined My Mom Life in May:
Hired a helper: I can't always afford to have someone help me clean my house, but I knew that if I was going to do what it took to take my kids to swim practices AND pack for the beach AND work on finishing up homeschool things- I needed some extra help. And I timed it to be right before we went to the beach so I got to return to a nice clean house- it was amazing!
Packing in Bins: This is one of my favorite packing hacks. Instead of packing in suitcase or randomly shaped bags and bins, I bought some basic large plastic tubs/bins and pack in those as much as possible! A bin for the kids stuff, a bin for the toys, a bin for my husband and I each, a bin for the towels/linens, etc. It makes packing things in the van easy....we end up with about 6 bins...and unpacking even easier....a bin to each room it goes in and we're done! Packing up is also easy...toss everything in a bin and we're loaded up in no time. Highly recommend!
Used my Packing List Trello Board: I love my Trello packing board! I've got a Master Packing Board that I can create new packing boards off of, and I have a Master Beach Packing Board for beach trips specifically. Every time we head on a trip, I've already got a pre-made checklist that all I have to do is edit for that trip...it's amazing! Want it for yourself? Grab it here!
June 1.0 Mom Hacks
Here's your monthly 3 mom hacks/tricks/tips- with a summer focus!
Pick your summer priorities and plan off of that. So here's the thing- not everything can be important. I know it feels like so many things are, but if everything is important, nothing is, and you're going to feel like your brain is on fire whenever you try and make decisions. So when it comes to defining how you want your summer to look, I encourage you to pick 1-3 things that are going to be your priorities for this season. For us, I want to get plenty of time at the pool with my kids this season! So what does it mean to plan off of that? It means things like keeping our pool bag packed (more on that below!) and meal planning easy pool lunches and snacks. Whatever you decide your priorities are for this summer, use those as the "litmus test" for your summer choices and plans!
Decide what to say "no" to. Continuing off the theme of choosing your summer priorities...choosing for certain things to be important means other things have to be unimportant. That means saying "no" to other things that sometimes might be important! For us and our pool goals, that means I say no to scheduling appointments during our prime pool time, buying a higher ratio of "quick and easy and probably not as healthy" foods so we have options for the pool that don't stress me out preparing, and using paper plates (even at home) so that my home load is cut down to free up some of that day's time for pool time! Whatever your summer priorities are, don't forget that making something important means making other things unimportant (at least for a season).
Pack those bags. Finally, pack your bags! Wherever and whatever it is you're aiming to do more of this summer, there's probably stuff involved that you've got to take with you. In our case, it's the pool bag. Maybe for you it's the museum or library or play date or grandma's house bag! Whatever your bag/s are for the summer, make a quick list of what needs to be in those bags before you leave the house, then refill that bag whenever you get home from said excursion so it's ready to go for the next time- your future self will thank you!
Coming Your Way
Here's the section where I'll let you know what sales and such I have coming up! If it has a BUTTON or LINK, click the BUTTON or LINK to opt in to hear more about that sale when more info is available. Don't want to hear about ANY sales (unless you click a button to opt in)? Click here to opt out of all sales-related emails except this monthly newsletter!
The Best Summer Ever Bundle!
I'm excited to share an incredible opportunity with you! Amazing businesswoman Faith Mariah is collaborating with a group of fantastic small business owners (including me!) to bring you the Best Summer Ever Bundle, a collection of FREE resources designed to help you elevate your summer.
From June 10-14, you'll have access to valuable tools like:
Declutter Dash (summer edition) from Audrey Berry - $37 Value
Craft Room Organization Guide from Brandi Mahon - $49 Value
Ultimate Declutter Your Home Spreadsheet from Lisa Hebert - $29 Value
One Pile at a Time: The Ultimate Guide to Conquering Your Paper Clutter [eBook] from Natalie Gallagher - $27 Value
The Organized Kitchen: Quick Start Plan from Andrea Brame - $27 Value
The Ah-MAZE-ing Journal from Lauren Parker - $27 Value
Clear Your Mind Clutter Workbook from Alicia Cohen - $29 Value
The Ultimate Back-to-School Bundle from Misty Lewis - $27 Value
Travel Planner Planner Spreadsheet from Karie Babbitt - $27 Value
The Brand Yourself Workbook ~ Personal Style Edition from Angela Morrison - $37 Value
Creative Adventure Pack from Lindsey Regel - $29 Value
PLUS my Design Your Homeschool with Trello Course (normally $37)- all at no cost to you! Don't miss out on these excellent resources!
As we all know, summer can get pretty hectic with all the activities, vacations, and special events. That’s why I’ve created something special to help us all stay organized and enjoy a stress-free summer.
Here’s what I love about it:
Visual Planning: You can easily see all your summer plans in one place. Even my non-reader can understand our schedule with the help of fun graphics!
Customizable: Use Canva to add your own graphics, colors, and words. Personalize it with icons for beach days, swim practices, birthdays, and more.
Convenient Printing: Formatted to be printed as a blueprint (24"x 36") at your local office store or you can print it on regular paper at home.
Stress-Free Organization: Quickly see which days are open for new adventures and which are already booked, helping you avoid over-scheduling.
I’ve made this template available for you all because I noticed that so many moms were looking for something just like this. For just $4, you can download this editable template and start planning your best summer yet!
You ready to get organized this summer? Check out the Easy Breezy Summer Bundle, a collection of over 120 free resources designed to help you stay on top of your game.
From planners and checklists to motivational guides and more, we've got everything you need to make this your most productive and enjoyable summer yet.
Here's just a tiny taste of the 120 summer treats available to you:
The Productive Planner
Ultimate To Do List Pack
The Only To-Do List System You Need to Get Your Busy Life Under Control TODAY!
Procrastination Buster Bootcamp.
Organize Your Biz & Your Life
Time Management Checklist
Overwhelm Makeover Planner
Top 3 To-Do List Hacks to Get Immediate Results!
Summer Family Fun Kit
Montzi's Magical Quest – A Full Year of Family Fun Adventures
Summer Bucket List for Kids
Summer Fun for Everyone
2024 Ultimate Summer Routine
Home Decluttering Guide: Reclaim Your Space & Simplify Your Life
Easy Summer Dinners
The Only Family Packing List You'll Ever Need
Declutter Toolkit
Don't miss out on the Easy Breezy Summer Bundle, happening now!
I understand the challenges of homeschooling because not only am I a homeschool mom, but I was homeschooled myself. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the endless checklists, books, and supplies. Too many books and not enough bookshelves, am I right?
I know why you have all this stuff. Like me, you’re searching for the best ways to teach different subjects and adapt to your children’s unique learning styles. But sometimes, it feels like you’re not making progress and worry about “messing up your kids.”
When you’re flooded with information, it can become overwhelming. Wouldn’t it be great if someone could provide a straightforward, A-to-Z guide tailored specifically for your homeschooling journey?
Now, there is!
I’m thrilled to share with you the Homeschool Mom Summer Summit! This summit is unique. It acknowledges the myriad of expertise a homeschool mom handles daily and aims to empower you with creative solutions from over 50 seasoned homeschool moms who’ve been exactly where you are now.
From June 24-28, Richie Soares of Homeschool & Humor will host workshop sessions featuring over 50 homeschool mom experts. You’ll discover everything from teaching techniques to planning a year-round homeschool, and even the best tips for reaching summer goals!
Kids ages 5-18 are ALL covered! (When is the last time you saw something online that was a good fit for teens??)
You can sign up and within a minute, you’re in a dashboard free from ads and distractions for your kids.
I saw someone the other day who watched all 13 workshops in one morning! Wow! She said as an adult she was surprised that she enjoyed the “stewardship” workshop the most, and that it was filmed such that young kids, teens, and adults could all learn from it together. :o
You’ll be registered for the rest of camp June 24-28 as well, and you can check that out when the time comes.
According to the reviews (all 4.5 and up!), parents are learning skills too, ahem! ;) I’m seeing kids re-folding all the clothing in their drawers, families recycling for the first time, and Stacy W who made the pasta salad bar for a big event:
“We made this for a big family dinner after a performance. It was so nice to have everything prepped ahead of time. Everyone loved this dinner because they were able to customize it exactly how they liked it.”
The workshops are getting “out in the wild” right away, just like the camp is designed! (Super short screen time, then REAL WORLD work.)
Janaye rated the neighborhood business guide workshop 5 stars and said:
“This video was perfect for my kids who are thinking of ways to earn money this summer!”
Definitely something for everyone. Remember all 13 workshops are complementary and available NOW through the end of June. Hop in and take a look!
I've got another course in my head working it's way out- Formula-Based Meal Planning! It's my latest favorite way to meal plan (and how I'm keeping things super simple this summer!) and I'm excited to tell you more about it soon!
New Colors/Homepage are coming, plus some other fun revamps to make the site even easier to find what you need.
What's your priority this summer? What are you saying "no" to to make it happen?
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113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2205
Stephanie Iraggi
Prior to having children, I was the founder, owner, and operator of a successful small business teaching children and adults how to swim. When I was pregnant with my firstborn, I made the decision to become a stay at home mom- and it was quite the transition! My life became busy in so many different ways than it ever had been before.
During those early days as a new mom, I felt like my identity had become mostly “Mama.” Having my daughter (and later my son, too) brought me so much joy- but I felt like I lost a piece of myself in the process. The overwhelm was real, the chores seemed endless, and I missed having my own business.
As the days and years went on, I realized that owning a business and managing a home and family actually have a lot in common. As a mom, I was carrying just as many (actually a lot MORE) responsibilities than I did when I owned my own company. And just like in a small business, there was a need to figure out how to run things more efficiently.
Instead of allowing myself to be overwhelmed by the day to day tasks, I realized I needed to learn to do my daily mom life more effectively- and I’m now on a mission to figure out ways to do mom life smarter, faster, cheaper, and easier…and of course to share what I find with YOU!
Hey Affiliates! Just a quick reminder that I decided to throw one last sale for the Collections- specifically, the Home Strategies Collection. To bless everyone with some holiday spending cash, I have updated EVERYONE'S commission rate to 60%- no opt in, no contests, just a little gift from me to you! After November 30th, I'll adjust it back to normal. If you've already taken action on this- no need to read the rest of this email. But if not, check out the details below! Thanks! The Deets:...
Streamline Your Mom Life. Introducing Shark Bites Monthly Bundles! After lots of planning and brainstorming and praying, I’m thrilled to introduce Shark Bites Monthly Bundles—a brand new series of monthly themed bundles designed to tackle specific pain points that moms face, one focused question at a time. Each month, we’ll be offering carefully curated bundles that provides actionable solutions to a single, well-defined issue. This targeted approach will ensure that customers aren’t just...
Streamline Your Mom Life. Hey Mamas! Welcome to the August newsletter for Mama Shark! We just got home from a lovely long weekend with my parents. I seriously wish everyone could have parents/grandparents as awesome as mine are- they build legos, take the kids to the pool, and take them for ice cream and more. And in the meantime, the parents get to mostly chill and it's AMAZING. One of the funniest things that came out of this last visit happened during a family game of "I Spy" that happened...
