*Promoted content*
Feeling ready and well prepared is the key to a good day, which is why you need to claim back your mornings with a quick and easy routine, starting with your wardrobe.
With these fuss-free fashion hacks you’ll never have to leave the house in a state of despair again. Phew. Want to simplify the school run? Here’s the fashion hacks to live by.
1. Hang your dress/ shirt in the shower to steam it
Remove creases and wrinkles from clothes by turning your shower up to the highest setting (once you’re outta there) and hanging them up on the shower rail. Shut the door behind you to lock in all the steam. There you go – handsfree ironing is a thing.
2. Look after your jewellery
One way to turn your time-keeping upside down? A tangled necklace should do it. Make sure all your jewellery is flat and clasps are all secure to avoid wasting time trying to unpick the knots. Drinking straws make for handy tools too. Simply slip the chain or cord through the straw. Voila!
3. Ditch the deodorant marks
No matter how hard you try you will end up with white marks where you don't want them. But fear not, simply grab a pair of light jeans and rub them over the marks to buff away the powder. Failing that baby wipes are also a great stain remover.
4. Hang right
Doubling up on your hangers doesn’t just save on wardrobe space. If you’ve got fail-safe combos in your locker then why not bank those precious minutes by hanging your fave sweaters together your shirts or basic tees.That way when it comes to putting them on they’re all there in one place waiting for you. It’s the simple things in life. And if doubling up doesn’t do it for you, simply hang them next to each other.
5. Learn to love trainers
Thank. Gawd. For. Sports. Chic. Finally trainers are cool again which means you can cover more ground on the school drop off and look bang on trend as you do it.
6. Do a rain check
We know the British clime likes to let us down every now and again but if you put in the rain checks every time you leave the house then at least you’ll stand a good chance of getting the shoes right.
7. Prep your outfit the night before
It's the oldest trick in the book because it's the best trick in the book. This is where you leave those mad mornings behind. Pick it out the night before, iron it if you need to, hang it up and admire your work.
8. Streamlining
Keys, phone, lipstick, change of shoes, the kids – they all need to go next to your bag so your exit is as streamlined as possible.
9. Rewear it, rework it
Unless you and your school gate friends are inseparable, they probably aren’t around to see what threads you were wearing at the weekend. That means your Sunday best could actually be the finest outfit Monday morning has ever seen.Lo and behold your answer to snagging some extra time in bed.
10. Get a system down
10. Get a system downMost of us just open the wardrobe, sit on the bed and wait for the perfect outfit to appear before our eyes. Needless to say, the more likely story is half an hour passes and we end up grabbing the items that don’t require a) help to do it up b) spanx and c) any kind of accessorising.
Dedicate a section of your closet to a ten-piece capsule collection that you can happily style up with anything. If you end up wearing too much of one outfit, rotate your go-to get up by opting for whatever you haven’t worn in the last week.
11. Put your clothes on last
Foundation errors and porridge spills… they all need to happen before the clothes go on because no one’s got time for an outfit change.
12. Eliminate odour
No time to wash that blazer you thought would be totally fine to wear again? Don't sweat it, white wine vinegar and lavender essential oil has the answer. We're serious. Tip a small amount into a spray bottle and spritz clothes to kill bacteria. (Vodka also does the trick…just saying.)
13. A bag within a bag
Switching up your handbag to match your outfit can make or break your day – we’ve all experienced the horror of realising your house keys are in the bag you just veto-d at home. Here’s a hack you’re gonna love: shove all your handbag necessities into pouches/ makeup bags to make the transfer process that little bit smoother.
14. Don’t over accessorise
Go minimal! It’s basically the Coco Chanel mantra.
15. Fix foundation stains
Orange collar? Everything will be ok. Borrow a dollop of your man's shaving foam to treat the stain and add it to the wash. Gone before your very eyes.
16. Remove unwanted lippy
Lipstick. The stuff gets everywhere. Coat your lippy mark with some hairspray and let it sit for a few minutes and wash as normal. Order is restored.
17. Clean up your dirty heels
Scrubbing at the dirty marks on your heels is the quickest way to wear the fabric down. Simply buff it off with a nail file. It's the gently, gently approach - it works with your kids, it works with your shoes.
18. Coming undone?
For all those times you notice that little tiny thread and you wanna pull it but you know you can't, there's a clear nail varnish quick-fix. Just apply a small blob over the thread to stop it unravelling and deal with the full crisis later.
19. Freshen up your sweaty trainers
Keep those trainers you've been relying on for the school run fresh from the inside out by sprinkling a little baking soda on the insoles. It soaks up the sweat and eliminates the honk. Gross yes, but also necessary.
20. Make your patent shoes shiny again
Shower them in window cleaner - that'll do it!
21. Soak up oil spills
Instinct is to soak and scrub at the oil out with detergent BUT your ordinary dishwashing liquid will shift it quicker than you can say grease and grime.
22. Loosen up a stiff zip
Bane. Of. Our. Lives. A dress zip, your tote, your jacket - deal with a stubborn zipper by dabbing it with a cotton bud and some vaseline.
23. Ladders in tights
There's nothing more annoying. It doesn't matter what denier you settle on, they're bound to ladder at some point but when they do you'll be ready and waiting with your clear nail varnish and a steady hand won't you?
24. Hide your bra straps
This hack doesn't only hide your bra straps, it also forces your top to stop slipping off your shoulders. Happy days! All you'll need is a thin strip of fabric and two sew-on press studs. As long as you've got a simple running stitch down pat, you can do this DIY style.
25. Stretch out new shoes
As if anyone has the luxury of having time to 'wear shoes in' these days. Rather than parade around the house for hours, half fill some zip lock baggies (or sandwich bags) with water, squeeze the excess air out and place them inside your shoes overnight in the freezer.
We've teamed up with H&M to give you your one stop shop for Kids Autumn Fashion. Check in with our daily calendar to discover special offers, outfit inspiration and need-to-know life hacks for mums on the go/non-stop mums for 10 days only! While you're at it, make sure you check out H&M’s new collection of 100% cotton, sustainable Kids Autumn Fashion available online and in store right now!
Got any fashion hacks for time-poor mums? Tweet us @sofeminineUK
You might also like:
21 Ways To Style White From People Who Know
