The Busy Working Mom Gift Guide
Between work, holiday parties, and managing gift lists for everyone else in your family you might find yourself without a gift list of your own! I know how it feels to be so busy that you don’t even have time to make yourself a gift list. Pretty sure this has happened every year since I became a mom.
Don’t worry, I have a list of 10 awesome gifts that will making your working mom life easier or more fun! No effort required on your part.
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Practical
Amazon Prime Membership
If you don’t already have an Amazon Prime membership, put it at the top of your list. At just $119 annually, Prime membership is a steal for working moms.
Suddenly realize you’re low on toilet paper? No problem, you’ll have more at your door in two days. Your kid forgets to tell you about a dress-up day at school until the last minute? You forgot to buy a gift for the baby shower in two days? Done and done.
In addition to free two-day shipping on many items, Prime membership also includes man free movies and TV shows. You can stream unlimited music and also access unlimited photo storage. There are many items that have free one-day shipping as well, for those times when you truly need something ASAP.
Click here for a link to the Amazon Prime membership gift site!
Clothing Subscription
If you haven’t tried Stitch Fix or Trunk Club, Christmas is a great time to ask for a gift certificate! This is great because you get both some money to buy clothes and a built-in method to get them. I always struggle to spend gift cards because I have to find time to shop and find something I like.
Stitch Fix, Trunk Club and other clothing delivery services make this SO much easier. Just send them your preferences, answer questions and they’ll figure out your style. You might just decide to continue your subscription.
Cleaning Service
If you don’t already have a cleaning service, ask for a deep clean for Christmas! It’s a pretty awesome feeling to come into a freshly cleaned house at the end of the day. Even a one-time cleaning can knock out some of those annoying chores that you hate. (Pssst check out this list of 22 things to outsource – including cleaning!)
Ask the service to clean baseboards, wipe down the blinds, or scrub grout – anything that you never quite get around to. If you ask for this gift, make sure to request that the giver actually finds the cleaning service and handles the scheduling so it doesn’t create more work for you. Having someone else do the legwork is part of the gift.
Organizing Service
If you constantly feel scattered at home, and have trouble finding space for your items, you may want to ask for a few sessions with a professional organizer. This gift would be great for you if you have a problem space that you’ve been dying to tackle (but just haven’t had the time or energy).
Be specific when you ask for this gift so you get what you’re looking for! As with the cleaning service, ask that the giver to find the organizer and coordinate the scheduling so you don’t have to take on that effort. A clean, organized space that works for your family would be an awesome way to start a new year!
Laundry Service
Do you ever have one of those weeks that is just so hectic that no laundry gets done? Everyone is busy at work, the kids have more events than usual, so the laundry just piles up. We’ve all been there.
Ask for the gift of a laundry service you can use on those busy weeks. The cost for a couple of loads is usually fairly reasonable, and most services will pick up and drop off the laundry. It’s amazing to send out dirty laundry and receive clean, folded laundry in return!
You still have to put it away but at least you skip everything else. I definitely want this gift! As above, ask the giver to do the legwork to find and hire the service. Ideally, it would be a gift card or service credits that you could use when you really need it!
Large Crockpot or InstantPot
If you haven’t embraced the Instant Pot craze yet, there’s no better time. I love the ability to cook rice and beans without any actual effort beyond pouring the ingredients into the pot. The Instant Pot also makes a pretty awesome whole chicken, cheaper and yummier than rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.
You can enjoy warm oatmeal for breakfast by putting ingredients into the pot before you go to bed. Then just program the Instant Pot to start cooking about an hour before you get up in the morning. Voila! Easy and delicious oatmeal, all ready for you to eat in the morning. What a great breakfast to wake up to on a cold winter morning.
Slow cookers are also a working mom’s best friend. Over the years, I’ve found a couple of recipes that my family really loves (this vegan chili is our fave!). I used to have a small slow cooker but I bought a huge, fancy slow cooker with gift cards a few years ago and it’s been amazing.
I find that it’s really pleasant to take out a high-quality appliance, especially if you use it regularly, and having a big capacity means you’ll have enough for a family meal plus leftovers.
Click here for links to the Instant Pot and Slow Cooker!
For Work
You spend a ton of time in your office, right? Forty hours a week. Why not make your space a bit more fun with a bunch of color or some new office supplies?
Fun Office Decor
I’m not talking anything crazy, but a little punch of color goes a long way to brighten up a corporate office. I find that I really need something cheerful during the winter when it gets dark so early!
I just got this adorable new, colorful lamp for my work office. I’ve had it in my home office for a while and I love the color and modern style. It’s totally affordable too!
If you enjoy writing things down on paper, get some fun sticky notes! (PS. Only 3M notes seem to stick at all for me….)
Nice pens are pretty great too. Your office supply closet probably buys them in bulk, but if you really care about your writing utensils you can ask for a nice pen for Christmas.
Rocketbook
It’s no secret that I think my Rocketbook is amazing! I’m planning to put a second Rocketbook Everlast (with a colored cover) on my Christmas list this year, plus allllll the Pilot Frixion colored pens.
If you haven’t tried a Rocketbook yet, I definitely recommend adding it to your Christmas list (check out the many reasons I love my Rocketbook). It’s fantastic for meeting notes, both work and personal, and you can upload everything to the cloud (Google Drive, Microsoft OneNote, Evernote and more). I even use it as an activity of last resort for the kids – they love drawing in the Rocketbook and seeing their art on the phone or computer after it’s uploaded.
If you get a Rocketbook, definitely buy some extra Pilot Frixion pens. They don’t last that long and you can’t use your Rocketbook without them. Also invest in a Pen Station so you will actually have a pen when you need it!
Succulents
Someone got an aloe plant in a cheery vase for me last year and I love that thing! It brings some color to my office windowsill and it’s another much-needed jolt of color on dreary days.
I’ve watered it maybe three time in a year and it’s still alive. Otherwise, I spin it around occasionally because aloe grows toward the sunlight. That’s it! I have a total black thumb and I’ve still managed to keep this alive.
You will love having a little hard-to-kill succulent (with a cute pot of course) in your office when it’s snowing/sleeting/getting dark at 4 pm. Just a little reminder that spring will come eventually.
A Really Nice Water Bottle or Mug
If you’re a parent, you probably drink your coffee very slowly these days. You pour a steaming hot mug, only to be called away to adjudicate a disagreement (or wipe a butt). Thirty minutes later, you find a mug of lukewarm coffee and sigh.
Really, every parent needs a coffee travel mug. This Contigo auto-sealing travel mug keeps your coffee warm for hours and it doesn’t leak.
Don’t forget about water – it’s important to keep yourself hydrated throughout the day, and the easiest way to do that is to have a pretty and sturdy water bottle. The EcoVessel Summit is my personal favorite – it comes in a ton of colors and keeps water could for hours.
When I do get a chance to actually sit down with a cup of coffee or tea (usually at work), I really love using a nice mug. Pottery mugs are beautiful and sturdy, and mugs with fun sayings on them are cool too. Show your personality a bit at the office and enjoy the fact that being a working mom gives you the opportunity to actually finish your coffee sometimes.
Click here for links to the Contigo auto-sealing travel mug and the EcoVessel Summit water bottle.
Stuff for YOU
You’re practical all year. Buying clothes for your kids before you update your own wardrobe. Putting money into the kids’ college savings funds and your 401(k). But Christmas is a great opportunity to ask for something a little indulgent. Put a few items on your list that you’d never buy for yourself, but know you’d enjoy.
Comfy Pajamas or Loungewear
My mom gave me some Soma gift cards a few years ago, and although I couldn’t find a bra there that I liked I really really love their pajamas and loungewear. I bought a PJ set, nightgown and bathrobe that are the comfiest things ever. Really. Most days I change straight into PJs or loungewear when I get home from work and it’s wonderful – such a great way to mentally transition out of the office! Putting on soft pajamas really feels like an indulgence.
Since I heard about Cosabella on a podcast, I’m dying to try their loungewear! It’s made in Italy and looks so comfortable and luxurious! Their Moonlight Jogger and Moonlight Long Sleeve Top are definitely making it on my list this year.
Really Nice Tights
Your winter wardrobe revolves around tights, amiright? And cheap tights have got to be the least comfortable thing on the planet. The funny thing is, really nice tights feel like yoga pants! Since you’re going to be wearing these 5 days a week (if you’re anything like me), you might as well get a few nice pairs.
People raaave about Commando tights, although I haven’t tried them myself. I got some DKNY tights a couple of years ago from Nordstrom and they have held up well.
PSA: If you’re taller than average buy tall-sized tights. I finally did and they are soooo much more comfortable than regular tights.
Pretty much Anything from Cuyana
You guys, I am obsessed with the leather goods and baby alpaca capes from Cuyana. I really want this pretty leather travel case set (in Sapphire of course). The split-back French Terry sweatshirt looks super cute AND comfortable. (Loving the quartz pink color too). The baby alpaca capes just look awesome – cozy, beautiful and versatile. Basically, you could buy me anything from Cuyana and I’d be happy.
A Massage
Massages are the BEST THING EVER. I find myself so much more relaxed and calm after getting one! If you don’t already have a massage therapist you like, ask for a massage gift certificate PLUS help finding a massage therapist, scheduling the appointment and arranging childcare. Again, the goal is to ask for a gift that you’ll be able to use and that won’t create more work on your end!
That’s Your List!
My hope for you this holiday season is that you feel loved and appreciated for all that you do, and that you find a mix of fun and practical gifts under the tree! Tell me what you’re asking for this year (so I can put it on my list of course).
