Sometimes being a mom is just downright exhausting. It seems like there is never enough time for yourself.

I’m a stay at home mom to one child. You would think that I would have plenty of spare time, but the reality is that I don’t. That one little stinker sucks up all the time and energy that I have.

For me personally, one of the things I struggle with the most is looking presentable. I suppose it’s just about your personal priorities. Keeping my house clean, for instance, is one of my top priorities and I never seem to have issues there. But it takes a lot of work for me to look good, and having a kid distracting me from such makes it all the more frustrating.

So today, I’m going to look to share some of my tips and tricks with you so that people will think that you actually took some time to look your best.

1. Make sure you have the basics

It just is common sense that the less you have to choose from, the faster you can choose. For me, in the summer I can get by with:

• Running shorts (2-3) 
• Cute flowy tank tops (3-5) 
• Jean shorts (1) 
• Flip-flops (1-2) 
• Dressy, strappy sandals (1) 
• T-shirt dresses AND/OR maxi skirts (2-3) 
• Denim vest (1) 

Now, however many of each item you own is entirely up to you. But one of the key components of being a busy, well-dressed, financially struggling, young, mom is not being afraid to wear the same thing over and over again. It honestly doesn’t matter how often you wear it – it’s how you look when you do. 

On the days at home and running errands, I wear my shorts, tank tops, and flip-flops – and honestly, I feel pretty cute! For going out with friends, I’ll sport those same tank tops with jean shorts! For church and dates, I’ll pull out my dresses.

In the fall/winter, I need:

• Black leggings (2-3) 
• Simple tunic tops (3-5) 
• Jackets/Hoodies (1-3) 
• Jeans (1) 
• Slip-on tennis shoes (1)
• Slip-on boots (1) – I like Uggs! 
• Dressy boots (1) 
• Long sleeved t-shirt dresses (2-3)
• Denim jacket (1) 
• Long necklaces (1-2) 
• Coat (1) 

I might be the only one, but I feel like fall and winter requires SO MANY more pieces of clothing just to survive. This list is my BARE MINIMUM for the cold seasons.

For lazy/home days I wear leggings and hoodies. Days with friends or running errands, I’ll put on a long-sleeved tunic with my leggings. For date nights, special events and church I choose between nice jeans/tunic/boots, or a dress/tunic/boots. And of course, I always add a pretty necklace and jean jacket to top it off!

If you need to wear the same outfit multiple times, the best way to distract is to change up the jewelry and add or subtract the jacket. And truth be told, most people will never notice that you are repeating outfits unless you bring it to their attention.

2. Have a color scheme

The only way to manage your wardrobe when you have so few pieces is to make sure that they match.

My spring/summer color scheme: Navy, Coral, & Mint

My fall/winter color scheme: Maroon, Olive & Mustard 

Now obviously, sometimes I branch out from those colors. I have a thing for neons and every once in a while I just have to get that flamboyant pink tank top! In the winter, I also will add a lot of other deep fall colors that blend in quite nicely.

Really, the reason to have a color scheme is so that when you are shopping, you can quickly asses in your mind if what you are thinking about buying will fit into the clothes you already have at home. 

Instead of thinking about a closet full of random things that don’t match, if you have 10 items that are all in a basic color scheme, you can decide if the purchase will work or not.

And of course, black & white are always a match! 🙂

I also have a purse for each season. I found one at Target that I loved and picked a Navy for the summer and Mustard for the winter.

3. Have a few hairstyles that always work

Yes, it can be really fun to try out new hairstyles. Sometimes, I get sucked into the youtube vortex of hair tutorials and spend hours in front of the mirror. While that is super fun, most days as a mom don’t give us the freedom and flexibility to spend those hours trying to perfect a style.

Take some time to figure out what works for your hair texture, the time you have to do it, and your styling abilities and tools that you already have.

First of all, figure out a “nice” ‘do.

For me, while I LOVE to curl my hair, it realistically takes too long.

I’ve learned that if I wash my hair the afternoon before, let it dry 99% of the way, then put it up in a bun for bed – I wake up with beautiful waves! While it’s not the same as freshly curled hair, it works for my hair and is fast and easy.

I do this most Sunday’s and days I’m going somewhere nice.

Every. Single. Other. Day…..

It’s messy bun day. 

I’m sure you’re not surprised. It seems to be the mantra of every mom – messy buns and yoga pants are our life! And you know what fellow mom? There’s absolutely nothing wrong with it.

Once again, YouTube has helped me tremendously with my messy bun abilities. There are literally dozens of ways to do the messy bun, and they are as versatile as the number of hair textures we all have.

Try some out and see what works for you. If ponytails are your thing, rock on every day! I tried claw clips for awhile and they just didn’t seem right for me – but I think they look adorable.

Find something that works for your everyday and perfect it so you can do it in minutes.

4. Do the same makeup look every day

Everyone has different skin, different coloring, and different things they dislike about themselves.

I personally have no need for foundation, but I desperately need mascara because my eyelashes are pretty much non-existent.

I’m not much into dramatic looks, so I don’t usually use eyeshadows, blush or lip color. But some of you absolutely love it! And that’s totally fine.

Figure out what you need to feel comfortable, and strip your routine down to the bare minimum for YOU.

For me that looks like this:

• Face scrub every time I shower 
• Moisturizer after every shower 
• A very thin line of black-brown eyeliner on the top lid
• A quick coat of black mascara 
• Chapstick 

Sometimes for church or a date, I’ll add a bit of bronze eyeshadow, or one of my two lipsticks. Otherwise, this is my whole makeup routine!

Just like with your hair, get quick and practiced in your routine so that you can do it quickly every morning.

5. Don’t compare yourself

While it’s fine to look to your peers or the world wide web to get ideas for fashion and beauty, it is not always beneficial. In fact, sometimes, it can just make us feel worse than we already did about ourselves.

If you just can’t seem to make contouring look right, STOP! If you don’t look good in that dress, give it away. If you feel uncomfortable in leggings, don’t keep wearing them just because they are in style. If it takes too long to blow dry your hair, stop washing it every day. If you can’t stand looking “frumpy”, wear jeans and makeup every day no matter what. If you can’t rock that red lipstick, find the color that works for your coloring.

You are uniquely you.

And while we have all heard that our entire lives as women, it seems like as moms it is easy to forget because we spend our entire life focused on other little beings.

You are the only mom just like you in the world. You have your own issues, your own worries. Find a look that fits for YOU and makes your life simpler. Then, be consistent with it! You’ll find that the less time you spend worrying about it, the more confident you will be.