Ten Hacks To Control Chaos

There is a reason that we rely on a community of friends and family.  In addition to general camaraderie, they often share life lessons that they have learned from personal experiences.  Sometimes, it is advice about the little things that make your day easier to get through.

1. Clean It Up -- In every car that I have owned, I keep a clean up kit.  My kids are trash and crumb creators.  I learned from a Girl Scout mom-friend to keep a mini broom and dustpan in my car door.  If you can't make it to the car wash, this is a quick way to get rid of dust, grass and small bits of trash that accumulate on the floor and in seats.  I also keep babywipes and have the kids clean up messes while I drive.  And of course, a few plastic bags or a trash receptacle.
2. School Box --  Regardless of how old your children get, you should still keep a school box handy.  Whether you're trying to kill time or you have a last minute to-do, keep a few tools on hand.  You can use an actual box or a storage bag or pouch.  My must-have items include pens, pencils, crayons, sharpie, tape, scissors, labels, a calculator, and sticky notes.  You don't need to make any special purchases.  You probably have multiples of each item laying around the car or in one of your many purses.
3. Wrinkle Releaser -- Unless you both keep an extra iron with you at all times and have place to plug it up and use it, grab a travel size spray bottle of wrinkle releaser.  Though it won't knock out all of the wrinkles, it can help in a pinch.  Remember those extra outfits that you have on hand for emergencies?  You tend to need those when you are away from home.  A quick spray and smooth can help knock reduce the frump factor.
4. Snack Attack -- At my house, we eat fast food far more often than we should.  It is rarely because we just can't do without it.  Sometimes we rip and run until late in the evening and we're just too hungry to wait until we get home to eat. Keep a stash of food bars, fruit cups, beef jerky (for the kids) or similar snacks.  If you are a great planner, you could pack a little cooler with fresh fruit, cheese and crackers. 
5. Plate it Up --  This works best for school parties, pot luck, meal trains, etc.  If your time is limited (or you aren't confident about your cooking skills), purchase items from the deli or a local restaurant and transfer it to a serving dish or tray.  Cookies from the bakery look quite appetizing on an inexpensive platter.  Grab a pie and transfer it to a pie plate (pick-up a frozen one and pop the pie into the new dish and warm in the oven).  
6. B-Day Gift Kit --  If you have the resources to stock up, keep a kit with birthday cards, tissue paper, and gift bags on hand.  Birthday cards can be purchased for less than a dollar each.  Another tip, when nice items go on super clearance, grab them and keep a small stockpile.  You can get nice gifts for pennies on the dollar. 
7. Extra Outfits -- A gallon sized storage bag can hold an entire change of clothes.  Because spills and surprise overnight invites happen, keep an extra outfit for every vulnerable family member in your car.  This is not reserved for kids.  My mom used this trick to pack for a four day cruise.
8. Bottled H2O -- Thirsty happens.  If you're prepared for it, you can save yourself a lot of frustration and money by having drinks available at all times.  Keep a small pack of bottled water in your car.  Or, when you leave the house, have everyone fill a reusable bottle or cup with ice and water.  When we take road trips, I fill up a large thermos and bring small tumblers.
9. Portion Control -- I have a minivan with thirteen cup holders.  This means that everyone in my minivan has space for their drinks.  They also have space for other items in the way of seat pockets.  However, those get filled and stretched out of shape if we don't exercise control over bulk.  Since my children are always doing things at the last minute.  I buy travel size toiletry bottles that they can use to make smaller versions of their favorite lotions, oils and more.  Bonus, they fit neatly into backpacks and lunchboxes.
10. P-H Bag -- A personal hygiene or P-H Bag is a must.  If you're a germaphobe or not, being able to tidy up quickly is important.  Here is my list for the P-H Bag:  baby wipes, hand sanitizer, tissues, lip balm, disinfectant wipes, dish soap (hand washing or stain treatment), deodorant, feminine hygiene products, and pain meds (I like ibuprofen).  I also like to keep make-up wipes handy--just a small pack from the travel aisle.  They are good for cleaning up if you're really sweaty (like during an baseball tournament).

If you're always on the go, try one or all of these hacks to keep a step ahead of what life throws at you on busy days.