Hey, I’m Amber and I’m a busy mom. And there are some products I’ve discovered and incorporated into my home that I can’t live without. When I say I can’t live without them, what I really mean is that I am very grateful for them because they make my mom life so much easier! (Likewise, “needs” in the title is a bit of an exaggeration–because who really needs anything?–but you will be so grateful you have these things!)

I am pretty passionate about all of these 12 products. Some of them have been life changing for me! None of the things on this list would come as a surprise to people who really know me because I talk about how amazing they are. But since you may not know me as well, I’m sharing these products every mom needs with you so you too can make mom life easier (which = better).

(This page about products every mom needs contains affiliate links that we may be compensated for. Your clicks and purchases help support The DIY Lighthouse at no extra charge to you. We only put links to products we love and would recommend anyway.)

List of What Every Mom Needs

1. Robot Vacuum

We got an ECOVACS DEEBOT robot vacuum cleaner and I seriously love it! I’m good at tidying up, wiping counters, and stuff, but not so great at cleaning the floor. Especially after moving from a 750 square foot condo into a 1800 square foot home, cleaning all the floors was time consuming.

So now I just make sure my floor is clear of toys, I turn my robot vacuum onto “auto,” and I go do something else. My favorite is turning it on at night right after putting the kids to bed. It’s almost embarrassing how much I like having a robot do my work for me.

If you struggle sweeping and vacuuming your floor, then do yourself a big favor and get one of these. I researched a bunch of different robot vacuum cleaners, and–at least when I was researching–this one seemed like the best one for the money. I was hesitant about spending so much on one product because I’m pretty thrifty, but I am so glad I went for it! Every mom needs one!

2. OK to Wake Clock

If you’ve got a toddler that is waking up too early then you should totally try out this OK to Wake clock. This brilliant invention is a cute, kid-friendly clock that glows green when it reaches the time you’ve set the alarm to. (There is also a noise alarm you can program, but we don’t because we don’t want to wake our kids up if they’re still sleeping!) We use this OK to Wake Clock really as an ok-to-come-out-of-your-room clock.

We set my son’s clock to 7:30am and tell him the night before that he can only come out once his green light goes off. (Of course he also comes out during the night to go potty.) It usually works! Yes, there are mornings when he comes into our room at 7:00am and instead of risking waking up his little sister who shares his room by having him go back in his room, we let him snuggle in our bed with us. But. Usually he is really good about staying in his room until his light turns green, even if he’s awake.

The small purchase price was well worth the extra sleep it has given us parents over the past year since we’ve got it.

3. Soap Dispensing Dish Brush

You probably already have one of these because I feel like most moms do. But if you don’t, then you have to get one. I love my OXO Good Grips soap dispensing dish brush. It makes doing dishes by hand way faster for me because I don’t have to pull out the dish soap every time. And I like keeping my counters clutter-free so I didn’t want a hand soap dispenser and dish soap dispenser sitting by the sink.

I don’t hate doing dishes like some women, but I do love saving time cleaning up. And I have dry, sensitive skin so having a long wand to help scrub the dishes is better than a shorter one for me.

Like I said, if you don’t have a soap dispensing dish brush then try it out. You may be like me and wonder why you didn’t get one sooner.

4. Big, Flat Cutting Boards

This is another product I purchased in the last couple of months and I wish I had done it sooner. If you have little kids then you’re probably cutting food into small pieces left and right. I know I use cutting boards all the time for my kids. Like almost every meal.

I got sick of my smaller cutting boards and wanted a cutting board that had a big surface area to cut on but also small enough to store easily. I found it! This Flexible Plastic Cutting Board Mat Set saved the day. It comes in a pack of three so now I always have a clean cutting board to use and they’re awesome.

5. Sound Machine

Sound machines are not just for babies. Yes, I absolutely use one in my kids’ room. (We love ours.) They share a room and I totally think it not only helps them fall asleep faster, but I also think it keeps them asleep when the other one wakes up in the night or morning. But I also use one for myself when my husband is watching the kids for a sec (thank goodness for him… he’s such a good man!) and I’m trying to get a little bit more sleep.

I also heavily used one when I was staying at my in-laws for a spell before we could move into our house. There was a dog that would bark right outside my window and the sound machine was a life saver.

As a mom, sleep is essential (although we usually don’t get enough of it). So to have everyone in your home sleep more soundly (pun not intended), get a sound machine or two. They don’t just have white noise–even though that’s what my family uses exclusively. They also have different spa and nature sounds.

6. Wool Dryer Balls

This one may seem weird, but I love our wool dryer balls. I may have been way out of the loop, but I first saw them at my mother-in-laws house. I liked the idea and decided to get some for myself. No turning back! I like mine so much that I gave them to my mom and siblings for Christmas.

Using dryer balls means no more dryer sheets! They are reusable, so I just leave mine hanging out in the dryer waiting for the next load. I like these XL wool dryer balls. You should try them!

7. Pantry Snapware Airtight Storage Containers

I like my pantry organized. I used to be a professional organizer, and I helped clean out more than one pantry that had become overrun with moths. You heard that right. Gross, food-loving moths.

Somehow they find their way to a pantry (hiding inside a box or jar from the grocery store) and they multiply. It’s a huge process throwing out all the possibly-infected food (not to mention expensive!). You have to throw out everything that is open and not sealed in air-tight containers and wipe down everything else. (And make sure moths aren’t hiding up inside jar lids–even the ones that haven’t been opened yet.)

I’m sorry to bring gross moths into this post, but I really love my Snapware containers because they seal in all of my opened food, and I don’t have to worry about a moth infestation. I put open cereal, open snacks, open baking foods (flour, sugar, etc.), bulk rice, bulk dog food, and more.

These airtight containers not only help me stay organized and clean, they also give me peace of mind. Have I emphasized how glad I am to have them? I’ve found these containers are best for bulk foods or if you’re putting multiple things in one container (like snacks or baking stuff). And these containers (mine are purple not green–but I think it’s the same product otherwise) are nice for cereal or stuff like that. Save yourself the headache and expense later on and just get yourself some.

8. Stroller Hook Carabiner

This one is for all the stroller-pushing moms out there. I use my stroller hook carabiner all. the. time. My sister told me to get one, I did, and I can’t imagine not having it. It’s one of those things that you don’t know you need it until you have it kind of things. If you have a kid (or kids) in a stroller, then get a stroller hook carabiner and save yourself! I hang my diaper bag/purse, grocery bags, dog leash, and more from mine.

9. Potty Stool

I’m not ashamed to admit that my family likes making our bathroom experience a better one. You have probably heard about the famous Squatty Potty, the bathroom toilet stool, that changed the game for people. It really does make pooping a better experience for people. We already owned a stool (this nursing stool actually) that is nice height, so we use that instead. But my parents have the Squatty Potty and it makes for a great experience!

10. Poo-Pourri Toilet Spray

Okay so while we’re on the subject, my family is also big fans of the Poo-Pourri toilet spray. When we only had one bathroom this was a must! Even now, having toilet spray around makes it a much more pleasant experience for back-to-back bathroom users. I don’t think I need to go into more detail. Just go check out the spray here and see for yourself.

11. Blackout Curtains

Unless you or your kids like sleeping in the light, then you should definitely have blackout curtains. We’re grateful that even in the middle of a sunny day our babies can have a nice, dark place to take a nap. It helps them sleep longer which is always a good thing for parents. Speaking of parents… you deserve blackout curtains too. We love ours!

12. Hanging Shoe Shelves

Yep, my past professional organizer side is at it again. Having an organized closet is sooo nice. I don’t like having my shoes on the closet floor–or anything on the floor for that matter. We got a few hanging shoe shelves and can never not have them. Not only do we put our shoes in them, but my husband has a whole shelf set dedicated to his pants. He rolls up his pants and puts one pair of pants in each shelf. It makes it really easy for him to stay organized and avoid the falling-over pants pile.

That concludes my list of things I think every mom needs (or should get if you can). What do you think? What products or things in your house do you love and would absolutely recommend to a friend? What do you think every mom needs? Please leave a comment below!

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