Sorting and Organising Toys

Asalam alaikum,

Earlier this year I had a nasty case of coughing for well over 3 weeks which left my ribs and back in a battered state, despite physiotheraphy it was a very difficult struggle. 

Alhamdulilah for recovering and duas for other sisters who are still suffering from this epidemic which seems to have crossed all over Sydney. I was buying Internet and the Phillipines call centre worker seemed to be suffering from it too, wonder how it got to there subhanallah. I think it is whooping cough. 

I needed to find a solution so that I didn't need to be picking up toys from all over the house. Littlest munchkin was 11 months then and all the toys grew legs. 

Any requests for help from the other children were met with so many little voices whinging, with mysterious little lungs having coughing attacks right at that very moment. 

I know this happens in every house. But I wasn't to be a statistic. 

All the toys are now in the garage. In a big plastic box. Next to the red back spiders. *Hmph*.

Here is a picture of our little poisonous toy guards. 

So now I have (and will inshallah since there actually spiders there today, and I'm arachnophobic myself) organise the toys into the following categories and only two boxes can come out at one time (inshallah):

Plastic blocks

Wooden blocks

Tea Sets

Beauty/Dress Up toys

Animals figures

Cars

Indoor sports 

Fiddly toys (yoyos, spinning toys)

Toolbox toys

The boxes I am using to sort the toys were marketed as shoeboxes found at the Reject Shop at $10 for three. I really liked these boxes because their size was great for storage, they are transparent and look neat when stacked. I have put my children's baby memorabilia in others I bought too. 

Take care sisters,

Do share with me how you store your children's toys.

Umm Musk

Coping with Mornings During Pregnancy - with Toddlers {New Mums}

Asalamalaikum Sisters :D

We praise Allah when we fall pregnant with our second child. For the muslim women in my friends and family the idea of our first child being an only child doesn't appeal. Often we come from big families and like our own to follow. Other times we ourselves have been brought up as only children and didn't want our children to feel as we did when we watched siblings grow up together. Second children and subsequent children therefore are a source of relief and joy - especially for the sake of our first child.

Then comes the morning sickness and we start wondering how on earth we are going to cope - especially in those gruggy mornings when sleep is already a nagging issue.

How to Cope with Pregnancy Mornings and Toddlers:

First we say Alhamdulilah - all praise be to Allah who has blessed us with a gift of being able to bear children.

Next we say Bismillah - we start in the name of Allah the most merciful and kind. This will add a spiritual boost as well as adding blessings and reward to our actions...inshallah :)



Here is one suggestion I found very helpful:

 - Buy a child size table or set up an area easily reachable for your toddler

 - Set up a breakfast for your toddler the night before

- Suggestions include: sliced fruit, a bowl with dry cereal and a sippy cup full of juice

Image Source: www.sthouzz.com

I found these suggestions extremely helpful and appropriate also for sisters who are renting.

The fruit and cereal are healthy foods that inshallah the toddler will not choke on and they are not really very messy foods.

The juice is also a good option since it gives the child refreshing energy and it won't spoil overnight inshallah. The sippy cup will insallah prevent too much spill. Unless you have a toddler like my Toddlergirl2 who is bent on shaking everything until it splatters on the floor - at which she giggles showing her two little bottom teeth. Ahhhrr I love them when theyre at that stage, despite the intense work........alhamdulilah :D

Image Source: www.hantla.com

Ok take care everyone

Salamalaikum

Umm Musk

Nappy basket vs Nappy Stacker

Asalamalaikum sisters :D

I have been using a nappy basket instead of a nappy stacker and alhamdulilah i am liking the basket very much.

I like ripping the box open and dumping the diapers into a basket without worrying about making it look pretty. It's just as much easier in grabbing one when needed rather than stressing about the nice fabric getting dirty, embroidery being picked or colour coding blue and pink nappies with the right stacker.

I end up changing three nappies at a time so I can't afford to fuss around. (Tahara wash + towel dry + wrap + pants back on) x 3 = alot of effort (and alot of ajr too inshallah :))

The less attractive appearance of the basket coupled with the size means little hands are less likely to use the nappy holder as a hat or flap it around like a butterfly.

Here is my basket:

Traditional nappy stacker:

Modern Nappy Stackers:

Asalamalaikum, may Allah help us organise our homes ameen. :)



Umm Musk

My Cleaning Routine {Printable}

Asalamalaikum Sisters :D

Alhamdulilah I have finally been able to put together my cleaning routine after much fiddling and jiggling with fonts and borders. Here it is by the will of Allah.

The routine is comprised of duties you  carry out in the morning, duties for the evening and duties you perform on a weekly basis. It is very simplified so at a glance you can see exactly what you have to do and when. 

It is great for new mums to get through that hazy faze of getting back on track after the little whirlwind of babyness triumphs throughout the house. It may also be useful for students living away, newly wed brides and sisters like me who just get side tracked and lose focus very easily - daydreamers.

If you would like an A4 printable version of this routine please click here: Printable Cleaning Routine. Alternatively, if you would like the image below in a larger format, please email: muslimmumsmirror@hotmail.com. Please note that the format is in a PNG file.

Sorry about the size. I can't fit the original size on this blog. The Printable version I have linked above is a lot clearer.

I am not going to take credit for the way this has been cleverly planned out. I got the idea from a video on youtube who got the original cleaning routine off littlegreennotebook's blog who got it from her friend who is a mum of three little toddlers (just like me! I had to take the inspiration :)) 

It has fixed up my life subhanallah and I make dua for all the women who led me to this life saving routine. May Allah bless them and guide them to the light of the deen. Ameen.


Dividing the Day

Basically what you do is carry out the morning routines, do what you need to do during the day, then in the evening you come back to carry out the evening clean. The day is basically divided into two cleaning times. I like to set a deadline and dart around the house before the time is up. I usually put on a fast paced nasheeds and try to end my task before the end of each song.

One Chore a Day

In the morning I have the "chore of the day". Every day has a different chore, so these duties are carried out on a daily basis.

One Swing Chore a Week

If you have a look on Monday, there is a swing chore. You have to refer to the swing chore listed beneath to see which duty you have to carry out that week. There were four duties originally, the fourth being "clean rugs and upholstery". Since I don't have rugs (and didn't have space on the page) I skipped it.

One Room a Day

On my routine I have added a room for everyday. This is because of the age of my children. Being very young, my children perform all sorts mess making monstrosities. So I have a lot of extra work to do besides the "chore of the day", there will chocolates marks, socks filled with grapes, potatoes in the toybox, spoons in the bedroom, unmentionable things in the bathrooms....so everyday I have a room to check for any thing....unusual. 

Changing Linen Everyday

I've put down changing linen for Thursday but this is only for single or elderly sisters. I have found that with the children, I end up changing the sheets everyday because of the nappies. You just don't  know when it may have leaked. Toddlergirl2 sleeps next to me on our queen bed during the night sometimes so I need to change the linen because I breastfeed her lying down in the same place during the day. I am very careful about this because any wee wee on the bed may nullify my clothes for prayer.

Bathroom Cleaning Everyday

I found that the bathroom also needs to be cleaned everyday because it seems to be the most favorite place in the house. My babies get so excited about teeth brushing, making wudhu, taking showers and playing in the bathtub with blocks. 

Inshallah I hope this helps. I will also inshallah try to put up posts relating to each step of the routine in detail. May Allah help us all. 

Umm Musk :)

Crisp, clean, clothing {New Mums - Tips}

Asalamalaikum sisters, inshallah you are reading this in the best of health and iman. May Allah fill our lives with peace, tranquillity and cleanliness.

In the days when I was not yet married one of the things I took for granted was clean, crisp perfectly ironed clothing. Today with three toddlers it is something I treasure.

There was a time where I would easily take out nice outfits straight from the wardrobe with just one finger. Garments on hangers set in the same direction. Garments that would have not a wrinkle – not even at the back. Stains were something that would cause the garment to be dismissed to charity drives or younger siblings. Pee or poo from a friend or cousin’s baby would mean the garment went into the bin – or the local nuclear disposal plant. My clothes would be clean enough to pray in and dare I say - to eat on.

Today I feel like I have six arms: one holds a bottle of stain remover, one holds a knife for removing goops of gloopy baby food, another holds washing liquid, the fourth holds hospital grade disinfectant, in another is attached a permanent stick on iron and the last holds my confused little mind. How do babies make so much mess? Subhanallah.

When I first became a mum I was so overwhelmed and ashamed at myself, stains and marks and wrinkled clothes were one of the first things I noticed that had changed about me once I became a mother. I wanted to be one of those super eco mums who didn’t use chemical and who bought cotton terry towelled cloth nappies. Instead there I was struggling to find the energy to walk to the laundry. Hubby and I were just out of our teens so we couldn’t afford to go eco much to my disappointment.

It was only until I met up with an old friend who had recently become a new mum that I finally learnt to I forgive myself. Her baby was crawling all over her at the local youth centre and she had little white marks all over her hijab and jilbaab. I said to myself it’s ok. It’s not me, it’s the situation I’m in. I’m not a grub. Being a mum is grubby business. I also learnt I had severe vitamin D deficiency. I also realised I was not making dua for Allah to help me.

Alhamdulilah three babies on, with Allah’s help, vitamin D tablets, multivitamins, more food, more energy, more fat (which I have learnt to love and will inshallah tackle once I finish breastfeeding inshallah) and more faith in my abilities I am wearing a clean, crisp matching outfit right now as I write. It takes time dear sisters and alot of dua. It’s not easy being a mother.

A few tips from me – a struggling juggling muslim mum.

Baby tips:

1.       Try to be quick. Clean up messes immediately – especially vomit, pees and poo stains. A stitch in time saves nine.

2.       Spray disinfectant at areas of najiz if you are in a hurry (products like: Dettol Glen 20 Spray)

3.       Put in a load of washing everyday and go out to hang the clothes – some fresh air will make a big difference to your health and the load will be kept under control

4.       If you can afford it, buy as many extra clothes as possible

5.       Keep a bottle of stain remover and spot clean as soon as you can

6.       Use bibs and coveralls to protect clothes, protect your own clothes will napkins in your lap

7.       Keep a box of old clothes for use at home and a box of perfect clean clothes separate to wear when outside (for you and for baby).

8.        Make the intention to be clean for the sake of Allah and not for the sake of people. Have a look at some leading Islamic speakers on the internet and see how well and clean they are dressed for inspiration. See what a big difference it makes on their lectures if their clothes are neat and clean. Some good examples are habib umar and the kids from hizb ut tahrir – they are dressed impeccably.

May Allah help all of us in our mothering adventures. Ameen.

Umm Musk :)

Holiday Room Storage Solution {Organisation}

Asalamalaikum Sisters :D

As Muslims we love our families Alhamdulilah. The bond that Islam gives family relationships can be compared to no other type of institution. One of the perks of loving our family and being loved by our families is that we are always invited to sleepovers or "stay (for a very long time) overs" by mums, grandmums, aunties and sometimes lovely friends too. 

For me this is great since I get to go and live in Sydney regularly. One of the problems I have found with three kids is storage space can be hard to set up. We all know the mantra for a perfectly organised home and life : "A place for everything and everything in its place". Without places to put things in, holidays can be pretty hectic for yourself and for your kind host too. Its already hard to keep your head in one place with all the hugging, catching up, "debating" (read: lots of dinner table arguing about hundreds of "differences of opinions" on Islam), add to this lost socks and bibs - it can end up really messy.

Enter wonderful solution: The collapsible cube <3 

I bought a 2 pack of large cubes today: Here is a pic of one set up and one ready for setting up :)

I love this handy storage solution. You can pack in the boot and once your at your host's house/hotel room/islamic centre....just pop it up, store and relax. When your're done either it can be used for organising things in the car for the way home or fold it down and it's ready too wait until another great muslim get together happens.

Just think of all the things that don't have to sit difficultly in the suitcases and handbags. Clothes, toys, books,  prayer mats, blankets, socks, bibs, nappies, the list goes on. You can even buy smaller versions in matching colours to further organise within the cube. 

The white removable card gives the box stability and so that it can be stacked

 It's a bit wobbly and doesn't compensate for a real wardrobe but with all it's advantages it will be forgiven :) These boxes can be bought at most big retailers. I bought these for under $10.

Inshallah I hope this helped some of you struggling with keeping your holiday room organised. Please share your own tips for easier Muslim Holidaying. Jazak Allah Khair.

Umm Musk :)

Bathroom {Cleaning + Organising}

Asalamalaikum dear sisters :D

The first place I start my cleaning is the bathroom. On my cleaning checklist the first thing is ‘wipe bathroom counters”. This is something I need to do every morning otherwise it can get pretty messy with the toddlers. Also they like to brush their teeth and wash their little faces by themselves so cleanliness is a must since they put their hands on the bathroom sink for support.

I use a sponge with a scrub and a spray ‘n’ wipe to clean the sink, taps, toothbrush holders, flower holder. I spray a little in a few spaces, then use the cloth to spread the product all over rather than spray everywhere. This uses lesser chemical but cleans just as well. Then I grab my watering can, fill it with the hottest possible temperature of water and pour it all over the sink to wash away the grime. Then I wipe it all down with a chux cloth.

If required I spray the watering can and give that a wash as well.

I find myself cleaning the floor and tub everyday subhanallah. I usually do this using an outdoor broom that scrubs the spray n wipe into the grout giving it a good clean and is also useful for guiding the water into the drain once it's time to wash away the chemical. 

The viva glass cleaning wipes are a great product for keeping the glass streak free. 

I went on an environmentally friendly expedition of using baking soda and vinegar on the tiles inside the shower area and alhamdulilah it seemed to work out well for me as I didn't have to stand there breathing in the fumes of the bleach that I normally use. I will write a blog post about this environmentally friendly technique inshallah for the bathroom and for the fridge. 

Mr. Clean bathroom wipes from Bunnings are absolutely wonder for the soap scum especially around the taps. 

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Beautiful and clean bathrooms make wudu a nice experience. Prepare for Salah in a beautiul environment inshallah. 

Inshallah this helps some of you who are struggling with managing housework and Islam. I was struggling quite woefully at one point especially having three babies under the age of three. Alhamdulilah! Allah is helping me and he will help you too. Make plenty of dua sisters and make your intention sincerely for the sake of Allah inshallah (I make dua for myself and my blog guests....all this cleaning is hard stuff!)

(Now 4 kids under 5 subhallah)

Umm Musk