I’ve been reflecting lately on the things I couldn’t manage without. Now obviously the top of my list are my four wonderful children and my lovely man, but that goes without saying really as they will always be at the top of my list.What I have been thinking about are those things which help me get through the day or week as a busy mummy.There were quite a few things when I started to think. The thing is that these things will seem largely insignificant to anyone else but for me they help me function and help my week run smoothly.Here is my list:

• Dry shampoo – I love Batiste and this saves me on days when I don’t have time to wash my hair
• Mascara – this is my favourite make up item and I feel naked without it, I love Bourjois
• Contact lenses – I couldn’t managed without these, I find glasses really impractical with young children as they always get bashed or pulled, I always go to Specsavers
• Baby Bjorn – taking this away would be a nightmare for me, I just strap my tiny one in and have my hands free for the other children, work, and jobs , I would get nothing done without this
• Hot chocolate and my massive starbucks mug – I don’t drink tea or coffee so this is my daily fix to keep me going and it has to be in my special mug
• Green tea – this is a new thing for me in the last 18 months but I try to have at least 2 cups a day and I do feel the benefit, I like the Tetley decaf
• Lansinoh – the nipple cream is one of my top daily items, used on everything from nipples to sore lips to eczema and stray eyebrows 
• Olay Total Effects – this helps hide the sleep deprivation and makes my skin feel good
• Bio Oil – I love this and use it on most family members on scars etc but also love to use it on my face and body 
• Tangle Teezer – I couldn’t manage my long hair without one of these
• Theraline feeding cushion – this means my baby is comfy and I can type and feed at the same time or balance one of the children’s books whilst I feed
• laptop – quite simply I could’t work without it
• smartphone – I have just switched to a Samsung Galaxy Note 4, it makes it easy for me to keep on top of things when I amount and about with the children or not at my laptop and I use the calendar for reminders
• faye & lou large muslin squares – these are amazing, bigger than the usual ones and great for breastfeeding and winding or even swaddling 
• hip hop abs – I have started doing this every day and it is easy to fit around everything else
• baby wipes – I must use hundreds a day but never go anywhere without them
• my chalk board – I  have a large one of these in the kitchen I use for reminders of things needed every day, jobs to be done and shopping needed … I love it!

What things could you not manage without?