Top 10 Mother's Day gift ideas for busy moms

Mother’s Day is rapidly approaching, so now is the time to start thinking about that perfect gift for the busy mom on your list. Below are ten perfect gifts for busy moms who are constantly on the go and need to find ways to save precious time. In addition, several of the suggestions will help mom make the most of her precious down time. All are guaranteed to put a smile on any busy mom’s face.

1. Portable Jewelry Cases by Keli’s Kreations: When traveling, it’s incredibly time-consuming and frustrating to untangle necklaces, bracelets and earrings. The Diva Deluxe, Diva Lite and Diva Petite ensure that her jewelry arrives just as she packed it: organized and untangled. This is a great accessory for moms who travel frequently, or jewelry divas who can’t leave home without their accessories.
   
2. Homedics Sound Spa Relaxation Sound Machine: The Sound machine with six nature sounds is the perfect solution to help your busy mom unwind after a hectic day. Includes six nature sounds: ocean, summer night, rain, rain forest, waterfall and heartbeat. 15, 30 and 60-minute auto off timer. Battery or adaptor operated (included). This natural sleep aid is also great for a baby’s room. $19.99.
3. 2010 Mom’s Calendar and Desk Planner Combo from Busy Family Helpers. Mom’s 2010 Family Calendar lets busy moms track five separate schedules in one place. Its companion is Mom’s Family Desk Planner that has two columns to record activities, room for coupons and papers and so much more. This combo gift will definitely help busy moms stay organized and informed. Get both for just $25.00 and free shipping.
4. Cannon Digital Elf Camera: Moms are always looking to record those Kodak moments, and the Cannon Digital Elf camera is ultra sleek and small, so she can easily slip it into her pocket or purse. State-of-the-art features include a 7.1 megapixel CCD for capturing photo quality detail, 2.5” LCD display, 3x optical zoom, and 16 shooting modes. The bonus is that the Canon Digital Elf will also shoot high quality movies at up to 60 frames per second. $299.99.
5. Kindle Wireless Book Reader: Moms who love to read will absolutely love the Kindle. The super slim and lightweight book reader downloads books in just 60 seconds, and no PC connection is required. At 10.2 ounces, the Kindle is lighter than most paperbacks, meaning it can be carried in a purse, and pulled out while waiting in the doctor’s office, at the airport or during carpools. No annual contracts, no monthly fees and no hunting for Wi-Fi hotspots. The Kindle can hold up to 1,500 books and can stay charged for up to one week. $259.00.
6. The Flip Ultra High Def Camcorder: Like the Digital Elf camera, the Flip camcorder is ultra compact and super easy to use. The Flip UltraHD camcorder combines Flip Video’s signature shoot-and-share simplicity with the power of vivid, vibrant HD video. With 120 minutes of record time, busy moms will never miss another Kodak minute again. Plus, because of its pocket-sized portability, mom will be able to capture high definition video anytime, anywhere. $199.99.
7. Conair Footvibes Massaging Slippers for Women: Busy moms are constantly on their feet. After an especially hard day, Conair’s Footvibes massaging slippers may be just the break she needs to reenergize. Features heated faux shearling lining, suede covering and a massaging motor that runs on two AAA batteries. “If your feet feel good, so do you.” $17.89.
8. On-line Gift Cards: Busy moms don’t always have the time to head to the mall for some good old-fashioned retail therapy. Why not give her a gift card that she can use by shopping from the comfort of her own home? An Amazon gift card will let her choose from a huge selection of books, movies, clothes, electronics, shoes and beauty items. If she loves the thrill of the shop and getting a great bargain, an Ebay gift card would make a good choice. She can choose from millions of new and used items, all competitively priced.
9. Gift Certificate to a Meal Assembly Kitchen: Busy moms often have the daunting task of planning and cooking meals. A meal assembly kitchen takes away shopping and clean-up time, and is a great way to quickly prepare a month’s worth of meals. Atlanta offers a good variety of meal Assembly Kitchens, including Let’s Eat in Alpharetta, The Dinner AFare in Midtown and Northlake, Dream Dinners in Cumming and A La Carte Market in Marietta. A meal assembly gift certificate will help mom answer the age-old question of “What’s for dinner?
10. iRobot Roomba Vacuum Cleaner: Busy moms will fall in love with the Roomba because it vacuums the whole house while mom is busy with other things, like luxuriating in a hot bath! In fact, the Roomba cleans automatically, so she doesn't have to. Features 3 cleaning modes (spot, max and clean) and includes two virtual walls that tell Roomba where to clean by restricting off-limit areas. Cleans for 120 minutes with a single charge. Perfect for cleaning multiple surfaces. $199.00.

Top 10 Time Savers for Busy Moms

Being a mother today is no easy feat. Moms today are expected to be the ultimate multi-taskers: private tutors, chauffeurs, chefs, personal shoppers, nurses, laundresses, household managers, vacation planners, computer and media monitors, schedulers, cheerleaders and overall household managers. Wouldn’t it be nice to save a few extra minutes each day on necessary chores? Well, you can. Here are some time savers every busy mom can use.

1. Put like utensils in the same holder in the dishwasher (knives with knives, small forks with small forks, etc). When it’s time to unload the dishwasher, it will be a quicker job.
2. Wash all fruits and veggies as soon as you bring them home from the grocery store. When it’s time to cook, this task will already be done.
3. Put empty garbage bags at the bottom of each trashcan. When you take one filled bag out, another clean one is ready and right there to replace it.
4. Take one day to make meals for the entire week. Place them in microwaveable containers and store them either in the freezer or refrigerator.
5. Keep your keys in the same place each and every time. Nothing wastes time more than looking for a lost set of keys. When you come inside the house, always hang them in exactly the same place.
6. Have one centralized and organized system for bills. When it comes time to pay them, they’re all together and neatly organized.
7. Create a “To Do” list everyday. Mark off items as you complete them. Carry over any unfinished items to the next day.
8. Carry juice boxes and sugar-free snacks in your glove box. It will keep the kids from going crazy in traffic jams and will save you that extra trip to the fast food restaurant on the way home.
9. Stick to routine, whenever possible. Kids are more likely to cooperate with the game plan when it is part of their regular routine. Structure and routines can be a busy mom’s best defense against insanity.
10. Double up. Every time you cook, make more than you need and freeze the rest for another time.

Top 10 Gifts for Busy Moms

When it comes time to choose a birthday or anniversary gift for that busy mom on your list, choose one of the below gifts to earn Brownie points. Not only will she appreciate the thought that went into it, she’ll also appreciate the time it saves her.

1. Portable Jewelry Cases by Keli’s Kreations: When traveling, it’s incredibly time-consuming and frustrating to untangle necklaces, bracelets and earrings. The Dive Deluxe, Diva Lite and Diva Petite ensure that her jewelry arrives just as she packed it: organized and untangled. This is a great accessory for moms who travel frequently, or jewelry divas who can’t leave home without their accessories.
2. A Homemade Coupon Book - I have made these for both my husband and children, and it’s the gift that keeps on giving. You can make one on your computer, or even handwrite one. Good ideas for coupons include: One Full Day of Total Control of the Remote, Three Uninterrupted Hours of Reading Time, One Full Day of No Whining, One Free Foot Massage, etc. Make it completely personal, and she’ll treasure it.
3. Flip Video Camcorder: The Flip Video Camcorder is ultra-convenient and features an easy flip-out USB arm that lets her capture video, and then connect directly to a computer quickly and easily. No more need for confusing cords.
4. Kindle™ or Sony Reader™ Digital Book - The newest digital books are ultra lightweight, and as slim as most magazines, plus they can deliver books wirelessly in less than 60 seconds. Most major writers, from the highly scholarly to the contemporary and popular are discovering the virtues of "on-line" distribution.
5. Digital Video Recorder (DVR) - Moms like to unwind with their favorite TV shows, but they can’t always catch the latest episodes because of their busy schedules. A DVR device will allow her to easily record her favorite shows, and watch them after the kids go to bed. Prices have come dramatically on DVR’s, and some satellite companies are even offering free upgrades to a DVR unit.
6. Portable GPS Receiver - Because moms usually double as taxi drivers, a GPS unit would make her life on the road so much easier. There are many different units from which to choose, and the prices have dropped dramatically. All are very easy to use. Simply plug in your end address, and the GPS unit will direct mom to her final destination.
7. Travel Pro Auto Safety Kit: Because mom spends so much time in her car, give her a sense of peace and security with the Travel Pro Auto Safety Kit. The 50-piece kit includes almost everything she’ll need in case of an auto emergency, including a complimentary membership to roadside assistance, roadside services (towing, tire change, lockout, jump starts, fluid delivery) available at no expense up to the program limits.
8. Bath Products:
 Nothing says “time to chill” like a nice hot bubble bath. You can find inexpensive bath salts and bubbles at any corner drugstore, like Walgreen or Rite Aid. Bath and Body Works is a delightful store found in most malls and carries the most aromatic bath products. These are sure to bring a smile to the face of any busy Mom.
9. Roomba Vacuum Cleaner: Busy moms may not always have the time to clean the house that they’d like. The fully automated Roomba vacuum cleaner is both a time and back saver because it does all the work! Simply press the "clean" button and the unit will vacuum the whole floor, adjusting automatically to any floor surface including wood, tile linoleum, and low-to-medium pile carpet.
10. A Spa Certificate: This is the ultimate pampering gift. You can "Google" your closest spa, and study their website for pricing and specials. A day, or even half-day, is enough to renew a busy mom's spirits and senses.