Buying for Baby

Thanks to the 50 Shades of Gray phenomenon that has swept the globe, we are set to experience the biggest baby boom in over 40 years!

If you’re expecting a little bundle of joy yourself, the prospect of baby shopping can be one filled with excitement but also apprehension. After the initial thrill of a positive pregnancy test, the reality of having a baby sets in. With so much to buy, it can be difficult to know where to start, especially if it’s for your first baby. How many types of pacifiers should I buy? Should I get a milk expresser? And will I really need a heated wipe warmer?!

If panic is setting in, don’t worry – it all starts with a list! It might seem to be terrifyingly long at first, but if you pace yourself and start early it won’t be that bad – we promise! Start off by purchasing one or two items a week and before you know it, you’ll have your whole list checked off! This is also a great way to help spread the cost and take advantage of special offers throughout the year.

So, what are the essentials? Well, unless you’ll be using the reusable cloth type, diapers are a must. If there’s anything worth buying in bulk, it’s definitely diapers – you’ll be amazed at just how many you get through! Even if you’re using cloth diapers, it’s advisable to buy some disposable ones as a back-up for emergencies. Most babies will experience a bout of diaper rash at some point, so it’s best to have some absorbent cotton and cream in stock for when it happens.

Where babies are involved, there will always be a need for baby wipes – and plenty of them! Wipes are useful for so many things, not just when changing diapers. You’ll find they will become one of the most useful accessories in your bag – whether it’s for cleaning high-chairs, wiping sticky fingers or cleaning up spillages. With such a long shelf-life, you might as well buy in bulk!

Babies have sensitive and delicate skin, so at bath time it’s important to use mild products. Johnson’s classic baby shampoo has a ‘No More Tears’ formula that is as gentle as pure water. Afterwards, treat your baby’s skin with a gentle baby powder to leave it feeling soft, smooth and smelling deliciously baby-fresh! Baby oil is a great way to keep the skin moisturized and protects against dryness and itching.

Although it might seem a long time off, your baby will start cutting teeth before you know it – those months really fly by! So be prepared with teething pain relief gel.

Anyone who has experience with babies knows that a good bedtime routine is the key to a restful night’s sleep. Using a baby bedtime lotion can help to soothe your little one with calming scents. There will be plenty of sleepless nights ahead, so stock up on the eye drops and coffee and enjoy the ride!

Even better, you can BUY BABY STUFF BY THE CASE at Stockn’Go!

Making The Most of Spring

The first signs of spring are finally here! After a long winter, the first glimpses of sunshine and blue skies are a welcome break for the eyes and soul. Spring can be such a beautiful time of year, with new plants shooting up and fresh signs of new life.

Spring is a great time to get out and about, after being stuck indoors over the winter months. With the onset of warmer weather, we naturally enjoy spending more time outdoors enjoying the fresh spring air. It’s a great excuse to take the whole family out for a hearty walk somewhere scenic – through the woods, by the sea or your local park. Remember to throw a couple of disposable cameras into your bag to capture those memories!

On a rainy day, enjoy some family bonding time by creating a photo scrapbook – simply glue in your favorite photos from your days out together, adding a few mementos or funny quotes next to the pictures.

Family days out are certainly fun, but can often get messy – so always take plenty of baby wipes for those sticky fingers and post-mud fight moments. When it comes to wipes, you can never have too many – so it’s worth buying in bulk!

Remember to take care in the sun – people often rush out to take advantage of those first rays of sunshine, but it’s important to always wear sunscreen. Now that the weather is warming up, it’s a good opportunity to take the kids swimming. Little ones can wear Huggies Little Swimmers nappies, which are specially designed to be absorbent without swelling in the water. You don’t need to book formal lessons – young children can be introduced to swimming during fun play sessions at your local pool.

If you don’t enjoy being in water, use your imagination to put an outdoor twist on indoor activities. Try eating breakfast in the garden, enjoying the morning sunshine as you sip your coffee.  Let the children get messy by drawing with colored chalks or paints on your drive.

There is no better time of year for a big spring clean at home! Are your cupboards and bedrooms full of clutter and unwanted junk that has accumulated over the years? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! It can seem like a daunting task, but once you start you will probably find it’s not as bad as you think. Making a start is the hardest step – even if you just clear one room, you will feel so much better! Clear out those dusty shelves with Lysol disinfectant spray, which destroys 99.9% of germs on household surfaces.

Cold weather makes us crave stodgy, carb-filled food – so spring is a good time to enjoy some lighter meals.  Experiment with some delicious salads using olive oil and balsamic vinegar for added flavor. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut with midweek meals, so try introducing your family to new flavors and cuisines – you never know, you could hit on a new family favorite!

ORDER YOUR ARTS AND CRAFT SUPPLIES TODAY!!!

Have fun this Easter!

Isn’t 2013 flying by quickly? It seems like only moments ago that we were celebrating Christmas and now Easter is just around the corner! The lovely thing about Easter is that it brings together the whole family – whether you are religious or not, it can still be a time for fun and celebration. This year Easter falls on March 31^st so there is still time to plan some fun family activities!

Easter just wouldn’t be Easter without a traditional egg hunt – such a simple pleasure that has timeless appeal. Hide a bunch of chocolate eggs in the garden and your children (or grand-children) will love tracking them down! It’s a great way to enjoy some fresh air and exercise – not to mention a way to bring out a healthy sense of competition! A classic egg and spoon race is another brilliant way to have fun outdoors.

You can have fun creating personalized egg baskets to make your egg hunt extra special. Just get some inexpensive plain baskets and let your children’s creativity run wild by embellishing them with felt shapes, sequins, pompoms or whatever they love!

Forget store-bought Easter cards, it’s so much more fun to make your own! Buy some pastel-colored card and get the children to invite their friends over for a creative crafty session. All you need is some crayons, paper scraps, glitter, washable school glue and whatever odds and ends you can find! Try making flowers with pipe cleaners and tissue paper, or cute chicks with stick-on googly eyes. The result will be something truly unique and special!

Egg painting is another great way to enjoy some Easter craft fun. Use kids paint and paintbrushes to decorate eggs that are hard-boiled or blown – there are lots of video tutorials online with tips and ideas. Get everyone involved and award prizes to the most inventive designs!

Easter is a time of feasting, so be sure to have plenty of indigestion tablets ready for those bloated tummies. Your local stores might be closed over Easter weekend, so make sure you’re all stocked up on things like diapers and baby wipes – things you definitely do not want to run out of over Easter!

After all that chocolate it’s extra important to make sure your teeth don’t suffer – give them a thorough clean with an OralB Pulsar Pro-Health Adult Toothbrush.  Encourage little ones to join in by treating them to a cool Power Puff Girls toothbrush to make brushing extra fun!

Enjoy the Easter sunshine by taking little ones into the garden for a teddy bear’s picnic – throw a blanket on the grass and enjoy some yummy treats from paper plates and plastic food containers. Easter chocolate cornflake nests are simple to make and taste delicious – there are lots of easy recipe ideas online. You could also bake cookies shaped like bunnies and chicks and have fun decorating them with colored icing. Children will love the novelty of eating outdoors with their VIP teddy guests!

How to…Spend more time with family

Children grow up all too fast – before you know it, they’re graduating high school and flying the nest! So it’s important to enjoy time with our families whenever we can – these golden moments create lasting memories that will be cherished for life. Busy lifestyles mean that, all too often, family time gets pushed aside by other chores. So, it’s not surprising that one of the top 10 New Year resolutions is to spend more time with family.

Got a full schedule? Don’t worry – there are lots of ways you can squeeze in extra family time!

Get organized

Make a big family wall chart to clearly mark each person’s commitments, so you can easily see when everyone is free at the same time. Color-code it with a set of Sharpies to schedule in group family time – okay so it might not be spontaneous fun, but it will ensure you get quality time where you can plan something worthwhile.

Free it up

Consider your schedule – is it crammed with classes, clubs and after-school activities? Do you find yourself spending a lot of your time driving your children from one thing to another? Maybe you’re doing too much. Family time can be just as important. Spending time with adults can be beneficial for children’s learning and development, so try cutting a couple of after-school clubs per week.

Delegate

Sharing out those time-consuming household chores will free up your time to spend having fun with the family. Encouraging your kids to get involved will give them useful experience for when they’re older – take it in turns to do the laundry and clean the bathroom. Order household supplies in bulk so you don’t have to go shopping as often – kids get fed up in supermarkets and would rather be out having fun!

Family exercise

Instead of going to the gym alone, take the whole family out for a bike ride or a swim. A hearty walk in the open air is great exercise and provides an opportunity to chat with your family and catch up on what you’ve been missing. Seek out new places instead of going to the same park every time – think of each walk as a mini-adventure to make it more fun. Pack a picnic box and make a day of it!

Use your imagination

Family time doesn’t need to be expensive – have a big craft session with glitter glue and craft kits; stage a treasure hunt for little ones; make a photo collage; play dress-up with your old clothes; bake cupcakes and have fun decorating them… the opportunities are endless! Getting creative and trying something new is a great bonding experience.

Picture it

Kids grow up fast, so preserve those special memories by carrying a disposable camera in your bag on days out. You can have hours of fun making family videos on a camcorder – remember to pack a couple of spare DVC cassettes so you don’t miss out on those priceless moments.

Speaking of “priceless” moments… check out our Baby Care Center that offers a wide array of baby products at UNBEATABLE prices.

It’s easy to get stuck in a rut and get caught up in the mundane routine of daily life. When you’re busy juggling household chores with family life and work commitments it can be tricky to fit anything else into the equation. But, studies have proved that actively participating in hobbies can improve your mental well being and, ultimately, make you a happier person!

If you have always wanted to learn something new or exciting then remember there is no time like the present. It’s easy to put things off until another time and add them to the list of tasks you will get round to doing ‘one day’. Busy moms often push their own priorities down the list, past the children, the husband – even the dog! They’re often so busy tending to everybody else’s needs that their own happiness gets overlooked.

It’s not selfish to have a bit of time for yourself every now and then – even if it’s just once a month, or whenever you can. Regularly taking some ‘me time’ will help you relax and recharge, ready to face the world (and that pile of ironing) again!

If you’ve always fancied learning a new language, why not sign up for an evening course? If going out is a problem, there are a number of distance-learning courses that you can do online instead. Treat yourself to a nice notebook and a stash of new BIC Pens (you can never have too many pens, after all!).

Discovering a new craft can be hugely rewarding and a great way of passing the time on cold winter evenings. Card making, cross-stitch and stamping are all easy for beginners and you won’t have to shell out too much money on a few basic supplies. Stock up on some essentials like Sharpie Permanent Markers and multi-purpose glue and let the creative juices flow!

Learning something exciting will be more fun with company – get the kids involved in a family craft session. It can be a great way to bond and enjoy some quality time together. Give them a pile of colored paper, some Crayola paint brushes and glitter glue and let their imaginations run wild!

If you prefer something a little more practical, why not learn some DIY skills? It’s always useful to know how to put up a shelf or fix things around the house – it’s frustrating waiting for someone else to do it, so imagine the satisfaction of learning how to do it yourself! Arm yourself with a Helping Hand 6-in1 Screwdriver and a tape measure to get you started, and who knows where it could end?

A cookery class can be great fun and lead to delicious results! Try something new by learning how to cook Thai or Italian food – or perhaps learn some low-fat recipes if you’re on a health kick for 2013. A store cupboard essential like olive oil is a great staple to have on stand-by for all types of cooking.

Have fun learning!

How to…Enjoy Life to the Fullest

If you ask the average person what they want out of life, ‘to be happy’ will be right up there at the top for most. Happiness means different things for different folks, but to really enjoy life to the fullest you need to discover what makes YOU happy – whether it’s curling up with a good book or dancing the night away.

Get Organized

We all lead busy lives, so maintaining a satisfactory work-life balance can be tricky when you’re trying to juggle children, friends, family and work commitments. Organization is key to ensuring you’re using your time efficiently. Ever wonder how some people manage to fit so much into their week? Well, we all have 24 hours in a day; it’s up to us how we use them! Use Post-It Notes to remind you of important tasks, such as appointments, so you don’t waste valuable time.

If weekday mornings are stressful, prepare lunch-boxes, school uniforms and school bags the night before, to prevent frazzled nerves. This will leave more time for everyone to enjoy a healthy breakfast in the morning, without racing against the clock.

Buying household products in bulk will save both time and money – stock up on the essentials, such as batteries and cleaning products, and you’ll save all those emergency trips out to the shops. The more organized you are, the more free time you will have left over to enjoy yourself!

Keep Healthy

To really get the most out of life you need stacks of energy! Stay on top of your game by eating a healthy, balanced diet to provide all the nutrition you need to enjoy an active life. Boost your intake of essential vitamins with nutritional supplements and ensure your body is kept hydrated by drinking plenty of water. A good night’s sleep is essential for physical and mental wellbeing – so if you’re disturbed by snoring or congestion, try Breathe Right strips to improve sleep for both you and your partner!

Pamper Yourself

Did you know that stress is thought to be the root cause of around 75% of doctor’s appointments? It’s so important to make time for relaxation, so that stress doesn’t accumulate and take over your life. Don’t feel guilty about booking some ‘me time’ into your schedule. Enjoy a hot bath with some calming beauty products to chill out and soak away the worries of the day. A spritz of your favorite perfume will invigorate the senses and leave you feeling refreshed – try something light and uplifting, such as Light Blue by D&G. If you don’t get much time to yourself, try to arrange a babysitter once a month, so that you can truly relax and indulge in whatever makes you happy.

Life Goals

Remember that you can’t please everyone – life is short, so don’t waste time worrying about things you cannot control. Sometimes it’s the smallest things in life that bring the greatest joy, so let go and enjoy life to the fullest!

Want to reduce financial stress and save on those expensive baby care items? Stockn’Go has a new baby Care Section with UNBEATABLE savings on Cases of baby goods.  Check out our extensive selection now…

Do you have a pre-teen to shop for this Holiday Season? The thought alone can be a little scary, as you have the daunting task of making age appropriate purchases that are not too “kiddy” but also suitable for a young adolescent. Children ranging from the ages of 9 – 12, Pre-Teens, are a unique bunch, and their stockings should be filled with the just the right variety of goodies to suit their age group!

Pre-Teens are still children in most respects, but at that awkward age where they long to be considered a young adult. Who doesn’t remember their own Junior High School days? This is when you first start wearing perfumes, colognes, nail polishes and body sprays. We’ve put together a list of our top Pre-Teen stocking stuffers that you can order online right on Stockngo.com!

Stocking Stuffers for the Pre-Teen Girl:

1. Perfumes and Body Sprays  ~ Try Jessica Simpsons “I Fancy You” or Britney Spears “Believe”
2. Nail Polishes ~ Try fun colors like Cosm Nail’s China Glaze Flying Dragon Nail Polish
3. Hair Products ~ Bed Head Brand is perfect for your Pre-Teen!
4. Lip Glosses and Chapsticks ~ Softlips and Chapstick brands are great for the winter months
5. Deodorant ~ Mennen’s Teen Spirit in Pink Crush is the ultimate girl deodorant

Stocking Stuffers for the Pre-Teen Boy:

1. Colognes and Body Sprays ~ All the boys love Axe brand body sprays, or try POWER, by 50 Cent
2. Hair Products ~ Young men love to style their hair! Short Sexy Hair Rough and Ready Styling Gunk is absolutely perfect for creating young looking styles teens love
3. Body Wash ~ Old Spice High Endurance Body Wash Game Day is perfect for the older Pre-Teen
4. Deodorant ~  Axe FRESH Deodorant Stick is great for active teens
5. Gift Cards ~ When all else fails, you can always win with a gift card!

The fall is officially here…and Halloween is just around the corner! You don’t want to find yourself waiting until last minute to pick out a costume and be forced to scour half empty store shelves for not only a costume that you or your child likes but for a costume that fits!  Make this Halloween less stressful by selecting any needed costumes now and addressing other trick-or-treat issues that might come up.

To help you be prepared, Stockn’Go has put together a few questions for you to think about…

• Do you have time to make your child’s costume or do you plan to purchase one?
• Do you plan to put any constraints on your child’s costume selection?
• Does your child have a bag to carry the candy? Flashlights and comfortable shoes?
• Depending on how old your children are, should they be trick-or-treating WITH or WITHOUT adult supervision?
• How do you plan to disburse the candy once Trick or Treat is over? Will you put a limit on consumption?
• Have you made a plan to go over safety tips with any children going off on their own? Stay tuned for an upcoming Stockn’Go post that will highlight some important safety tips for you and your children to know!

Stockn’Go can help you cross an item off that list with our huge selection of Halloween Costumes.  We even offer FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $39.00!

Only a few weeks to go and the kids are back in school… are you prepared? As a busy parent you may often rely on lists to keep you organized, with that in mind Stockn’Go has decided to help remind and motivate you each week with a new list of things to do.  This weeks checklist is in honor of the kids going BACK TO SCHOOL! A bittersweet moment for most. Print out, or even download and modify the list below to be sure you are ready for the big day!

Downloadable Checklist (template from Microsoft Office 2007): Back to School Checklist

Don’t forget to check out the Stockn’Go Back to School section for great deals on school supplies!