Along with rapidly changing domestic needs, the digital age has given rise to easily-accessible helpers. Meet the new era of drivers, delivery services and at-your-fingertips home improvement experts.
Meal Delivery
Tired of wrangling cranky toddlers in the grocery store aisle? Get someone else to do it! Numerous stores now offer order pickup or even delivery straight to your home. Blue Apron and HelloFresh will delivery pre-portioned quantities of meat and produce along with recipe cards telling you exactly how to cook them. Not in the mood to do dishes? Freshly will deliver fresh—never frozen—meals twice weekly that you can microwave and eat, no kitchen skills required. Now that's music to any mom's ears.
Household Items
Since all the food is taken care of, may as well get the rest of your goods checked off. Amazon Prime offers free 2-day shipping on thousands of items when you pay an annual subscription fee. Boxed is a similar service offering bulk warehouse goods, no subscription required, with free shipping on orders over $50. Vitacost is an affordable go-to for harder-to-find supplements and health foods.
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Errands
Inevitably, households need a certain set of specific tasks that traditional delivery services can't fulfill. Enter TaskRabbit, the online website dedicated to helping source helpers for any and every need. You can find someone to enter data, put together that Ikea furniture or even pick up your dry cleaning.
Maid
I'll admit that some tears were shed in my home recently when HomeJoy shut down. A comparable on-demand service has yet to step up and fill its shoes, but there are dozens of regional equivalents. Southern California residents can turn to Tidy, while Pacific Northwest residents can rely on SimplyClean. For those in more rural areas, Care.com lists reliable cleaning services throughout the entire nation. If all else fails, call MerryMaids.
Home Improvement
Need a sink fixed, STAT? How about a window installation or fireplace overhaul? HomeAdvisor lists trusted home improvement experts all over the country, so you can tackle every project on your list.
Closet Organization
Conquer the clutter! The National Association of Professional Organizers will hook you up with someone who can help you sort through last season's styles. If your closet needs a complete overhaul, California Closets can arrange some sleek designs.
Clothes Shopping
Now that your closet is less chaotic, fill it with fashion finds! StitchFix and ShoeDazzle, subscription-based services for clothes and shoes, will help you create a personal profile based on your preferences. They then match you with a personal stylist who sends out monthly picks for you to try on and decide to either purchase or send back. Because what mom actually has time to go out and shop for herself?
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Party Planning and Food Service
Here's another handy spot where TaskRabbit comes to the rescue. You can hire someone to plan and manage your entire party, from invites and decor to food prep and service.
School Pickup
Uber for kids? Yup, this is a thing. Shuddle and HopSkipDrive provide reliable, experienced caregivers who can sign kids out of programs, wait in pickup lines and load sports equipment or school supplies. Right now they're both California startups, but are rapidly expanding and will likely be in other areas soon.
Homework Help
Mystified by Common Core? You're not the only one. Care.com can help you hire an expert to tutor your child in any subject, from math to modern art.
Have you tried any of these services?
Photography by: Blue Apron
