These days it seems we are juggling more activities, appointments, deadlines, and family matters than ever before.
With each season getting busier then the last, we are trying to get ahold on a solid organization system that will help when we are feeling chaotic and overwhelmed and back to a calm and peaceful household.
I’d like to share with you some of my favorite tips for keeping busy families a little less stressed by being a little more organized. This is the “Pantry and Fridge” edition; the organized “home office”, the organized “car” and organizing “new projects” are coming soon!
Teach now so they can do later
*Sidenote 3/4 of my children are school age and we are in the middle of elementary and all it’s glory
Current complaint: “I’m hungry”
In order to provide my kids with healthy snack options that’ll make both kid and mommy happy is to have the healthy options accessible and for them, and so they know appropriate times to snack!!
And that means an organized fridge and pantry. I stay away from high cupboards where my kids will roam from door to door looking for sweets.
Here I offer you my before and after pics of my pantry. I loved this part because it was both deep cleaning my pantry and organizing. I was able to see exactly how much of everything we have so we don’t keep buying the products over and over again.
I plan on adding a few more containers for our dangerous love for pasta in the mix and a swiveling tray aka a “lazy susan” for the sauces.
In my pantry all the healthy snack options are right at eye level (kid height), out of the box or bag and into a clear container that screams you want meeee!
My “go tos” are a variety of nuts and raisins, butter free pop corn (they love this the most), dry cereal in grab and go small containers (really helpful when we’re heading out for a couple hours), and fruit cups.
I let them know what shelf is all there’s to have whenever they want, ULTIMATE FREEDOM!! But they also know “No snacks 1 hour before breakfast, lunch and dinner”.
Same tips apply to an organized fridge:
Organizing the Fridge is almost a weekly occurrence because of what goes in and out. Basically by adding a couple of open containers and strategic placement the fridge maintains its intention to be Kid-friendly :)
Here’s 1 week of a before and after; I know I know it's not a huge change and it looks a little different now (already!) with watermelons making their appearance. But it's all about a kid-friendly/no fuss space.
Keep fruit open, eye level (I use a basket for the apples and oranges) and again I let them know where their space is so they can have a free for all.
Here my “go to’s” are: Greek yogurt also in a basket (only because it drives me insane when they leave an empty yogurt box in the fridge), Water bottles full (not plastic) and ready to grab and go (this ones tough because my husband is always using them and doesn’t refill the bottles and put them ugh smh!), and fruit, fruit, fruit!
All school lunch foods are tucked away (usually in the vegetable/fruit drawer) out of sight out of mind and the yummy (but bad) stuff like syrup, whipped cream or juice is usually high up and tucked back or down low where they don't usually look in an attempt to stay out of their line of sight.
With those 2 organized spaces and majority of the “I’m hungry” complaint can be dealt with on their own, even our 3 year old can safely get a healthy snack with no help! Well that's all I have for you.
Good luck with your organizing and Happy Parenting :)