Well right now the biggest unknown in my life is my son starting Kindergarten next week. Yes, he did preschool, but this is SO different. So I have been on a mission this final week of summer to get things organized and ready for our new challenge.
No, these tips have not been tested, so I may come to find in a month that they just don't work for us, but for now it is what I am going to try.
1. Something I always try to achieve in my house is that everything has a home. I hate clutter, and as long as everything has somewhere to go, then nothing is left out. The first thing I wanted to tackle was a new place for Backpacks. We have a coat closet, but with shoes, coats, and my diaper bag, it is full. For preschool I did have a hook in it for Matthew's backpack, but knew it wasn't a good solution. So I went in search of an area in our home to put a coat rack. Right off of our living room, near our coat closet is the doorway to our playroom/basement. Here is what I came up with.
The painting was already hanging there, and the extra laundry hamper was there as well (our laundry room is in our basement, and we were always just throwing dirty kid clothes/socks into that landing). I bought the coat rack @ Target, and it took all of about 5 minutes to complete this project. Now the kids can hang their own bags, and 1 coat.
2. A Lunch Station. I had an Organized area for Preschool Snacks but now with a lunchbox, and containers, I have had to change things up a bit.
A drawer with lunchbox, thermos, reusable containers, and baggies
In my Pantry I had a snack station which is also reachable to my kids. Water is on top (my kids usually use a reusable cup, this is more for on the go. Inside the drawers is below.
It sits right on the floor.
Inside my fridge sits 2 containers (again at toddler level. One has drinks (the juice is such a special treat, I think I buy a pack of juice boxes like twice a year) the other has yogurts and applesauce. The front is empty now, but it usually has snack sizes of fruits and veggies.
3. Lunch Planning. I plan 3 meals a day, everyday. That won't change, but I wanted to also plan out Matthew's lunches which will now be different that what we have at home. I grocery shop every 2 weeks, so I have to be organized on the items I will need. This will also make it easy for me to look at the calendar on a Sunday afternoon or evening and prepare what I can for the week ahead, and when baby #3 comes in January whoever is making lunches for the days I am not here, will have some ideas on what to pack!
I went to Pinterest to find a printable and LOVE this one!
4. Keeping ALL forms and Paperwork organized. This I didn't have to do much for. I already have a complete home management binder, which you can read about here. Each kid has their own section. So everyday the backpack will get emptied and the papers will get either placed in the tabbed folder, or 3 hole punched if it is something I am keeping and not sending back in.
5. A morning routine. This is still a work in progress, as I don't move too quickly in the mornings. My PLAN is to get up before the kids and make/set out breakfast and finish packing the lunchbox. When they do wake up we will eat, then head back upstairs to get dressed, brush teeth/do hair. Then all we have to do is go potty, get backpacks and head out the door....sounds simple enough, right!??!!? This is going to be a struggle because we are used to taking our time in the mornings.
Wow, Your pantry looks so organized!! What a great idea to have a lunch station! It is always struggle for me get lunch ready. Ziploc bags over here. Peanut butter up there. Granola bars behind that! Would love to have everything together! :D
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