Thursday, September 1, 2011

Let's (Try To) Get Organized

Well we're wrapping up our back to school season over here, and I have to admit, it's kinda nice. All the hype and anticipation is almost done and I think everyone is now busy slipping into their new normal.

(although I do sorta miss my old normal that was filled with sunscreen and penny candy from the concession stand...only 9 more months till it returns, right?)

I've been trying to get back on the organizational wagon after a relaxing, fly by the seat of our pants kind of summer, and the thing I started with first was school mornings. If there is no order, there is no sanity...just chaos. And chaos at 6am is not fun - believe me, I've been there, please don't make me go back.

So the night before I get all the backpacks ready, lay out all their clothes, pack lunches, and even fill sippy cups for the younger ones.


I've also started making a "school grocery list" every week for what I will need for lunches, it saves money and assures me that I have enough of everything I need.

I actually made a little lunch schedule just like the school did. I don't have a months worth but I do week to week or a couple weeks at a time. That way it changes up their lunches and they don't get bored with what I'm packing. So with that in hand, I head to the grocery and buy what I need.

This is an example of what our menu looks like, its just a regular old dry erase calender turned lunch menu...


Fun, huh? Not so much? Well it works in our neck of the woods :).

I'm hoping the kiddos still like this system a few months from now!

Next I'm going to tackle toy organization, send help :).

Disclosure - Compensation was provided by Country Crock via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Country Crock.

5 comments:

cowartclan said...

Yeah, how do you organize toys? My husband consistently mutters things about throwing them all away if they can't keep them clean and other fun things** he is really a big softie** , so let me know your system if you FIND one. I got the $5 cookbook from Kohl's and it is really cool. 200 healthy lunchbox choices for kids. I don't know~ I can't wait to try it for Gabe. Cheers~ K

Romberg Family said...

I wish my kids like more then just ham sandwiches (my son) and peanut butter sandwiches (my daughter.) I get bored packing their lunches! I found this list on the internet. Its called 40 bags in 40 days. Its for organizing. Each day it gives you something to tackle. Like toys. Fill a bag and get rid of it. I could probably go 80 bags in 40 days! :)

Tina Michelle said...

My new little kindergartener likes cold pizza in her lunch box. I found laying out the clothes for the whole week at a time for all my kids, even the non school ones, helps a ton!

Cowartclan, I found some nice under the bed storage bins and organized some toys in them. I pull out a box at a time to play with, clean up when done and hide away. Looks so much cleaner! Kids need a little help getting it out but it is worth it.

Anonymous said...

Good idea about the calendar. Toys are overrunning my house. I am about to toss a bunch!

susan said...

LOVE it... you & I are so similar like that!

My major issue is the endless handing down of clothes... I have the reverse of your gender balance and my daughter is my eldest..... so there is an endless stream of boys clothes changing "owner".... someone else folding the laundry is a nightmare...... I've tried the dot system and I've tried iron on labels...... now I just rely on my memory. I am tackling my twins wardrobe today {I have said this every day for about five days!} to toss old winter things into bags for charity and make some space so I can hand down from all the older brothers right down the line

OY...... :)

and I do toys into baskets onto shelves {we have cube bookcases like from Ikea} and then put a tag on the front of the basket or box so those old enough to read can choose what they want. I also put things that need supervision up too high for them to get themselves so they need to ask a grown up to get it. Then you get a heads up about what they are doing......