How is it already time to start thinking about getting the kids back-to-school ready? I can’t be the only person who’s in disbelief about summer already being halfway over…can I?
This year, I’m preparing for myself as much as I am the Boy (aka my son). I gave the refrigerator, cupboards, and pantry area a major overhaul, just in time for back-to-school. I reorganized my kitchen so that lunch and snacks are easier to make and ready to pack. Plus, breakfast and dinner meal prep won’t be a total disaster.
Having everything neat and organized helps make lunch, dinner, and snack-time much easier, especially during the busy back-to-school season. There’s nothing worse than finding that hidden item you were looking high and low for has expired. Even worse is looking in the cupboard or refrigerator only to find you didn’t have that item after all, and now need it for your next meal.
Going back to school means getting back into a routine. It also means stricter morning timelines and after-school activities cutting into dinner prep time. I try my best to have dinner prepped and planned ahead of time and lunches packed the night before, but it doesn’t always happen. An organized kitchen is my solution for easy grab-and-go in the morning and quicker dinner prep.
Before 😬
As you can see, before I had to pull out things to see what was behind them. Half-open bags of pasta, multiple boxes of snacks – I didn’t really know exactly what I had. Thankfully, all it took was a trip to my local Kitchen Stuff Plus to get all the organization and kitchen supplies I needed.
After 😍
Kid-friendly fridge
I began by allocating an entire shelf in the refrigerator for snacks and lunches. My refrigerator is small so items like a smaller bin for cheese strings, a larger bin for yogurts, and a milk bag organizer are godsends when trying to optimize space.
I also like to pre-cut fruits and veggies and put them into stackable containers so they take up less space and they’re easily available for snacks and meals. Another tip to keep clutter out of your refrigerator is to do a seasonal inventory of condiments and jars. Toss anything that has expired to free up some space.
Ready-to-go snacks in the cupboard
Like my fridge, I designated an entire shelf to house lunch box items and snacks. Now The Boy can easily reach so he can make his lunch in the morning and grab after-school snacks.
I designated a large bin for granola bars, raisins, and cookies, and a medium one for applesauce and fruit cups.
Neatly organized pantry
My pantry used to contain half bags of pasta, flour, sugar, and other baking supplies. Now, it’s neatly organized in these glass storage containers. Not only can I see exactly what I have and what I need, but my food isn’t falling and spilling all over.
This multilevel stadium is great to house all my spices so I can easily see and reach for what I need.
Possibly my best organizational find was this lid organizer for my plastic containers. I was always rooting around for a lid to match a container and this keeps everything all together. It’s a total time saver!
With a place for everything and everything in its place, I’m actually looking forward to back to school. Now that I don’t have to spend all my time getting meals ready and lunches packed, I can spend more time enjoying my day.
Need more school morning inspiration?
Need more school mornings inspiration? Check out how to survive when your school mornings start at 6 a.m.
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