Back to School Organization: Pantry Edition
By now, most kids in Louisiana are back in school and getting in the swing of things again. But your home may not have recovered from the busyness of the first days of school yet. Here’s how an organized pantry can help!
By now, most kids in Louisiana are back in school and getting in the swing of things again. But your home may not have recovered from the busyness of the first days of school yet.
One of the things I did when my kids were younger, was clean out and organize the pantry before school.
Over the summer, we tended to be more relaxed at home and with the snacks that the kids ate, which means we would accumulate a good bit of junk food while they were out of school. Once they got back to school though, I preferred for them to have healthy options that would keep them fueled and ready to learn.
So, this is your friendly reminder to clean out the junk food in the pantry and replace them with nutritious options that the kids already know are parent approved for them to eat.
Another way I liked to prepare the pantry for school was to have designated bins for salty snacks and sweet snacks. This is a super simple way to keep the snacks in your pantry organized.
I would also recommend keeping your snack bins on one of the bottom shelves of the pantry if you have young children so that they can reach them and get them on their own without needing your help every time they want a snack.
Pantry organization is so crucial to surviving the busy school days with your kids. It not only gives your children more independence, but it helps you to see what you have and what needs to be replaced easily as well as makes packing lunches that much easier.
We hope that you are having a great school year so far and that these tips help make it simpler for you!
Don’t know where to start in your pantry? Give us a call!
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After-School Snacks
I remember so clearly when my kids were in school and the first thing they would do when they got home was yell, “Moooommmm!! I’m starvinggg!!”. Here are a few of our best tips for keeping snacks on hand for the kids.
I remember so clearly when my kids were in school and the first thing they would do when they got home was yell, “Moooommmm!! I’m starvinggg!!”.
Here are a few of our best tips for keeping snacks on hand for the kids:
Keep healthy snacks in the house.
I learned to keep healthy snacks on hand for a couple of reasons. One being I didn’t have to worry about how much junk food they were eating. And two, they needed nutritious snacks to keep them going and able to get homework done etc.
Focus on high protein.
My son really needed protein as quickly as possible to improve his mood. This will also greatly help keep their energy up to get homework done and keep them full until dinner time.
Keep a bin(s) in the bottom of the pantry for kids’ snacks.
Having a bin or, better yet, multiple bins in the bottom of your pantry for kids’ snacks is super helpful to both you and the kids. This allows you and them to see what you have and gives them easy access to grab their own snacks that you’ve already approved.
Have a designated drawer or storage bin in the fridge for kids’ snacks, drinks, etc.
Same as above this eliminates the need for you to prepare the snack for them and they already know it’s parent approved.
I hope this creates some peace in your home as you get settled into a new school year!
Need help organizing your pantry? Get on the books now!
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Sending Your Child to School for the First Time
The big day is quickly approaching, and your (not-so-little anymore) baby is starting school for the first time. This can be such an emotional time for both the child and parent but helping them to be confident and prepared going into it can help you both greatly! Here are a few things to teach your child before school begins.
The big day is quickly approaching, and your (not-so-little anymore) baby is starting school for the first time.
This can be such an emotional time for both the child and parent but helping them to be confident and prepared going into it can help you both greatly!
Here are a few things to teach your child before school begins:
Bathroom Etiquette
This is probably the most important thing to teach your child before going to school. Make sure they know not to look at others under the stall, to undress/dress in the stall with the door closed, and to wash their hands when they are done.
Hand Sanitizer
Make sure they know how to use hand sanitizer and to let it dry before touching anything.
Carrying a Backpack
Teach your child how to carry their own backpack, and do not carry it for them. Teaching them how to be independent is super important to their development.
Lunch Box
Teach them how to open their lunchbox and each container you will be sending their lunch to school in (including their water bottle). Have them practice this a few times at home to be sure they can do it all without the teacher having to help.
Now, go prepare your child to have the best school year possible!
If you are having trouble establishing routines for your children or keeping their school supplies organized, give us a call!
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College Move-In: What to Buy for a Dorm
College move-in day is coming soon! Whether it’s your first time moving a college student into a dorm or you’ve done it many times, a refresher on what to buy never hurts.
College move-in day is coming soon! Whether it’s your first time moving a college student into a dorm or you’ve done it many times, a refresher on what to buy never hurts.
We have a free pdf that you can download here for a full list of what to bring, but here are a few more items we think are important and you may not have thought of:
Mattress Topper
A mattress topper is an absolute MUST. The mattresses provided in dorm rooms are far from comfortable and a good mattress topper can make a drastic difference in comfort level.
Bathroom Caddy
Even if your college student has a private bathroom in their dorm room, they will likely be sharing with at least their roommate. Dorm bathrooms are small, and they may want a caddy to bring their products in and out of the bathroom and store them elsewhere. Or they may want a caddy to go over the shower head if they have a private bathroom.
Power Strip
Power Strips should not be plugged into each other and often there are not many outlets in a dorm room. Purchase a power strip that doubles as an extension cord to be sure it will reach where it needs to.
Phone Case
This one may seem odd, but it is very convenient to have a phone case with a cardholder so the student can carry their room key in it and not worry about it getting lost. Plus, this keeps it easily accessible for them.
Good luck on your college move-in day and enjoy every moment of the process with your child. Plan something fun for that evening to make leaving them at school a little easier. Trust that you’ve done well getting them this far and let them fly!
If getting your home organized and ready for a child to move out is overwhelming, contact us!
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The Best Bins for School Supplies
It’s back to school time! Can you believe the school year starts in just a couple of weeks?! This summer has flown by and it’s time to get the whole family ready for the start of the school year again. We’ve been there, and we’ve found a few tools along the way that make it all go a little more smoothly.
It’s back to school time! Can you believe the school year starts in just a couple of weeks?! This summer has flown by and it’s time to get the whole family ready for the start of the school year again. We’ve been there, and we’ve found a few tools along the way that make it all go a little more smoothly.
There are so many school supplies to be purchased and stored for the coming school year. Here are a few of our favorite bins to keep it all organized and functioning all school year long!
Latch Bins
Bins with latches work amazingly well for school supplies. You can find them at many stores and in an array of different sizes that work well for many items (pens, pencils, markers, crayons, paper, scissors, etc.).
File Boxes
File boxes are the best way to keep all those important papers your child brings home from school stored and organized, while also keeping them from getting crumpled. Put your child’s name on the front of the box and have a file for each school year. This is a great way to not only avoid losing papers, but also to store keepsakes from your child’s time in school.
Rolling Carts
Okay, so we know this isn’t really a storage bin, but rolling carts are great from storing school supplies at home. They’re also great for creating a homework station for your kids.
Does the thought of the looming school year overwhelm you? Let us help you get your home organized and routines set in place so that your whole family can start the school year strong!
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