I am an organization freak. I cannot stand clutter. Everything needs to have a place. If it doesn’t have a place I throw it out or donate it. Pack rat is definitely not something you can use to describe me.
As a mom of three girls 5 and under, organization is key. I think it is key for moms of just one child even. It helps with clean up. The older girls know where things go, or at least the general place. I haven’t gone to the lengths of labeling where toys go, but I look at my label maker and have been tempted.
Something that is key in organization for our family is planning a menu. The paychecks roll in every two weeks, so I plan a two week menu. We don’t always stick to each meal on certain nights, but it gives us a good idea of what is needed from the store.
Pretty, right? It’s ok to be jealous.
This also limits the impulse buying. The less trips you make to the grocery store, the less random items jump into your shopping cart. We obviously make trips to the store for milk, bread, eggs, etc. But, making one big trip every two weeks works really well for us.
I usually sit down on Wednesday or Thursday with a sheet of paper and make a grid. I make rough plans for breakfast & lunch. For dinner I try to write down what sides that I want to make with each meal; obviously that did not happen on the last menu. When I do, I know exactly what I need to pick up when I go to the store on Fridays.
For our recipes, I use a combination of Pinterest and cookbooks that I own. If you didn’t know, you are able to create “secret” boards in Pinterest. I have a secret board that is named “Menu”. I pin the recipes that I put on our menu to that board, which makes it super easy to find.
We usually always do a crock pot meal for Sunday afternoon. We never know when we will get home from church, so lunch is always hot and ready for us. Then, we do leftovers in the evening since I leave for choir when everyone else is getting ready for dinner. Fridays we always do pizza or nachos and a movie. It’s our family night and it is sacred. haha!
There is always a magnetic notepad stuck to the fridge. That way, as I run out of items throughout the week, I can write them down. If I don’t write it down immediately, I will inevitably forget until I NEED it.
I am not at all perfect. In fact, I often end up smacking myself in the forehead because I forgot something OBVIOUS. But, menu planning is key for me.
What about you? Do you like to plan out meals, or are you blessed with the gift of pulling meals out of a magic hat?