I absolutely thrive with an organized fridge. Seeing those containers all lined up or stacked neatly is so appealing. I can see exactly what and where things are stored. When it comes to time to figure out our meals, I can create a plan with a quick look into our fridge. I prewash all of my fruits, veggies, and fresh meat as soon after a grocery trip as possible, which cuts down on clutter and keeps the fridge in order.
In the beginning, it may seem overwhelming to get your fridge in order. But remember, just like most things, it’ll be a breeze to maintain after the first overhaul. Here are 5 tips for getting your fridge in order:
1. Out with the Old (and Expired!)
Before tackling Project Fridge, take inventory of what’s already in there. How old is that mustard? Are both those containers of shredded cheese still good? Throw away anything that’s expired or rotten. This is also a good opportunity to see what items are bought, but never completely used. This will help streamline your grocery list to items that your family uses.
2. Meal Plan to Perfection
For some items, I store them based on what recipes I’m planning to make. Meal planning works to offer purpose to what’s in the fridge and to make sure we’re actually using what we buy. No one wants to throw away money, but that’s what happens when grocery items are wasted. Try to set aside a day every week to map out your meals, then create your grocery list.
3. Break Out the Organizers!
As I mentioned in past posts, I use Lazy Susan’s fridge bins and meal prep containers to group items together. Everything’s shipshape in labeled containers. There are affordable, effective fridge organizers for all types of items. If you keep bottled waters or juices on the shelf, consider a bottle or a can dispenser. Feel free to get creative and shop around for what works best for your fridge.
4. Fast Food, the Healthy Way
I store fruit, raw veggies, and cheeses low so the kids can reach them if allowed to grab a snack independently. Those prewashed and cut eats will be appealing to the eyes and ready to go when the kids or anyone needs a quick healthy treat. Be sure to use easy to open containers to make it that much quicker for smaller hands to get what they need.
5. (Re)Organize Frequently
I’m all about the “organized look” for my sanity so my systems change frequently—and my family may or may not love that! There should be a general order to your refrigerator, which will help you know what’s missing as you create your grocery list, but don’t feel like everything is set in stone. Certain things may work better on a lower (or higher) shelf.
These are just a few tips to guide you to a Pinterest-worthy fridge your family (and your grocery list!) will appreciate!
The relationship between Jesus and his disciples is one that many can understand and desire in their own personal relationships, especially in a family. The level of love and respect that comes from both sides of that relationship and the care concealed in the lessons He taught the disciples are all things that many parents try to develop with their own kids. We were gifted the perfect example in Jesus, and while we ourselves are far from perfect, there is still so much we can learn and apply.
Jesus was wise, humble, and obedient to His Father. He lived a faultless life and carried out the will of God for His life. As I pursue my relationship with Christ, I am challenged to adopt these principles individually and steward my children in a way that grants them wisdom to do the same. Jesus was the ultimate example to His disciples and to us, modeling lessons on how to live for His Father. If I desire for my own little disciples to know Christ, it’s imperative that I faithfully model the characteristics of Jesus for them, as their first teacher.
In order to keep the teachings of Jesus at the forefront of my life, I study God’s Word. There are so many life lessons in the Bible, and God is always illuminating important portions that I can apply in my personal situations. I would recommend the Bible for any parent needing a guide for how to raise their children. The Word is frequently transforming my life and as that happens, I am able to gain wisdom on how to love and teach my children. In 2011, I began seriously reading the Bible for myself, but had to purchase a tween Bible; it was the only translation I halfway understood at the time! Now, I love the NLT and Amplified Study bible versions. There are so many translations and versions available that will assist with interpretation.
Watching TV can be educational, too! Our family loves CBN’s SuperBook, an animated series of events from the Old and New Testament. The creators do an exceptional job presenting the context in an engaging way for both parents and children while maintaining the message. The Bible stories are told on a level that my kids understand and enjoy. After each episode, my husband and I have discussions with our children about what they just watched and see what light God is placing in their little hearts.
4 Ways to Build a Strong Foundation for Your Children
I’d like to leave you with four ways to build a strong foundation for your little disciplines to grow in Christ.
Be transparent about your own journey (adjust to be age-appropriate, if necessary).
If you aren’t exactly where you’d like to be, accept the call to walk faithfully with Jesus, and do not be lukewarm.
Share God’s truth with your children daily by enlightening them on how to apply it to their lives.
Grant them the same grace, forgiveness and unconditional love that Christ grants you daily!
Right now, many parents have found themselves in the role of teacher, as well as caretaker and entertainer with no warning. It’s daunting to take on a new responsibility when there’s been very little time for preparation. Naturally, I started looking for some guidance, and found a gem that I think will help you, too.
I started reading Homeschool Bravely: How to Squash Doubt, Trust God, and Teach Your Child with Confidence by Jamie Erickson. As a mom who has spent some time homeschooling young kids, this book changed how I approached teaching my children, and it really made a huge difference in our little classroom. Frequently I struggle with self-doubt, especially when it comes to homeschooling. As a parent, you desire what’s best for your children, and although I strongly believe that during this season of life having them home with me is best, I often question if I made the right choice.
Homeschool Bravely offers homeschooling parents the encouragement to boldly approach homeschooling as a calling from God, rather than a chore. Erickson offers tips on routines; she shares curriculum ideas and provides activities that will fit right into your lessons for the day. This book is grounded in faith and has scriptures woven throughout the pages. Having strong words of comfort with God’s own Word there to reinforce it did wonders for me. This book granted me encouragement and refreshed my confidence on this homeschooling journey.
I closed the book, reassured that I’m not ruining my children or preventing them from experiencing something greater than what I provide. My perspective shifted tremendously, and I realized the importance of speaking life into myself and our homeschool classroom.
Additionally, this book is different from the other homeschooling books I’ve read because it provided direct insight on issues I am currently juggling—having kids with different learning challenges, ages and interests. I also love that all the content is pointed back to trusting God’s plan throughout this journey despite all my fear, doubt, failures, and even victories!
While most of us supermoms don’t have a team of organizers to get our pantries into Instagram-worthy shape, it’s still achievable! With a good bit of strategy and work overtime, I’ve been able to whip my pantry into order — photo-worthy order!
Here are my tips to help you create your own:
Invest in your pantry, without breaking the bank.
I absolutely love OXO food storage containers, iDesign Lazy Susan cabinet bins, and baskets of all sizes. With so many container options out there, it can become overwhelming and expensive, fast! But don’t worry; you can absolutely create the pantry of your dreams on a budget.
Most of my organizing items can be found on Amazon, the Container Store, or at HomeGoods. I shopped at all of these locations and didn’t purchase everything at once. My pantry is an ongoing project! I encourage you to start organizing with what you have before making an investment in containers and bins. Feel free to get creative!
Create a plan, and stick to it.
I have a master shopping list of things we LOVE (which I can’t wait to share soon) that I keep on hand. This great guide I’ve created keeps our pantry stocked with the essentials, plus more. I encourage you to take some time to create your own master shopping list. How do I get mine started? Typically, I do a weekly inventory of what’s needed, preparing to have everything stocked.
Having a shopping list is great for those on a budget or anyone trying not to overbuy. It’s also an excellent way to stay organized. Once everything arrives, we unpack boxes and bags and add everything to the containers. Doing this right away keeps the pantry organized long-term and makes the process less daunting.
Involve the kids.
It’s important to get the kids involved! I like to have certain snacks that are stocked low enough for my older kids to reach if I need them to grab something for me. (They gotta earn their keep! Just kidding! lol.) They love helping Mommy tackle endless things, so I try to create systems they can help with as well. Having items at kid-level also allows my children to create their own pre-packaged snack for community day. They can get to those items without a problem.
Don’t be afraid to rearrange more than once.
Remember, your pantry is not a one and done project. As your needs (and your family’s needs) change so will your pantry’s. It’s a good idea to rearrange your pantry periodically to keep the layout fresh. Often, I play around with things in my pantry. I even consider it to be one of my favorite hobbies. I perform a trial and error test of what looks the best where, and other times, I think about accessibility, depending on what we have going on. Being a mom and achieving a photo-worthy pantry doesn’t have to be mutually exclusive! Like any good project, do it one step at a time. Finding out what works for your family is the most important part of this process, so let that (and the tiny hands grabbing for snacks) guide you as you figure it out. These tips are a great place to start!
Apologizing and extending forgiveness are extremely hard, but necessary life skills to master.
For some, apologizing is easy, and they are quick to own their mistakes and learn from them. For others, it can be challenging. As a recovering perfectionist, people pleaser, and rule follower, it’s hard for me to dismiss that I’m not always a Saint (although we play for the SAINTS).
I’m learning to apologize, even when I’m convinced it’s not my fault and forgive, even the ones I feel like don’t deserve it. This doesn’t alter boundaries I’ve established but reminds me that Christian people aren’t perfect people. Who am I to judge as God forgives me endlessly when I am undeserving? Recently, I stumbled across a post from Lysa Terkeurst that says, “Part of what makes forgiveness seem unfair is that I’m utterly convinced I’m the Saint and they are the sinner. When in reality Jesus is asking me simply to be the servant.” Ouch, this was convicting. Over the years I’ve gained the maturity and wisdom to understand that apologizing and extending forgiveness is freeing.
This freedom has translated into the way I parent. I teach my children to respect authority, individuals’ boundaries, and people in general. I also remind them that they too are due respect, despite their age. They are little humans, not doormats or robots. I work to respect my kids as full humans by stewarding and teaching them God’s truths. I strongly believe you have to display respect to receive it; respect is not based on age. I talk with my little people, apologizing and requesting forgiveness when I’m not patient, raise my voice too often, or choose discipline actions out of pure frustration, instead of clearly thinking out the punishment.
A distracted parent is a frustrated parent– and often when I’m distracted (by chores, my phone, different assignments) I don’t always display grace. When my actions unintentionally crush their little feelings, we address it! Additionally, I tell them when mommy has made a mistake in parenting, what leads to that mistake, and how we can work together to establish preventative methods. I grant them the freedom to respectfully express their thoughts and emotions. They’re very young and do not understand everything, but I’m attempting to build habits and routines now for more extreme cases in the future.
As we regularly exercise this in our home, we witness and encourage our kids to model these approaches with each other, and others they encounter. This method, in my opinion, creates less space for nurturing grudges and anger. Parenting is hard and the weight of responsibility makes me doubt myself at times. Establish these principles in your home and the changes you’ll see in your family. God always grants me grace, forgiveness, and unconditional love, and I then make a conscious effort to grant those exact same things to my family daily.
Teaching From Rest: A Homeschooler’s Guide to Unshakeable Peace, by Sarah Mackenzie
Those who have made the decision to homeschool their children have done so out of great love for them and a desire to provide them an excellent education in the context of a warm, enriching home. Yet so many parents (mainly mothers) who have taken up this challenge find the enterprise often full of stress, worry, and anxiety. In this practical, faith-based, and inspirational book, Sarah Mackenzie addresses these questions directly, appealing to her own study of restful learning and her struggle to bring restful learning to her (six) children.
My Review:
Teaching From Rest was an unbelievable read! In this short-read, the author did an amazing job summing up lessons that every homeschool mom-teacher should know. After completing this book, I felt both convicted and inspired. As a perfectionist (or as some say, control freak), I was becoming anxious and burnt out when I first decided to homeschool my children. Can you believe that I had to take 2 weeks off after barely even starting? It was during that break when I came across this book from another homeschool mom.
Reaching the end, I was immediately encouraged to rest mentally, physically and emotionally — renewing my strength in God alone.
Remaining connected to Him always provides me with refreshing confidence, strength and endurance. Being a homeschool mom is not easy, but if I stay grounded in my faith, refresh my soul, let go of my own idols of homeschooling, and trust that God has placed me on this journey — I can be confident that God will be faithful every step of the way.
Teaching From Rest helped reveal so much to me and more! It showed me the importance of lending myself and my children grace, just as God grants us all daily. Now, when things don’t go according to my “master plan”, I’ve learned to panic less and embrace exactly where God has me. There’s always teachable moments that point back to Him.
This is now a book I’ve added to my reading list, twice a year! Check it out on Amazon here.
Enjoy a space to connect, be empowered and educated to seek Jesus wholeheartedly, identify blind spots, seek growth, learn to love, forgive, laugh, cook amazing food, and understand that living the in the spotlight is not always roses & candy.
