Keeping Ahead and Keeping it Real!

Keeping Ahead and Keeping it Real!

The beginning of the school year can be so overwhelming for both teachers and parents. From sleeping routines to buying groceries, the new school year seems to interrupt the slow pace of summer with a vengeance. Over the past few years I have picked up some tips along the way that have helped me to not only survive the first two weeks of school, but have also helped me keep my home organized for the entire year!

Tip #1

Laundry: the never ending cycle. 

When Justin and I first married, I was pretty sure that we were in silent competition with one another to see who could put the most clothes in the laundry each week. It seemed as though I could never get caught up with washing towels or whites or colors or denim...the list could go on and on. As a new wife, I followed the lead of several of my friends who shared that they completed all of their laundry on a particular day each week. I tried this schedule and washing clothes on Sunday nights was so overwhelming that I dreaded it each week. In a rare moment of clarity, I realized that my washing machine worked just fine every day of the week, so I needed to take advantage of it. I vowed to complete 1 load of laundry from start to finish each day, so that I would always stay ahead. Here is a sample mini-schedule of how I do my laundry: 

• Morning: Put a load of laundry in the washer right when I wake up. (If it is a small load of Justin's white shirts, I will also throw in my sheets.) If my laundry has finished washing before I leave, I put it in the dryer and let it dry while I am headed to work. Sometimes, I leave Justin a note asking him to start the laundry in the dryer for me.
• Afternoon: When I get home, I pull out the dried clothes, fold them, and put them away. If any of Justin's dress shirts or any of my dresses are in this mix, I will hang them up and tend to them later.

• Evening: Before I go to bed, I will iron either my clothes for the next day or any of the laundry that I finished that day. I tend to procrastinate when it comes to ironing, because when I put my clothes in my closet that can get wrinkled all over again. A fresh iron the night before or the morning of school usually works just fine!    

Tip #2

Preparing Lunch: This girl has to eat!

I get really hungry during the school day, because I am always on my feet going all over the place. At my school, we have some great cooks that love to bring not-so-healthy snacks for our teacher's lounge. It is really hard for me to resist any kind of carbohydrate, but when my pants were getting a little too tight, I realized that I had start bring better snacks to work!

 I always prepare my lunch the night before school. I put it all together and put my entire lunchbox in the fridge so that I just have to grab it and go. However, there are a few preparations that I make on Sundays that help me to have healthy snacks ready and available for lunch. 

• Sunday Prep: I always buy fruit and vegetables on Sunday. I cut up all of my fruit, except bananas and apples, and place them in a clear container so that I always see it when I start my food prep for each lunch. I also prepare a large salad in my largest Pyrex bowl so that I will have it on hand for lunch or dinner each day.  Having fruits available for snacks not only allow me a healthier option, it also makes me feel better as I need all of the energy I can get while I am teaching! 
• Water, water, water: I love water! Because I don't have a refrigerator in my classroom, I like to have my water bottles easily accessible. I get VERY thirsty during every class, so I pack two frozen water bottles along with two unfrozen water bottles into my "extra lunchbox." The frozen ones thaw out during the day and keep my other bottles cold. 

Tip #3

Keeping the Kitchen in Order: A clean kitchen is a happy kitchen!

I do not like a dirty kitchen! I make it a point to load any dirty dish into the dishwasher every night before I go to bed. That way, when I wake up in the morning, I can eat my breakfast and check my email in a fresh and clean environment. When my dishwasher is full, I set it to wash overnight. The next morning, I usually unload it while my English muffin is toasting or my oatmeal is brewing.

In an effort to stay ahead of the "grocery game," I keep a continuous grocery list on my phone, so that I can have a full list when I go to the store.