Diana Rene 0:06

You're listening to the Decluttered Mom podcast, a podcast built specifically for busy moms by a busy mom. I'm your host, Diana Rene. And in 2017, I had my second daughter and it felt like I was literally drowning in my home. Okay, not literally, but I felt like I couldn't breathe with all of the stuff surrounding me.

Over the next 10 months, I got rid of approximately 70% of our household belongings and I have never looked back. I kind of feel like I hacked the mom system and I'm here to share all the tips, tricks, and encouragement. Let's listen to today's show.

Welcome to the Decluttered Mom podcast. I am Diana Rene. I am your host. And if you listened last week, then you heard that we played an audio for you from one of our courses called Simplify the School Year.

And we're doing that because anytime you come back to school, even if it's not after a long summer break, just coming back after winter break and getting into the swing of things with routines again can be hard.

And I get that. And so I wanted to just play a couple audios for you that are from that course to help you kind of get back into that mindset of building these routines and making your life easier as kids are back in school.

So without further ado, we are going to be playing for you a couple of audios with all about like lunch systems. And so let's jump into those two audios.

Let's talk about something small, but deeply meaningful. Lunch notes.

The kind you slip into a lunchbox with a little joke, a word of encouragement, or a reminder that someone at home is thinking about them. My girls love these. They tape them inside their lockers.

They save them in their backpacks. They even bring them up weeks later. They matter.

But here's the thing. Doing them daily didn't work for me. I would either forget or scribble something random that didn't really feel special because I was in a hurry.

And instead of being this sweet moment of connection, it became one more thing on my list. So I changed the system. Now I batch lunch notes ahead of time.

At the start of the semester or whenever I have a quiet evening, I sit down and I write a big stack of notes all at once. I turn it into a little like cozy moment for myself. I grab a drink and a snack.

I turn on a feel good show. I wrap up in my blanket and heating pad and I just write simple encouragements, funny kid jokes, kind reminders, affirmations. I keep them generic on purpose because when I am packing lunches in the morning, I don't want to overthink.

I literally just grab the two from the top of the bin and I toss them in. They are not labeled by kid in advance and I don't sort through them looking for the perfect one. They are quick, they're ready, and they always land well.

I store them right next to our lunch station so they're part of the routine. But here's the thing. Sometimes I do still write one in the moment.

If it's a big test day or a field trip or something emotional is going on like friend drama or a tough moment I know they're carrying, I will write a fresh one that morning just to customize it a little bit more. It doesn't take long but it is a way to say I see what's happening and I'm with you. The rest of the time I let the batched ones do the heavy lifting.

Now there have been mornings I forget the note entirely and the reaction I got was proof that these little slips of paper do mean something. It is not about the card, it's about the reminder.

You are seen, you are loved, and someone is cheering you on right now.

If you want a shortcut there are tons of pre-made sets available on Amazon. Jokes, affirmations, motivational themes, whatever fits your style. You can keep a pack right by your lunch station and be set for months.

But if you don't want to spend anything we've got you covered. This course includes a pack of 100 printable lunch notes created just for busy moms like us. They do include encouraging phrases, kid-friendly affirmations, and funny jokes that your kids will actually laugh at.

You can print them, cut them, and then batch them.

Let's talk about one of the easiest ways to make your morning smoother without waking up earlier. Make lunches the night before.

It sounds simple and it is, but like most of the systems in this course it is not just about saving time. It is about saving mental energy and preventing the kind of morning chaos that leaves everyone on edge before the day even begins.

If you have ever found yourself standing in the kitchen at 7 38 a.m staring at an empty lunchbox, here's what you already know.

Packing lunch in the mornings is not just about the food. It is about the decisions. What do we have in the fridge? Do I need to cut the fruit? Wait, where'd the lunchbox go? Whose turn is it to get a hot lunch today? Do I need to thaw something or swap something for a food allergy in class?

Listen, that kind of thinking is fine, but not when you're also making breakfast, finding someone's shoe, and signing a permission slip.

The fix? Move those decisions to a quieter moment the night before.

So in our home, lunch prep is part of our nighttime rhythm. It happens after dinner cleanup or right before showers and bedtime routines, and it's not formal.

It's not stressful. Sometimes I do it solo while listening to a podcast. Sometimes the girls help, but either way it's done before we go to sleep.

And if anything in the lunchbox needs to stay cold, we just put the whole lunchbox in the fridge overnight with it open for airflow. Then in the morning, all we have to do is add the ice packs and go. No scrambling, no forgotten yogurt or string cheese, just grab and done.

And I cannot tell you how many mornings I've opened the fridge, seen the stacked lunchboxes, and just exhaled. It is one less thing for morning me to worry about, and future you will be so grateful.

So here's how we're going to create a true lunch station.

This is a designated area in your kitchen that holds everything you need to pack lunches quickly. Think lunchboxes, bento containers, Tupperware, snack bags, food picks, a pen for writing notes, and a stash of pre-written lunch notes. I recommend using a cabinet or a drawer close to your prep space so it is all in reach when you need it.

Then pair that with a bin in the fridge for prepped food. I'm talking like fruits, veggies, proteins, anything else that can be batched ahead. Prep in batches when possible.

So slice your fruit for two or three days at a time if you can. Portion snacks for the week at one time. Use leftovers intentionally so lunch is half done already.

Also get the kids involved. Even little ones can help pack their own napkins or pick a snack from the bin. Older kids can assemble their full lunch with a visual guide or checklist and this is a great task to outsource to them.

You do not need Pinterest bento boxes or cut out sandwiches. Sure, you can always have those available if you want and you have extra energy one day, but mostly just focus on foods your kids will actually eat and keep it consistent.

See if your partner will take ownership of this task, especially since we've included a full year of simple lunch ideas in this course in another lesson.

This is a great opportunity to shift the mental load if possible. You don't have to carry it all. A clear menu makes it easy to divide and delegate in your home.

But what if you forget? You will. I do too sometimes. Some nights are just too full.

Some evenings everyone's sick or bedtime runs late or you just really need to go sit down after an exhausting day with your frustrating boss. That's okay.

The goal is not perfection. It's consistency over time. And even doing this three or four nights a week instead of zero makes a huge difference.

There have been seasons where this habit falls apart for me and I feel it immediately.

We're rushed. I am way more irritable. The kids forget parts of their lunch.

We start the day already behind, but the moment I bring this one habit back in, things soften. It's like the whole morning has more room to breathe.

So your action step is try it just once.

After dinner, while the kitchen's already messy, take five minutes and pack the next day's lunches. Use what you already have if you need to. Keep it simple and just notice how different your morning feels tomorrow.

This is one of those systems that looks small but carries big weight. You're going to feel the impact right away.

Thanks for hanging out and listening to the Decluttered Mom podcast.If you enjoyed this episode, it would mean the world if you could write a review or share this episode with a friend or your Instagram stories.

And if you're on Instagram, be sure to follow me @the.decluttered.mom and send me a DM to say hi. I'd love to hear what you thought about today's episode. I hope you'll come back next week and hang out with us again.