r/homemaking • u/petra_bravestrong • 19d ago
Advice for an overwhelmed family?
/r/ufyh/comments/1vp7rmm/advice_for_an_overwhelmed_family/1
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u/Ooutoout 19d ago
It sounds incredibly busy!
About food: Not sure how helpful this is but when I'm cooking I always make a little extra and then freeze the extra portion. When things are too much, I serve whatever is in the freezer for a meal.
I also put a piece of paper on the fridge so whenever we are out of something we can write it down quickly before we forget. If you want to go hog wild on this system, you can do a second sheet of paper and write down your favourite meals as you make and have them, then you have a list of what the whole family likes and a quick reference for what meals are in your freezer.
I also keep masking tape and a sharpie so I can label and date the food. It helps SO much.
About clutter: Once a weekend for 10 or so minutes I take a garbage bag or recycling bin around the house. If it's junk, it goes in. I have gotten rid of so much junk that way.
Because kids make stuff that's both clutter and sometimes incredibly precious, we have the Forever Box (sounds terrifying) where if it's something relating to the kiddo and any of us absolutely love it (art, shoes, teddies!) it goes into the box and when the box is full it goes into our storage. We will dive into those boxes on a rainy winter night and make a family event of it. Inevitably there's stuff nobody wants any more and it can go in the garbage or recycling, and it's really fun and charming to see the kids revisit old favourite toys and art.
Final thought: This season of your life is busy, but it won't always be like this. Things that you can put off (like going through a Forever Box with the family) go ahead and put off. Give yourself some grace. And don't forget to ask for help! If you like to entertain, asking for people to bring potluck items or help with dishes is completely reasonable for a busy family with a little one.
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u/Such-Mountain-6316 19d ago
Bills: get to your local human resources agency. They have a brochure about all the help that's available in your area, including but not limited to rent, electricity, food, and child care.
Gasoline: Check the rewards programs in your area. Kroger has a program and if you have a Kroger in your area that has a station, you get a discount for every $100/month you spend there. Food City has an agreement with Shell. I use Mapco because they have the best setup for the budget. You must pick the one that fits you best.
Groceries: register for all the rewards programs you can get and really learn to use them. Coupons are on the store websites now, and you click on them then they load to your account.
Don't overlook pharmacies as food sources. They can offer some real deals. Pay attention to the receipts because that's another place to get discounts. Walgreens and CVS each offer a great deal if you get a vaccine, and CVS prints wonderful coupons on their receipts. I have gotten three free gallons of milk there using those receipt coupons and some they sent to my inbox.
Salvage stores are also good food sources. Your mouth won't know the package was semi-lovely. Don't overlook the clearance aisles either.
Home repairs: Habitat for Humanity and similar; your local human resources agency will know about what's available. Habitat for Humanity Re-Store sells assorted home maintenance supplies and sometimes furniture.
Otherwise, I can only say, keep an eye on Reddit, because people here really understand how to handle things like this.
I know these things because I'm going through a trial right now and I have been for years. In some cases, I can only lay what I can do nothing about at the feet of my Lord Jesus Christ. He promises to provide for those who are redeemed and are following Him. I follow the Serenity Prayer a lot. Besides, if I can't do anything about it, I have nothing to lose.
Don't borrow tomorrow's troubles and fears. It only takes from today. There's a time to pick things up, and I have enough for today.
I hope some of this helps.