Back-to-School Organization
As summer vacation begins winding down, it’s time to start thinking about back-to-school. Here are a few organization tips and hacks so you and your kiddos have a seamless transition from the pool to the classroom.
School Supplies
When the school supplies are purchased and at home, place the supplies in the backpack. This avoids misplacement of supplies and mix ups between children - no first day of school meltdowns when Joey has Susie’s folder.
Label
Do your future self a favor and label everything – supplies, backpacks, gym clothes, winter coats, and basically anything going into the school. You can skip the digging through the lost and found this school year!
Prep a Command Center
This sounds a bit militaristic, but a command center is essential for most families to track paperwork and busy after school schedules. Have a drop zone for paperwork needing a signature like permission slips or notes from the teacher. Find a space to hang schedules and school newsletters when they come home, and of course have a place for artwork.
Calendars
Calendars are key to staying organized. If you like writing things out, get a dry erase, paper, or acrylic calendar to hang on the wall and write out school-related events such as holiday breaks, sports games, dance lessons, and club and PTO meetings. If you have everything on a digital calendar like Google Calendar, take some time and log everything into the calendar (and invite your partner to the events so he or she is in the know). If you have more than one child, consider color coding – Jack’s activities are red and Jill’s activities are purple, or sports are blue and club meetings are green.
Drop Zone
If you don’t have a dedicated space for backpacks and all the school things, now is the time. Have items the kiddos will (or might) need for school in this location and ready to go – backpacks, umbrellas, jackets, school shoes. If a child is in sports, choose a dedicated space for equipment so it’s easy to grab when heading out the door; I recommend a space in the garage for sports equipment to keep the stench out of the house.
Homework Station
Whether it’s a desk in the bedroom or a kitchen table, make sure you have a homework zone free from distractions. Stock the station with supplies while ensuring there is a power source for laptops and charging tablets. If your children do homework at the kitchen table, think about getting a caddy or rolling cart to keep supplies in so you can easily clean-up for dinnertime, and everything stays together.
School Clothes
If your children wear a school uniform, or they have a dress code, prep a dedicated space in his or her closet or dresser for school clothes to make getting dressed a bit easier.
It’s also beneficial to start a Sunday habit of choosing outfits for the week ahead; this encourages you to look at the calendar and take note of when something other than a uniform should be worn. Store the week’s outfits by file folding dividers between each day or having a hanger for each day of the week.
Lunch Boxes
Ensure lunch boxes are in working order and replace or restock as needed. Consider reusable bags or bento boxes to not only be eco-conscious, but to save time by not having to worry about restocking disposable containers and bags throughout the school year.
Pantry Prep
Stock your pantry with snacks and food for lunches. If you have nonreusable baggies, prep for lunch by taking your bag of chips or pretzels and dividing them into snack bags. Be sure to keep some snacks in your car for busy afternoons driving to and from activities and running errands.
Meal Prep
Prep lunches the night before so they are ready to go. If you like prepping lunches in the morning, tape a list of lunch ideas inside a cabinet door for reference to make lunch prep easier.
With after school activities and errands, dinners are oftentimes left to the last minute. Try meal planning every Saturday or Sunday for the week ahead. You can get your groceries and prep meals in advance (and prep produce for healthy snacks while you are at it!).
Routine. Routine. Routine.
A couple of weeks before school, start easing into an earlier bedtime and waking up when you will need to get to school on time. Consider making evening and morning routines for your children that can easily be followed – make the bed, brush teeth, take a shower, pack your backpack. For littles who can’t read, use pictures to help them with independence.
First Day of School Photos
Do you use cute signs for the first and last days of school? If so, get them ready now. You don’t want to spend the night before the first day of school updating them from last school year.
By starting to implement these items now, you will start the school year off ready to go and bit less frazzled. The countdown is on! Happy Organizing!