Transitioning from summer into a regular school schedule can be tough on everyone – but it doesn’t have to be. “Resetting” before another long school year can help keep your family organized and make things run more smoothly. From closet clean outs to family calendars, here are a few tips to inspire you to start the process and set your student (and you) up for a successful school year!
Back To School Closet Clean-Out
Don’t go BTS shopping blindly; take a look at what your kids have first. A quick closet sort will kick-start the process. Pull out anything too small or worn out. Make a list of what is needed. A list will make your shopping trip much more efficient and focused.
School Organization: Outfit Prep
Getting out the door with the kiddos on a school day can be smooth and easy with just a little prep work the night before. Simply planning and setting out your clothing for the next day makes sure every family member starts the day out on the right foot. This simple step not only ensures everyone has the items they need (no more “but I can’t find my shoes, mom!”) but it’s also a great confidence booster. Slipping on an outfit you know fits and works for you with minimal effort gives you all the feel-good vibes you need to tackle the day.
Pro Tip: Want to take it a step further? Choose outfits for the entire week using a 6-compartment hanging sweater organizer. Each compartment holds one outfit for each day of the week, and gives the kids a “choose your own” day on the weekend.
Re-Stock Your Medicine Cabinet
With the kids back in school there is no doubt that you will be grabbing something from the medicine cabinet sooner or later. Be prepared with all the basics, edit the expired meds, and refill any prescriptions. A couple of acrylic bins can hold pain meds, cold and flu, and allergy meds while a turntable can hold any daily medications and vitamins.
School Supplies: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
Sure, it might be easier to walk into Staples with your child’s school supply list and purchase every item listed. Or, buy the box of supplies offered through your school system. But that might just add to the clutter in your home and be a waste of money. Shop your home first. Collect all the school supplies from around the house and see what can be used then go shopping. This is also a great time to clean out backpacks, review and restock desks, and set up homework spaces.
Color Coding Schedule and Supplies
Rotating schedules and multiple teachers in middle school and high school add another element of complexity for your children. Color coding to the rescue! With your child, assign a color to each class on the schedule and coordinate the notebook book and folder for that class. Let your child decide what colors make sense to them. (i.e. Green = Science). Visually connecting the schedule with the materials needed will become second nature as the school year progresses.
School Organization: Set Up a Command Center
The start of the school year brings permission slips, endless forms, new athletic schedules, and plenty of other information that can easily get jumbled up or forgotten. The quickest way to solve this problem is to create a “command center.” This could be a counter in the kitchen, a spot in the home office, or an area in the mudroom. An ideal family “command center” has access to the family calendar, a spot for kids to drop anything that needs to be signed, and everything else your family needs in order to function on a daily basis.
Snack Drawer Makeover
School will be back in session before you know it, and the kids will be raiding the snack drawer in a hurried frenzy once more. Now’s the perfect time to give the ol’ snack drawer a makeover with a little organization so everyone can find their favorite snack without a fuss. Removing the snacks from their packaging then placing them in uniform containers before stowing them away makes a world of difference.
Family Calendars
Our family schedules have been filling up more and more lately, but that doesn’t mean things have to get hectic. With the right family calendar, you can stay organized and on top of everyone’s activities. The options are endless and give you a variety of tools at your disposal to make sure everyone gets where they need to be at the right time.
Back-to-school time can be exciting (and not so stressful!) with a little preparation. There’s so much to look forward to – let me know what you’re the most excited about!