Back to School Organizing Tips
Starting a new school year is overwhelming…for everyone in the house. Getting up early and going to school each day involves a lot of details and preparation and this can be an especially hard adjustment after a more carefree summer.
Here are some tips to help your family get ready for the new school year so it’s not such a hard transition.
Okay, let’s start with the last day of school in May/June. Yes, I realize you may be reading this late in the summer, but think of this as a tip for next year. (wink) Empty out those kids’ backpacks before you fully transition into your summer schedule. I like to take out all of the school supplies that can be reused and pack them away in a bin for later. I will pull from this inventory when seeing what I need for the next school year, but I may also need to pull something from this supply mid-year as well. Then I throw out all of the garbage (yuck) and find a home for anything that my kids want to keep. Now it’s time to wash those backpacks and pencil cases and get the smell of school out of them.
Now go enjoy your summer!
About a month before school is scheduled to be back in session, start thinking about all of the things you want to take care of before school starts…
Buying new school supplies.
Your school probably emailed out a list of what your child will need this upcoming year. Make sure to check that bin of supplies you filled up at the end of the school year before you buy anything. I can pretty much guarantee that you have extra child scissors and glue sticks lying around. Or maybe I am the only one who spent too many years just ordering the entire box of new supplies before realizing that I could de-select the items we already had on hand?
My favorite spot for picking up school supplies is Staples because they have everything you need so it’s one-stop shopping. The one thing I do order from Amazon is this assignment book (LINK) for my middle school and high school kids to track their homework.
Also take a look at their backpacks and lunchboxes from the previous year - can you squeeze another year out of them or do they need to be replaced?
Buying new footwear.
Since kids grow so much during the summer, they will likely be ready for a new pair of sneakers for the school year. Don’t do this too early in the summer, or your kiddo may outgrow them before fall (or ruin them with summer activities). Don’t forget about shoes needed for the fall sports seasons as well. I always seem to remember to buy new sneakers and then forget about soccer cleats until the night before they are needed. Oops.
Scheduling haircut appointments.
Every parent is hoping to squeeze this in before school starts, so it’s going to be hard to get an appointment. Don’t leave this to the end.
Buying new clothes for fall and winter.
Even if it’s still too warm to wear warmer clothes, take the opportunity of more free time in the summer to see which warmer clothes still fit from last year, what hand-me-downs you might have lying around for this next size, and what you will need to buy. Then schedule some time for the shopping. In the Northeast, sometimes kids are wearing jeans in mid-September, so this can’t always wait too long. All moms know that the seasonal swap out of clothes is pretty darn awful, but starting this process in the summer when you have a bit more free time seems to make it a little less painful, at least at my house
Think about “first day” rituals.
Some families always measure how tall their kids are around the first day of school, some create a cute first day of school sign for photos, and some take them out for ice cream that first day. If you want to do a ritual, make sure you schedule the time/reminders to make it happen.
Okay, so now that you’ve taken care of all of those tasks, how can you organize your house for the back to school transition?
Tip #1 - Organize the drop zone
When your kids walk in the door, give them a spot to drop their backpacks, coats, instruments, shoes, sporting equipment, etc. Remember to make things easy for kids. Baskets for shoes, open hooks for coats, etc. Use labels where you can as well. If you want more tips about how to make a mudroom area function well or how to easily swap out things for a new season, check out my blog post.
Tip #2 - Create a routine for when your kids come home from school and add verbal cues
When my kids come home, they know to take off their shoes, wash their hands, bring their water bottles and lunch boxes to the kitchen, and then have a snack. The verbal cue is “shoes, hands, lunch, snack”. These short verbal cues work really well for kids. If you aren’t home when your kids get home from school, then create a little checklist and hang it on the wall. (Tip: these short verbal cues are great for bedtime routines as well!)
Tip #3 - Set up a charging station for laptops
Since the pandemic, it seems like laptops are here to stay for all school-aged children. Pick a spot in your home where the laptops charge overnight. If you can be consistent about this, there’s a better chance your child won’t forget their laptop for school. Ask me how I know… LOL.
Tip #4 - Make packing lunch easier
School mornings are rough. Everyone is tired and moving slowly. Packing lunches the night before is always a great idea, but either way, here are some things you can do in your kitchen to make lunch making easier. First, think about writing out a list of lunch options for your kiddo who struggles to make decisions. Then create a home for all lunch containers so everyone can find what they need. Then make adding snacks easier. I keep all snacks together in a pull-out drawer in my pantry. I buy boxes of pre-portioned snacks when they are on sale, and instead of decanting them (because who has time for that?), I rip the tops off of the boxes so we can grab items faster and easily see what’s running low.
Here’s one more thing I did in my house recently to make mornings a bit easier. I make a PB&J every day for my son. I used to keep the peanut butter in the pantry, but recently moved it to the bread drawer, which is closer to where I actually make the sandwich. If I can save myself a few steps at 6:15 am, I’ll take it.
Tip #5 - Make getting out the door easier
Here are some ideas to make it easier for you and your littles to get out the door faster:
Keep another set of hair brushes and toothbrushes in the first floor bathroom.
Keep socks near shoes and untie shoes the night before.
Set that kitchen clock two minutes fast so you are less likely to miss the bus.
Pick out clothes and non-perishable snacks the night before.
Pack backpacks as much as possible the night before.
If you are also trying to get out the door for work at the same time, think about moving some of your morning prep to the night before.
Parents - get up 5-10 minutes before your children and enjoy a few minutes of peace with your morning coffee or tea. This is a GAME CHANGER.
Lastly, here’s a tip shared from famous author and mom of five, Jen Hatmaker. Do not schedule much that first weekend after school starts. Your kids will be exhausted from absorbing so much new information. You might be exhausted too. Pizza night, anyone?
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