Back to School Organization 2026: 10 Tips to Make the Transition Easier
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. 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…
Getting Your Kids Ready for Back to School:
#1 - Clean Out Backpacks and Lunchboxes
First, make sure they got emptied at the end of last year. If not, empty them now and hold your nose. LOL. Then give them a good wash and see if they can be reused again this year or if they need to be replaced.
#2 - Take Inventory Before Buying 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?
Once they get to high school it’s a bit trickier to buy supplies before school starts, but I always have the basics on hand - pencils, erasable pens, notebooks and looseleaf, etc.
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 for my middle school and high school kids to track their homework.
Also, don’t forget to figure out where you stashed the laptops and calculators that may need to be powered up and charged before the first day.
#3 - Handle New Sneakers and Fall Sports Shoes
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.
#4 - Book Haircuts Early
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.
#5 - Sort Out Seasonal Clothes and Hand-Me-Downs
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
Okay, so now that you’ve taken care of what the kids need, what about getting the house running smoothly for Mom?!
Setting Up Your Home (and Yourself) for the School Year:
#6 - Start a “First Day of School” ritual
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.
#7 - Create a “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.
Don’t forget about the electronics. 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. This is the charging station we use in my house for phones and the laptops live on the counter right next to it.
#8 - Build an After-school Routine
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!)
#9 - Simplify Lunch Packing
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.
Write out a list of lunch options for your kiddo who struggles to make decisions.
Create a home for all lunch containers so everyone can find what they need.
Keep all of your snacks together and easy to access. 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.
Keep things where you use them. 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.
#10 - Speed Up Your Morning Routine
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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