Parents, this year is going to be the year you get it together and keep it together all school year. How do we know? We have rounded up our favorite back-to-school tips for organizations that are doable for all families. A little bit of planning before can save you from having a big stress headache later.
- Organize Your Family’s Schedule
First things first, you have to organize your family’s schedule. Before the school year begins, it is wise to sit down with your family’s calendar and pencil in as much as you can – school holidays, after-school activities, doctor’s visits, etc. However, if you want to keep the calendar organized all year, consider downloading a family calendar app, such as Cozi.
2. Prepare to Carpool
Minimize the time you spend in the car by partnering with other families in your school to carpool using GoKid. Each family in the carpool will gain more time and save money on gas. PS. We have another article dedicated to organizing your carpool.
3. Create a Command Center
A command center is a centralized spot in your home with all the important information your family needs to know to make each day a success. For example, in your command center, put up the family calendar, the weekly meal plan, and the chore charts.
4. Designate a Backpack Station
If you want to avoid your kids forgetting where they put the things they need in the mornings, then designate a specific area in your home for backpacks, shoes, and coats. Preferably, make your backpack station close to the door.
5. Start Meal Planning
Instead of having to rush around last minute to find something for your family to eat for dinner or hitting up a drive-thru, spend a little time on the weekend meal planning for the week. Create a grocery list and either head to the grocery store on the day you do not have carpool duty or hire out the shopping.
6. Set Up Lunchbox Shelving
Save time in the mornings and teach your kids to be a little more self-sufficient by allowing them to help make their own lunches. On the lower shelves of your refrigerator and pantry, have designated compartments for lunchbox items, such as a fruit bin, a chips/pretzels bin, and a drink bin.
7. Make Space in Your Trunk
Similar to the backpack station in your home, create space in your trunk with a trunk organizer for afterschool equipment and materials. For families who have to rush from school to sports, this makes things much easier.
8. Clean Up the Bathroom
Sometimes kids take a longer time than necessary to get ready in the bathroom simply because their bathroom stuff is not organized effectively. Help them out by cleaning and organizing the bathroom. For example, place all your daughter’s hair products in one drawer or use a bin to keep all the items your son needs each morning (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, comb).
9. Fashion a Homework Station
As much as we’d love to tell you to have a clear homework station in your home, we know that it is not possible for many families. Not only do you lack space, but you are on the go, and kids often work on homework in the car. Instead, fashion a homework caddy with everything your child needs to complete homework, such as pencils, sharpeners, colored pencils, and a calculator.
10. Have a Designated Bin for Stuff Parents Need to See
Kids bring home a lot of papers that parents need to see and sign, but if it is not organized, it seem to disappear. As soon as the school year begins, show your kids where to place all the things you need to see and sign, such as a bin, file folder, or magazine rack.
11. Stop Losing Library Books
Rather than losing library books and paying fines, create a library basket or bag. Tell your kids that library books should always be placed in this spot.
12. Plan Clothing for the Week
One of the easiest ways to organize for school that makes the biggest difference is planning out clothing for the week in advance. Some parents use a closet hanger to separate outfits by the day of the week; other parents simply stack the outfits from Monday on top down to Friday.
13. Follow a Routine
Stay organized by having set routines, such as a clear morning routine. This is much easier than it sounds. For example, print out your child’s morning schedule and hang it up. It should include all the things they have to do each morning before they leave for school. If you own an Amazon Echo, you can use Alexa to create routines that remind kids each morning.
14. Change Your Clocks
There’s no harm in changing your clocks by just a tad if you know your family has trouble getting out of the house on time – as long as you still try to get out of the house at the right time.
15. Take Charge of All the Stuff Kids Bring Home
The amount of “art” kids bring home from school is crazy. While you want to keep it all, of course, it just isn’t feasible. Instead, go ahead and have a plan for how you plan to tackle this issue. One way is to have a bin for each child where you place the items you want to keep. Another way is to take photos of all their art and then turn it into a photo book at the end of the year. Just make sure you trash the extras when the kids are at school, so they don’t see you do it.
