The end of summer often means the end of more relaxed routines, at least for those with school-aged children. It’s been a long time since I went back to school—don’t ask how long!—but I still remember that back-to-school excitement. Buying new school supplies, new outfits, and finally, my sister and I rushing out the door on that first morning. Back to school is always crazy—it’s unavoidable!
The To-Do List
Save your sanity in trying to remember every little thing you need to do, by making a priority list. Write down the must-do things before school starts, such as any school supplies you need to purchase and any activities with looming registration deadlines. Follow that up with a second list of everything else you can think of to make the next couple of months easier on yourself and your family.
Organization & Inventory
Start out with a clean slate, it’ll be so much easier to keep it that way. Papers will pile up, along with coats, backpacks, shoes and sweaty sports gear—but, if you have a designated place for everything you’ve just upped your organizational odds. Also, before you buy anything new, be sure to check to see what your kids already have before buying any new school supplies and/or clothes. In the spirit of decluttering you should get rid of anything broken, extremely worn out, too small (unless they’re good for hand-me-downs), or stained beyond repair.
Sanitize High-Contact Areas
These past couple of years have been all about hand-washing and disinfecting high-touch areas. It’s essential to step up the sanitizing ritual with the new school year, particularly if your children are heading back to the classroom. Our hands end up touching so much throughout the day. Be sure to disinfect doorknobs, light switches, remote controls, handles, and any area you know your family often touches.
The Homework Zone
Especially as they get older and get more homework, it’s so important for kids to have their own study area—and I’m not talking about at the dining room table (I say that to protect the sanity of parents too)! If there’s a place in their bedroom for a desk, cool. Otherwise, the family room, living room, or office (ideally a room without a television) also works. If the desk doesn’t have drawers or shelves already, consider an organizer to sit on top of it. And, if you have space, a bookcase is an excellent addition because it creates more storage with room to grow!
Closet Cleaning
It’s kind of crazy how easily the front hall closet becomes a dumping ground for… well, everything. Here’s how I clean and organize ours. Voila—room for jackets and backpacks! Or if you have a large hallway or mudroom you can even install cubbies, with hooks for jackets and backpacks, a place for shoes, musical instruments, and sports gear. You could also use plastic bins or baskets with labels to keep toys and books organized, or a special shelf just for school supplies. If kids have a specific spot to put everything, odds are they’ll use it more often and you won’t be tripping over their stuff anymore.
