Prep for Back to School 2021- 4 Ideas
Can you believe ‘back to school‘ is upon us already? Time has flown by and I know we all are feeling the effects. While some parents dread this time of year after spending so much quality time with their children all summer long, others might be anxiously waiting for the first day of school just to be able to enjoy a little downtime. School is coming (or has already begun for some). Being ready is essential for a smooth transition.
In this blog I’ll share 4 ways you can prepare your home for back to school. We want you to be in the best shape possible for sending the kiddos back. Not only will this serve your children, but it will also keep you way less stressed during this busy season.
Prep your Home for Back to School
- Entryway/Mudroom
Entryways and mudrooms are notorious for being a catch-all dropzone. Shoes, backpacks, lunch boxes, folders, and more will often get dropped here when children come home from school. Then somehow morning comes and no one can find anything. That permission slip that is needed… disappeared. The homework folders… gone. Oh, and not to mention you can’t find your keys.
That’s one stressful way to start the day. Instead, organize your entryway to work for you instead of against you. Use hooks to organize bags and backpacks. Bins for each person’s shoes and a bulletin board to organize important paperwork.
Be sure to declutter as well. If your child’s coat or school shoes from last year don’t fit anymore it shouldn’t be living in the entryway. It’s just taking up space.
- Closets
Getting ready in the morning can be a struggle, especially if you have non-morning people in the house. Make it easier for your kids to get ready each morning by taking inventory of their closets. If your child has outgrown items, take them out. That way they aren’t distracted by pieces they no longer can use.
Keep any school uniforms low and accessible so little hands can reach. Label drawers so clothes are easily found, plus that way kids can even help put things away because they know where everything goes.
Another great way to keep closets organized and functional is to only keep the items that are right for the current season. Keep summer clothes accessible for the first bit of school and change out the clothing with the season and temperature change.
- Pantry
Having an organized pantry is crucial for the success of a busy school season. Lunches will need to be packed, and kids are always hungry when they arrive home from a day of school. To make things easy, take everything out of boxes and place them into clear bins. This makes it simple to see what you have and let you know when you’re running low on snacks.
Keep snack bins low so kids can grab what they need whenever they want. Tip – store special treats that you don’t want kids to be able to access all the time on a higher shelf that you will need to help with.
Create a lunch packing zone. This should include everything a child would need including lunch boxes, water bottles, Tupperware, and utensils so they can help pack – their own lunches. Tip – Pack lunches the night before to save even more time and hassle in the morning.
- Homework Area
Create a space in your home that can be a designated school work/homework station. Make sure to include items such as pencils, markers, paper, etc.
If you are short on space, use a cart or caddy so all you’ll need to do is pull it out as needed and then you don’t always have to have all of the items around taking up space.
Don’t forget to declutter what might be leftover from the prior year. Toss out broken pens and old papers and use bins to organize similar items together. This way kids know where everything goes so cleaning up is a breeze!
Have an Organized School Year
Following these 4 home organizing tips will help you prep your home for back to school for an organized school year. Set your children up for success. But don’t forget, be sure to give yourself grace. Life happens, we are human and not everything will go according to plan. Extend grace and remember tomorrow is a new day.
Wishing you the best school year yet!
Ps. if you are struggling to prep your home for back to school and need a little help, contact us here!
Wandering if you need professional organizer? Get our guide here.
See you soon,
Audra
