I can't even believe that the school year is starting up again. I want to be in total denial and just keep lounging at the beach, but September is going to hit like a tidal wave and back-to-school organization is key.
Here's how I'm getting us prepared!
Back-to-School Organization Station
1. Create a hub. Everybody should have one spot in their house that serves as the “landing spot.” Back-to-school organization time is the perfect season to create one! Any corner or table will work. This is where shoes get tossed, backpacks unpacked, and mail comes to die be dealt with in an orderly fashion. In our house, we have a whiteboard with clips for important papers, meal plans and family calendars that everyone can work their schedules around.
2. Be snack-ready. Keep snack foods out in clear containers to make lunch-packing easier. This way, it's no big surprise when you something suddenly runs out. With my older boys, I've even found that I can put cereal out and they'll pour themselves a bowl without me having to micromanage breakfast.
3. Get fashion-forward. Every Sunday night, check the forecast and lay out outfits for the week. Weekly closet organization can save a TON of time each morning. Making a space in the closet for each kid to have five outfit hangers should definitely be part of your back-to-school organization process.
4. Label everything. Within a week of my oldest entering preschool, someone walked home with his lunch box AND his backpack. Put your name on stuff now to save an annoying hassle later.
5. Automate what you can. During summer downtime, families get out of their usual structured routines. Since their schedule is hectic from June through August, parents often end meal delivery or stop having service people come help at the house. Now it's time to get back into the swing of things and delegate whatever you can. While you're crossing those T's and dotting those I's, make sure to put college savings on autopilot as well. We’ve partnered with ScholarShare, and we use their 529 plans to save for the boys' future with automatic deductions from our bank account. Now is the perfect time to get in the habit, as you've likely gotten used to increased deductions from your bank account due to summer entertainment and travels. A little at a time now can add up to a life of security for the kids.
How are you getting on top of back-to-school organization?