It’s back to school time in Chicago. As a parent you try to make sure your kid or kids are organized as possible. You give them a pencil case to store all their pencils, pens, erasers etc. They have planners and binders to keep track of assignments and to store notes and other documents.
And, that’s all great. It’s obviously necessary to have those things. But, what about getting your house organized for when school starts back?
Organizing your home for when your kids return to school will save you so much time, stress and even money.
Your kids need a lot of stuff and all of those supplies have to go somewhere. Organizing school supplies at home means you won’t waste time hunting for things you know you have because you can’t remember where you put them. And, you won’t waste money buying supplies you forgot you already own. When it’s time to get ready for school on mornings, you can just grab what you need and be out the door.
SCHOOL PAPER ORGANIZATION
The flood of paperwork that comes home from school can be overwhelming so be ready for it. Children habitually can stuff papers in backpacks, never to be seen again. Have a visible area such as a shelf, board, or clipped together where you store all the papers that need your attention—school forms, reports etc. so you don’t forget about them.
Then, there’s all the other papers—artwork, old school notes that the kids may need to refer back to at some point… The list goes on. Consider getting investing in some labeled portable filing boxes, storing them in binders, or scanned in and saved digitally to save space.
HAVE A COMMAND CENTER
Creating a family command center is a great way to get your house ready for school. It’s a good place to keep track of your kids’ various activities, appointments, school contact information and any other pertinent details you’ll need to have handy. This is useful in the form of a calendar to keep tabs on appointments, including your own!
Some other really helpful items are: folder organizers, hooks, storage bins, labels, tray, and maybe even a charging station.
This will also help you keep backpacks and shoes in one place for when kids come back home from school and you aren’t tripping all over your house.
Keep a large calendar there so you can write down appointments and make notes of important dates. You can also use the calendar for meal planning which can really help to ease the chaos when your kids get back to school.
CREATE A LUNCH PACKING STATION
A lunch packing station is a great way to make sure you have everything you need to give your kids a tasty and nutritious lunch all in one place. And, it’s really simple to put together!
Pick a spot in your refrigerator and another in the pantry, in a cupboard or drawer where you’ll keep all the snacks, food items and drinks that your kids will take to school. Obviously foods and drinks that need refrigeration will go inside the fridge and snacks that are kept at room temperature can be stored where you choose. Put everything in two separate bins for easy grab-and-go access.
Keep other necessities in the room-temperature storage area too. So, let’s say you dedicate one cupboard to these supplies. In addition to snacks, store all of your kids’ water bottles, lunch bags, Ziploc bags, foil, cutlery and any other supplies needed to pack lunch. That way, you don’t have to run around to different areas of the kitchen to get things.
Make sure that whichever spot you choose is easily accessible by your children. It’s a great way to let them help themselves to snacks and drinks while they’re at home. And, if your kids are old enough, they can even pack their own lunches!
PLAN OUTFITS FOR THE NEXT DAY
You probably know from personal experience how difficult it can be to choose clothes to wear. And, that’s as an adult not a child trying to impress their friends with the latest gear in their wardrobes. If your kids wear their own clothes to school instead of a uniform, then they’ll go through that same mental anguish.
To avoid letting this all unfold in the morning when you’re trying to get them out the door for school on time, let them decide the night before what they’ll wear the next day. Either hang a hook somewhere in their rooms or leave a space at the front of their closets where they can place their selections.
This is such a small thing but it will make a huge difference. It does when I do it myself, that’s for sure!
Getting your house ready for school can make a big impact on your day-to-day stress levels. You’ll feel so much more in control when your kids return to school and your home is organized with everything they need.
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