We asked our clients to identify some of their back-to-school organization woes. Below are their answers along with our tips to help reduce back-to-school stress.
Getting Dressed
Getting everyone dressed for school can be a nightmare for some parents. We suggest taking inventory of each child’s clothes - remove the items that no longer fit, are stained, out of style, or that they just won’t wear again.
Make sure you have each type of clothing grouped together (long sleeve shirts, pants, school uniforms, polos, etc.) to avoid digging through the closet for that specific item.
This may be an ambitious ask, but ask your child to pick out his/her own clothes the night before, or help you select their outfits. This way, you avoid morning meltdowns right before it’s time to catch the bus.
Managing the supplies
Homework assignments and projects tend to require extra supplies like posterboard, construction paper, index cards, art supplies, etc. Have the basics on hand before the school year starts.
Keep the supplies in clear, labeled containers, and in one designated area. This will cut down on those late night runs to Target for pipe cleaners and glue sticks..
Keeping everyone on track
With the start of the school year comes the start of after-school activities / sports which invariably brings scheduling headaches. A calendar system is key to making sure everyone is where they need to be. Each household is different so it’s important to figure out what will work for you. A simple google calendar usually works well or a weekly paper calendar on the refrigerator can still get the job done.
Keeping equipment, uniforms, instruments, etc. in designated places will eliminate those frantic searches for the baseball glove. Take some time to create cubbies, a part of a closet or even bins/totes/baskets in the garage to corral the items for each activity.
Managing the paperwork and projects that enter the home
Create an inbox/outbox in a central location like the kitchen, family office or garage where important papers from school can be dropped off and picked up. Coach the household to drop off the important papers as soon as they come home, and pick up important papers as soon as they leave. No more missing permission slips!
Everyone loves to see the artwork and projects the kids work on at school but the quantity can be overwhelming. Create folders or containers for each child and have them drop their favorite artwork and projects in the folder or container throughout the year. At the end of the year, have them edit the collection and file away the keepsakes. Repeat each year.
If you’re a digital household, try Artkive. They will send you a box that you can full up with your kids’ art, you send back to Arkive, they’ll professionally photograph it and turn it into a stunning keepsake book. If you have time to photograph the art yourself, just download the artkive app! Click to learn more the Box or the App!
Organizing the snack cabinets
Creating lunches and packing snacks for after-school activities can be challenging if your cabinets are disorganized. A quick tidying of the cabinets will go a long way. Group like-items together such as breakfast snacks, lunch snacks, post-game snacks, etc.
Don't forget to label!
If your children are old enough, keep the snacks in a spot they can reach so they can serve themselves