For most of the country, summer break is coming to an end, and the first day back to school is right around the corner. While you’ve probably made preparations by purchasing new clothes, school supplies, and backpacks, failing to set your home up for success can be a big mistake.
To ensure a smooth start to the year and easy morning routines, tackle these ten back-to-school home organization tasks.
Create a “Drop Zone” in the Entryway
When kids walk into the house after school, the first thing they do is drop their bookbags and kick off their shoes. If you don’t have a space to make these items easy to put away, they tend to lie on the floor.
Adding a piece of trim to the entryway and attaching inexpensive hooks is a cheap way to create storage for backpacks. A large basket provides the perfect spot for shoes. Alternatively, you can purchase or build a hall tree with hooks or shelves to tidy bookbags, lunchboxes, and shoes.
Keep Track of Important Dates on a Large Calendar or via a Command Center
The start of school often signifies the beginning of afterschool activities, parent-teacher conferences, and kid’s concerts. A large fridge calendar or a command center can help you keep tabs on these important dates.
I like to keep my command center simple, utilizing a large magnetic calendar to quickly jot down dates. Having a calendar that everyone can see allows all family members to stay up to date with activities.
Organize Shoes and Socks
Finding shoes and socks can sometimes be a struggle in the early mornings, so I always prioritize shoe and sock organization before the first day. Do this by going through kids’ socks and discarding those in bad condition. Then, purchase new socks, ideally all the same color and brand, to make them easy to match. Stock up your sock drawer and move on to shoes.
Keep a place for kids to keep their shoes, whether at the bottom of their closet or the entryway.
Create an Area for Extra Supplies
Back-to-school sales present the perfect opportunity to stock up on essentials. Purchase extra school supplies and keep them contained in a basket, bin, or drawer. These supplies will come in handy for homework and double as a backup when your child runs out of paper, pens, or pencils.
Declutter Everyone’s Closet
If you want to save money and work on organization, declutter everyone’s closets before going back to school shopping. Get rid of items that no longer fit or are no longer wanted, and note what basics your child currently has. From here, you can make a back-to-school shopping list to fill in the gaps.
Stock and Reorganize the Pantry
During the school year, my pantry and snack cabinet are organized and stocked with everything I need to make school lunches. Over the summer, those cabinets are sparse and unorganized, thanks to many hands grabbing snacks several times per day.
Now is the perfect time to give your pantry a mini reset. Clear it out, and then make a list of everything you need for afterschool snacks and lunches. Consider creating bins that make it easy to pull the things you need when making lunches in the morning.
Reevaluate Your Laundry Routine
Laundry routines can get a little lax during the summer since kids don’t necessarily need to have certain clothing items clean and available all the time. Back to school calls for a regular laundry routine to ensure socks, pants, and shirts are washed and ready to wear.
I love the motto “a load a day keeps the laundry pile away,” but if you’re super busy, you can designate one or two laundry days per week to get things done. You can also direct older kids to do their laundry themselves.
Create a Binder or Box For School Keepsakes
Little kids come home with artwork and papers daily. While not everything is worth saving, there will be some pieces that either you or they would like to keep. Rather than ending up with messy piles of paper, start a binder or box to store keepsakes.
Doing this limits the amount you can keep and ensures your house doesn’t become overrun with school papers.
Contain All the Hair Stuff You’ll Need Each Morning
Detanglers, brushes, hair clips, and ponytail holders should all go in one container, making it easy to grab in the morning. If you have older kids who don’t need your help getting ready, you should also ensure they have a container in their room that holds everything they need for a smooth morning.
Clean the House A Few Days In Advance
A messy home creates a chaotic environment that isn’t conducive to the first day of school. Deep clean your house a few days in advance. Preparing for those first few days of school will be much more pleasant and efficient if there aren’t messes everywhere.
