Can you believe the start of a new school year is just a few weeks away?! Whether your summer has flown by, dragged on, or somehow simultaneously done both (like mine has) — now is the time to start getting your home organized and ready for the influx of paperwork and supplies for the upcoming school year.
Once teacher assignments and supply lists officially come out, all the back-to-school tasks can become overwhelming quickly. Take some time now, before the ensuing chaos, to think through what your family will need ready in your home to help kick off the school year with a little more peace and order! Here are some aspects of home preparation to think about these next few weeks.
Areas to Organize for the New School Year
1. Clothes/Uniforms
Start going through each child’s closet and drawers now (including shoes). Pull out anything that’s too small, they are no longer interested in, or that you wouldn’t want them wearing to school. Over the next few weeks, fill in the gaps in your child’s wardrobe so they have enough clothes in each category.
For our house, I strive to wash our kids’ clothes every week, so I make sure they have about 10 full outfits in their wardrobe for a little wiggle room. Limiting the inventory in their closets makes the outfit decision a little easier, and is less overwhelming for my kids to put their clean clothes away after a wash.
Some families find it helpful to have a spot in their kids’ bedrooms for laying out clothes ahead of time for the week. If you think that would cause less strife in your school mornings, start practicing this with your child now as we near the end of summer!
2. Drop Zones
Does your child’s backpack, coat, and shoes have a specific place to land when they walk in the door? If not, think about where you could create a “drop zone” for these items! For backpacks and coats, this could look like hooks by the door, a cubby, bench, closet, etc. Have a specific spot for shoes to keep them easily accessible on school mornings.
Take it a couple steps further and establish a spot for your child to put their lunch box (if they will be bringing lunch from home) and school papers they bring home from the day.
For example, we have our kids unpack their lunch boxes and place them by the kitchen sink. Plus, any school papers go in a tray on the kitchen counter. Every night, I’ll take a peek at what our kids brought home and sign anything that’s pressing and needs to be returned to school. The rest (worksheets, art, etc.) I’ll leave in the tray to go through once a week and decide their final destination then.
The task of unpacking their backpacks every night helps them grow in responsibility and creates a flow of items in and out each day. Plus, having to manage our household — it makes my life a little easier too! It’s a win-win all around.
3. Snack and Lunch Items
Do you have your kids pack their lunches or decide on their own snacks to bring to school each day? Whether these tasks are up to the kids or you, it can be helpful to have a clear “grab-and-go” spot for these items in your pantry and refrigerator.
For our house, I will either buy individually packaged snacks/lunch sides or portion out bulk purchases into baggies/containers for a quick reach. I have a bin in our pantry for these items and a shelf on our refrigerator door. My kids know they can reach into these spots for snacks or sides for their school lunches (also easing the lunch-making job for us parents).
4. Space & Supplies for Homework
If you anticipate your child will have homework this year, think about where would be the best spot in your home for them to work after school. Depending on if they’ll need more one-on-one support or focused quiet time, consider their bedroom, an office room, the kitchen table, or a desk somewhere else in your house. It can be helpful to have this spot available each night to create that rhythm with a devoted area.
In addition to the dedicated homework space, go through your office supplies as well as basic art supplies. Determine if anything needs to be replaced or added to support your child’s work at home. Another consideration is creating a “homework playlist” for your child — something that may either hype them up to work or calm them down to focus in on what they need to do. There is something powerful about adding sensory prompts and supports like this to unpreferred tasks!
Back-to-school time is chaotic, but we’re all in this together! Think about how you can leisurely prepare your home, and thus, your family, ahead of the frenzy of school supply shopping. You’ll thank yourself come September, and you’ll all feel a little more peaceful and empowered to tackle the new school year! Happy last few weeks of summer break!
