Getting Organized: Back to School Edition
If you have school-aged children, you know that the beginning of a new school year can sometimes be a little hectic. We have found that a little organization helps to make the transition from summer vacation into back-to-school mode a little easier.
Today we are sharing five organization ideas that have really come in handy with our Meat & Potatoes clients.
1. Make Mornings a Breeze with a “Get Ready” Basket
Mornings are a busy time in the house when trying to get yourself ready as well as the kids. Help them help you by putting together a “get ready” basket with their essentials. Toothpaste, toothbrush, mouth wash, hairbrush, body lotion, hair ties, etc. If there are things that your child can do by themselves, let’s help them facilitate that by keeping necessary items easy to find and readily available.
2. Organize Your Kid’s Clothes, then Store by Days of the Week
Getting a kid dressed in the morning IS EASIER SAID THAN DONE, no?! Our tips here include establishing a few favorite outfits with your child ahead of time, then teach them a system. It could be as simple as asking them to lay their clothes out the night before, or you could try a hanging closet organizer or bins labeled with the days of the week.
3. Organize Papers with a Home Filing System, and keep all of those papers in transport intact with a file folder for your kid’s backpack.
Papers, papers papers! You get a mountain of them throughout the school year, but there are great systems to keep you organized. You will need something to put school papers in during transport to and from school to avoid crumpled up permission slips and homework. For younger kids, a simple file folder with pockets will work. Label the tabs according to their status such as “turn in” or “take home.” You could also keep a file system in your command center at home. Then, at the end of the year, sort through these files and determine what needs to be kept or tossed.
4. Label and Cover Everything for the Classroom Before their First Day.
Labeling is a huge deal when it comes to organization, and even more with back to school! Make it a fun activity with your child to help them print binder covers and label all their school supplies. It will not only help make sure your school supplies come home with your child, but keeps them easily identifiable while they are at school.
5. Set Up a Command Center to Keep Track of Permission Slips, Events, Chores, Everything!
Setting up a command center is extremely functional and gives you and your family a “one stop shop” for all things “need to know.” Every command center needs some type of customizable calendar to keep track of all family member events. We recommend our custom Command Centers created using Dakboard technology that automatically update from your google or outlook calendar (Check out THIS past blog post that introduces our custom command centers!). Always plan a little extra space for lost pens, pencils, glue sticks, etc. during the year. Additionally, keep a stash of extra supplies on hand for homework emergencies and store them nearby so your children know exactly where to go to find it.
We will leave you with one last tip! Save some time by ordering your school supplies online! Many stores [Walmart and Target] are offering a feature that allows you to find your school, grade, and then “add to cart” all of the school supplies to be shipped right to your door. You can get the bulk of the shopping done with the click of a button and plan a fun trip to the store with your student for any specialized items.
If you need help setting up your child’s closet, bathroom, or implementing a customized command center for your family, Meat and Potatoes Organizing can help! Schedule your free consultation today.
