School is the crazy after the calm of summer. Schedules, homework, lunches, and due dates can become a stressful situation. Reduce the stress with these tips for back to school organization.
#1 Morning Checklist
Get everyone moving on the first day of school (and everyday) with a simple morning checklist. I made a cute print for my kids so they remember what needs to be done before coming downstairs each day. No more (or at least less) constant reminders.
#2 Food Prep
Stock your fridge and pantry each week with easy to assemble snacks and lunches. This helps empower your kids to make their own choices (and make your morning that much easier).
#3 School Clothes
Prepare for the week ahead by planning daily outfits. Avoid rushing to find something to wear, missing special spirit days, or finding missing uniform pieces. Don’t forget to check the weather for the week too!
#4 Labels
LABEL all the things – water bottles, backpacks, lunch boxes, coats… Something always goes missing or is confused for a classmates, so help ensure everything finds its way home.
#5 Shoe Storage
Eliminate shoe mountain (like Splash Mountain but drier and much less fun) and create a designated, contained, shoe drop zone as close to the entry as possible. The easier it is to access, the more likely it will be used by everyone. Drop, grab, go.
#6 Email Organization
Create an email folder for school correspondence. Save anything there that you need to keep as a reminder so it doesn’t get lost in all of the email received each day.
#7 Command Center
The family command center is the mac-daddy of all back to school organization systems. It’s the first thing you see when you come home and the last thing before you leave. Everything has a neat & tidy home and the schedule is front and center making this spot my place of zen.
#8 Morning Prep
Life gets hectic, especially during the school year, so make sure to take care of you too! Prep your morning routine – fully stock your coffee/tea station, set out your mug, prep your morning water intake – whatever it is that you need to start your day off right be sure to prep for it the night before. Being prepared with the necessities makes dealing with the unexpected manageable (like missed alarms, putting your 3 year old in a straight jacket, or navigating inclement weather).
Want to grab some labels to level up your organization game? Head over to my shop here.
For your Pinning pleasure:
Love the command center! Can you tell me where that white one was purchased?
Thanks for your comment! The command center details and links to products can be found at http://www.iheartbins.com/2018/08/13/family-command-center-2-0/