September is only a few days away and that means one thing… time for the kids to head back to school! Whether you’re holding onto what little is left of the summer days or you’re already getting back into your regular school year routines, now is the time to make sure your family is ready to navigate the mornings with efficiency and ease.
Many of us are busy getting the kids ready with new clothes, school supplies, and more, but what about your home? Here are some of our tips for each room in your home to get it back to school ready!
Kitchen
The kitchen can be a chaotic place in the mornings, from making breakfast, getting lunches ready, and packing up the backpack as you head out the door. There are many ways to help ease the stress and limit the commotion to keep you ready and on time.
Dedicate an area inside the fridge for school lunches. You can either add bins for each child or organize the snacks and main courses neatly in the fridge. Make sure to stock up the fridge with healthy snacks for when they come home hungry from school. In your pantry, you can pre-package small servings of crackers into bags for convenience and to prevent over-snacking.
Hang a calendar in your kitchen so everyone can see it regularly. Keeping track of what you have each day, including school field trips, sport games and parent teacher night, will ensure you won’t forget important dates. It can also be a spot to put up homework schedules and chore sheets.
Bedroom
When your kids get up in the morning with a clean and organised room, the start of the day can be a lot easier. Removing the summer gear is the first order of business. Start to pack up anything that won’t be worn or used anymore to make room for their back to school wardrobe and supplies. This is also an ideal time to donate any clothes that will no longer be worn or don’t fit. Baskets and bins are the perfect storage solution to organize any toys and school supplies, preventing clutter on the ground. Make sure to label the bins to make it easier for your kids to know what goes in each box.
Mudroom
The mudroom, or the foyer, is going to be the first room your family enters. It’s most likely the unloading spot for everyone’s backpacks, lunch bag, sports equipment and jackets.
Cabinets and shelving units can help keep things neat and organized by keeping their items off the floor. Having a designated space for your children’s items. In addition to your cabinets and shelves, hangers and hooks help keep backpacks and jackets off the floor and baskets like this one can store sneakers and sandals.
Office & Study Room
There may be several locations in your home for your kids to study, like the kitchen table, couch or bedroom, but having a designated homework zone can help improve productivity and concentration. For some kids, studying in their bedroom is not the best option due to distractions from games, their phones, toys, etc.
When choosing a study room, pick a location in your home that is relatively quiet, has a good amount of natural light and won’t be in a spot that is susceptible to interruptions.
Make sure to keep the desk clear and uncluttered to prevent the possibility for any other distractions or reasons to procrastinate. It’s a good idea to keep only the essentials that will be used like pens/pencils, paper, notebooks, calculators etc.
Hopefully these tips find their way to you and your family and provide some organization for the beginning of the school year. It’s smart to get into a routine as soon as possible.
Wishing everyone good luck during the new school year!