It’s time to go back to school! Are you pulling your hair out, trying to stay organized? Try these back to school organization ideas to reduce the chaos in your life!
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6 Back to School Organization Ideas to Reduce Chaos
You’ve seen this situation before. Everyone’s scurrying around the kitchen in a mad dash for food to pack in their lunches. Half-eaten toast in their mouths, or bowls of cereal still littering the counter. The car keys are missing. The clock on the stove says you’re already going to be late, even if you drive away this very second… which won’t happen, since you still have to change the baby, remind everyone for the tenth time to get shoes on, make sure all the permission slips are signed and homework made it back in their backpacks, and… oh yeah, did you comb your own hair yet?
Getting ready for school sometimes looks like this. Am I right?
All too often when we go back to school, we have a hard time falling into a new routine. We spend our mornings in complete chaos, and this only results in overwhelm and undue stress.
But fear not! It doesn’t have to be that way for long. You have the ability to reduce the chaos in your life and find more balance, even on crazy mornings.
How can I get organized for back to school?
When your kids are heading back to school, or perhaps you are too, there are some back to school organization ideas you can try.
1. Designate a home for all your school gear.
This might be your entryway, mudroom, garage, or some other place in your home. No matter where it is, pick a place that will work well for housing all of your kids’ school stuff. This might include backpacks, band instruments, homework and books that don’t fit in the backpack, shoes, band uniform, theatre costumes, and really anything else they might be taking with them to school. Keep them in one place so they don’t get lost around the house and in the car.
2. Actually use the designated area for school gear.
Now that you have a location for your school gear, it’s time to use it!
Seriously, folks. We all know we have good intentions. But consider this some tough love from a friend who has been there. If you really want to up your game on back to school organization, you’ll have to put in the effort. This includes actually using the area you designated for school gear. Figure out what works best for your family, but I find it’s best to put things back the moment you’re done with them. For example, have a specific cubby or box for shoes, and make sure your kids put them there when they come in the door. Then you know exactly where they are tomorrow.
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3. Practice the school routine before the actual day.
Do you run a marathon the first day you buy running shoes? Of course not. So why do we think we can get out the door at a decent (early) time on the first day of school when we’ve slept in and lazed about all summer? It’s just not going to happen, folks. We have to build up our stamina.
If you have small kids, this might be easier to do because you have more control over their bedtimes. But either way, it’s a good idea to start going to bed at a decent time a few days before school starts, and then working on waking up at the normal time as well. (You may find resistance on this from your household…maybe even from yourself!…but I strongly recommend it anyway.)
4. Show the kids your expectations (ahead of time)
Beyond the sleep schedule, you’ll want to help your kids know what to expect from the back to school routine. What will you be doing? What are they expected to do? For example, show them where the food is if they’re packing their lunch, and explain what they’re supposed to do with their milk thermos at the end of each school day, etc.
If you give them the tools to succeed, and you’ll be that much closer to rocking your back to school organization.
5. Create a central hub command center
Creating a command center is a great way to keep all your kids’ papers organized, as well as all of yours. I know, I know. Some of you are rolling your eyes right now. Maybe you’ve tried the command center idea, and it just hasn’t worked for you.
Well, here’s your tough-love friend coming alongside you again… if you haven’t found one that works, keep looking.
It doesn’t need to be fancy, if that isn’t your thing. It doesn’t need to be worthy of Pinterest, either. What it needs to be is functional.
It needs to…
- Be in a location you easily see (not so hidden that you forget about it)
- Have some sort of filing or pinning system so you know where your mail, permission slips, records, calendars, etc. are.
- Bonus: It’s helpful to have a master calendar there, so you can copy over the extra-curricular activities and the important dates listed on the newsletters your kids bring home. (**TIP: Copy these dates down the moment the papers come home… otherwise it probably won’t happen.)
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6. Give yourself grace
Girl, know your limits, okay? If you just can’t handle being a room mom this quarter, then be honest with yourself and okay with saying “not this time.”
Homework will be forgotten sometimes. Permission slips will get lost. Lunch money will be due and overlooked.
It’s okay.
What your children need is you. Your love. The bright spot you are in their world, which can sometimes seem so dark.
It’s okay to not get your back to school organization perfect. The point is that…
- you’re trying to reduce the overwhelm felt by the entire household.
- you’re trying to simplify processes so it doesn’t take nearly as long.
- your trying to focus on loving your kids rather than yelling that everyone better get their ducks in a row so you can get out the door.
You can do it, Mama. I have faith in you!
6 Back to School Organization Ideas to Reduce Chaos
Did you find this post helpful? Don’t forget to pin it for future reference! Stay inspired, friends!
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Until next time,
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