How to get ready for back to school
How to get ready for back to school from a professional organizer.
Summer is winding down and it is time to get ready for fall. That means back to school, sports, change in the seasons, and with that can often come a busy schedule and less time to tidy and mind to your things. Whether you are reading this in real time before school starts or any time of the year… I wanted to share some ways to stay on top of this seasonal change.
Pro Tip: Use these photos as inspiration, not the expectation. Your house will get messy, you live in it. and that is okay. The bottom line is to ensure each item or category of items, has a home. That way when the mess happens (and it will happen) it is easy to determine where everything goes. This is the true secret in organization systems.
Declutter Before the School Year Starts
Before you start shopping for new supplies or clothes, take some time to declutter. Go through last year's school supplies, clothes, and backpacks. Donate or discard items that are no longer needed, don’t fit, or are in poor condition. This step not only frees up space but also helps you take stock of what you actually need to purchase, saving both time and money.
Create a Centralized Family Command Center
A family command center is the hub of all school-related activities. I would suggest you choose a central location in your home to set up a calendar, whiteboard, or corkboard where everyone can easily see it. You can Include whatever works for your family, but some options would be; a calendar for tracking important dates like school events, extracurricular activities, and due dates for projects. You could also add sections for incoming and outgoing mail, permission slips, and school forms. By having everything in one place, you reduce the chances of important items getting lost in the shuffle.
Whatever you set up make sure it gives each category of items a home to go to.
Organize School Supplies and Backpacks
After the initial excitement of back-to-school shopping, it’s important to keep those supplies organized. Label everything – from notebooks to lunchboxes – to avoid mix-ups. This is a whole team effort, this is a great way to teach your children to organize their backpacks every evening, making sure they have what they need for the next day. A well-organized backpack reduces the likelihood of forgotten homework or lost supplies.
Stay Flexible and Adjust as Needed
Even with the best-laid plans, the unexpected will happen. Be prepared to adjust routines and systems as needed. The key to staying organized is flexibility; what works at the beginning of the school year might need tweaking as the months go by. Regularly check in with your family to see what’s working and what isn’t, and be open to making changes.
