Back to School Tips to Get Organized
Summer vacation seems to get both parents and kids out of their normal routine. It is easy to stay up later than normal, sleep in a little bit or just stay in your pajamas all day. Sounds fun, right?
Before you know it, the kids will be back in school and you will need to get back into your normal school routine. Both you and the kids will need to start getting things organized for back to school. The key to starting off the school year fresh, happy and organized is to plan ahead!
Staying organized isn’t always so easy, is it? It’s time to get organized this school year. It’s one of those areas that you do well in and then you eventually slack off, but not anymore. Here are some tips to help you stay organized this year without going crazy.
Back to School Tips to Get Organized
Get Your Routine Started
Weeks before school begins, start getting back into your school year routine. Place this new school routine in a visible place so everyone is on the same page. A command center in a central location is a great place to display the new routine.
Put the kids to bed at the normal school day bedtime and make sure to wake them up like you would on a school day. Have the children go through all the steps they would if they were leaving to school. Starting this routine early will help ensure the kids are ready for school when it does start.
Take care of yourself
It can be hard to stay organized when you don’t take care of yourself. Get to bed on time and eat nutritiously. This will help you stay focused and less frazzled. Self-care is vital to moms staying on top of everything on their least during the school year.
Write things down
It’s hard to stay organized when you are trying to remember everything with your brain. Don’t be afraid to write things down. I promise this is an excellent way to stay organized and to remember what’s going on this school year. I even recommend using a simple day planner or a dry erase calendar in your command center.
Prep the night before
This is a tip that’s overused, but it’s also incredibly simple. Prepping things the night before helps you manage staying organized the next morning. There’s nothing worse than feeling rushed on school mornings.
Set up reminders
It’s easier to stay organized when you surround yourself with reminders. Using sticky notes is a great way to stay organized because you can stick those things anywhere. This tip is especially important if you have several kids in school.
Color code everything
One of the best ways to organize things this school year is with color coordination. You can use this for different days or the week or with your children’s things. I even use it with my children’s school folders, each subject has a specific color. It’s also great for bathroom towels, cups, plates, napkins, and more throughout your home. It eliminates fights and saves tons of time.
Start Your Shopping Early
There is nothing worse than stressing out over back to school clothes and supplies days before school starts. Start your shopping now or as early as possible! Create a list of everything your children need, down to new socks. Start searching for online and in-store sales and take advantage of them. If you start early you won’t have to deal with all the last-minute shoppers. Shopping early will also allow you to pick up any last-minute items, should you forget something.
Think About Lunch!
If your children will be eating lunch at school, try to pay for their lunches early using the school’s online payment system. If your school doesn’t offer this method of payment write a check or put cash in an envelope now. Knowing you already have this done will be one less thing to worry about when school begins.
If your children will be bringing their lunch, start meal planning out lunch menus. Make sure your child’s lunchbox is still up to par. If it needs to be replaced, do it now. Start picking up non-perishable items several weeks before school starts. Picking up non-perishable items will give you time to find snack items when they are on sale so you can save some money.
Transportation
Now is the perfect time to start setting up your child’s transportation arrangements. You will want to make sure this arrangement is made several weeks in advance and your child is very clear on the plans. If your son or daughter will be riding the school bus, start going through the routine with them. Knowing that your child is comfortable and secure with the transportation plan will put your mind at rest come the first day of school.
Get the Backpacks Ready
The week before school starts, let the kids help you get their backpacks ready for the big day. Not only are you helping your children get excited about going back to school, you are also helping them be responsible for their belongings too. You want your children to be excited about going back to school. Let them check out all of their new supplies and organize them in their backpack so they can be successful.
Put important papers away immediately
How many times have you looked at an important piece of paper and then forgotten to put it up? Keep your important paperwork together so you don’t forget what you did with it. For example: When important paperwork comes home from school: sign it and put it back in the backpack!
Start Studying
If you haven’t already been doing educational activities over the summer, start doing some now. You can download work pages off the internet or pick up a workbook at the store. Dedicate at least an hour every day to studying. This will help get your children back into a routine of learning and let them refresh up on any information they may have lost over summer break. Plus it helps you set up a homework station to start the new school year off successfully.
You can also dedicate a certain amount of time to reading. Let the kids pick out books at the library and get used to reading again. Take it up a level and have your children do mini book reports!
Don’t wait until the last minute
Another way to stay organized this school year is to not wait until the last minute to do something. By the time you procrastinate, you only end up stressing yourself out more.
These tips for staying organized this school year are ideal for keeping you and your family in a great routine that everyone can follow!
Let’s chat…share you back to school tips with us!
