Back to School…Organized

Summer break is coming to an end, or has already ended for some. No matter, where you are located, now is a good time to get a system in place to make back to school as smooth as possible for you, and your kiddos.

Establish a Routine…

Create a morning routine and an evening routine, and stick to it. Sticking to the routine is what will make your new found system successful. There is no particular routine you have to use, just go with what works for your family. But make sure to allow time for the important stuff. Homework time, meals, choosing outfits for the next day, and making sure you have everything you need packed up.

Create a Homework Space…

Choose a space to do homework. This can be anywhere from the kitchen table, their own bedroom, or a space your create specifically for schoolwork. Just make sure the place is suitable for the child’s age, and whether you will need to be supervising homework time or not. Younger kids usually need for supervision/assistance so maybe a common space will work better. But older kids/teenagers who don’t need as much help can work in their room. But if your kid needs a space where they can totally focus with no distractions, then creating a new space for school work might be beneficial.

Plan outfits for the week…

This can be most helpful with younger kids, but can be helpful at any age for kids who often need their choices laid right in front of them, and need minimal choices. Each Sunday, work with your child to pick 5 outfits including underwear and socks, and set them where the child sees them in the morning and just grab it all and put it on.

Prep Lunches for the Week…

Or at least the night before. Save some stress in the mornings by taking some time on Sunday, or the night before to set aside snacks, and parts of lunches. Then designate space in the pantry and fridge for those items. Then each morning all your kid has to do is drop it all in their lunch bag. Easy peasy!

Improve your Entryway…

Make sure you have space near the entryway to store backpacks, shoes, keys, and everything else you need to leave in the morning. And make sure you always put things where they belong. This alleviates a lot of stress in the morning since you won’t have to run around looking for shoes or keys.

Finally, remember that any system can be tweaked. So if some part of your routine starts to not work, then change it.