The start of the school year means a faster pace for most families. There are early alarms, after-school activities, and homework to tackle. Not to mention school lunches, healthy snacks, and more laundry to stay on top of.
While things can get chaotic and exhausting, homeowners can do a few things to help them stay organized. This is key for keeping up with the demanding pace and making the transition back to school as easy as possible.
Here are 6 tips to help keep you and your home organized for back to school this fall.
Have an Organized Drop Zone Where Kids Come in the House
It’s amazing how quickly your entry area can become a mess when kids come home from school. Backpacks, lunchboxes, sports equipment, and shoes can quickly make your space feel uninhabitable. Be prepared for this by having a well-organized drop zone where the kids enter the house.
This should include a designated place for everything that kids bring into the house. Once you’ve created a system for this area, go over it with your family and make sure everyone knows where things go. For the first few days, be very deliberate about reminding kids where everything should be. Once they get the hang of it, your entry area should stay nice and organized. Plus, it will be much easier in the morning to find everything you need.
Have a System for Dirty Laundry
There are more dirty clothes once school starts back. To stay on top of this, make sure your laundry room is well organized. Have a place for kids to put all of their dirty clothes – and you can even have them sort it by whites and colors to make things a little easier.
To avoid last-minute emergencies, consider having a laundry bin for “quick turnaround” items. Rather than hunting for that jersey that needs to be worn again tomorrow, have a spot where this type of dirty laundry goes and can easily be washed.
Create a Snack Space
Kids often come home from school or practice “starving.” Help make things a little simpler by having a snack space with healthy snacks they can grab. This means one less thing for you to do and eliminates any battles about snacks. Kids know where they can grab healthy snacks and can either get one themselves or wait for dinner.
Know Your Plan for Dealing With Papers
Back to school means lots of paper in the house. Whether it’s artwork, reminders, or graded assignments, there’s a steady flow of paper that can easily overwhelm your house if you’re not ready. Here’s how you can be prepared:
- Have a folder for things you want to keep
- Immediately sign and send back papers you’re supposed to return
- Have a place to hang up announcements or to write down events or deadlines
- Recycle anything you don’t need
Declutter Kids’ Rooms
Not only are you busier once school starts, but your kids are too. This means there’s less time to keep their room clean and straight. Help set them up for success by decluttering their room at the start of the year. Get rid of clothes that don’t fit, toys they don’t play with, or extra things in their room.
Making sure their room and closet are decluttered at the start of the year makes it more likely that they’ll be able to keep their space clean throughout the school year.
You Handle the Organizing, We’ll Handle the Cleaning
Going back to school can be a lot, but with the right systems, you can stay organized and make the transition as easy as possible. And, at Nashville Brighthouse, we’re here to help. We can do a deep clean to erase the marks of summer or schedule regular cleanings to give you more time for the extra responsibilities and events. Contact us or schedule online to get started. And right now, new clients get 10% off their first cleaning with the promo code WEB10.
For more back to school tips, visit this article in HealthyChildren.org!
