Last Updated on August 15, 2024
Back-to-school season doesn’t have to be chaotic! With a little preparation, you can set the stage for a smooth transition right into the new school year. Use these tips to help you prepare your home for back-to-school:
Create a Dedicated Study Space
Studies show that we tend to be more productive and less stressed when our work is given its own space. It improves our focus and helps us stick to a routine. So, separate work and play! Give your kids their own space to study and complete their homework.
Home offices are fantastic, but if you have limited space, designate a corner of the bedroom, living room, or kitchen with a desk and chair. Stock the area with essential supplies like pens, pencils, and other stationery. Adding a laptop stand and a place to organize charging cords can enhance the functionality of the space. You could even use chalkboard paint on the wall for your kids to write and erase notes and math problems.
Clean out the fridge and pantry
Make room for pre-packed school lunches and after-school snacks! Create a small grab-and-go section in your fridge or pantry for busy mornings. Leave room for pre-made healthy meals to ensure your kids have nutritious options readily available. You could even add a whiteboard to the fridge to jot down notes for your shopping list or a lunch/ dinner schedule.
Organize school supplies and backpacks
Avoid chaotic mornings by organizing school supplies and backpacks ahead of time. Make use of your mudroom with labeled bins and designated spots for school materials, like backpacks and equipment/ supplies for after-school activities that could easily be forgotten. You can install backpack hooks by the door to keep bags ready to grab on the way out. Keeping everything organized by the door will reduce the risk of forgotten items!
Organize bedrooms and closets
Does your kid’s room look like a tornado ran through it? Clothes tossed on the floor and unread books piling up on the dresser? It’s time to declutter their rooms. An efficient way to decide what’s worth keeping is to organize items into a ‘keep,’ ‘donate,’ or ‘trash’ system using different labeled bins. Then, you can organize the items in your ‘keep’ pile and toss the rest.
If your kids love to read, add a bookshelf and beanbag chair to a corner of the room to create a cozy reading nook! This will keep your readers happy, and their books right where they’re supposed to be.
Next, tackle the closet. Having school uniforms or outfits easily accessible will make mornings much smoother. Get rid of clothes that no longer fit to make more closet space. Sort clothes by type, season, or day of the week to make outfit selection quick and easy!
Add a schedule
Getting a back-to-school routine set might be difficult after a long summer of fun and play. If you have multiple kids heading back to school, it’s difficult to remember who has what extracurricular on what day, whose science fair project is due, and who’s in charge of chores at home. Adding a dry-erase board to your fridge with a weekly or monthly schedule is beneficial for keeping the whole family in the loop!
Set up a charging station for devices
Don’t send your kid to school with a dead laptop! It’s important to have a designated area for charging school-related devices like tablets, laptops, and phones. Organize cords to keep the area clutter-free and ensure all devices are plugged in so they’re ready for the school day.
Add an accomplishment wall
Let your kids know that you’re proud of them! Recognizing your children’s accomplishments will boost their self-esteem and motivate them to keep doing well. Designate a space on the fridge, a corkboard, or better yet, an entire wall to display your kid’s accomplishments. Awards, stellar school projects, and artwork can all be hung up to keep your kids feeling confident!
Stock up on extras
Pencils, pens, markers, and glue sticks are bound to get all used up or go missing as the school year goes on. Take care of that problem now by creating a re-stock shelf! Designate a shelf in your home that contains a bulk of supplies for when your family needs them. You can add shelf drawers for different colored construction paper and a spinning organizer for pencils, pens, and craft items. When that blue marker goes missing, you’ll be ready!
A successful and stress-free school year begins at home. By taking the time to organize, declutter, and create functional spaces, you’re setting your family up for success!
Keep reading: 10 DIYs to instantly update your home
