How to get your home ready for back-to-school

We know it’s not technically the end of summer, but for families with children in school, the beginning of September marks the end of the season.   

With school only a week away, we want to share a few organizational tips for your home to help you get in the swing of things. Some of these tips will be pretty basic, and some you may already do, but you never know when you’ll find that one tip that vastly improves your morning and after-school routine. 

That’s kind of the magic word - routine. It’s important to have one and stick to it, and different areas of your home should be set up in a manner that allows you to easily follow your routine. 

Organize the bathroom

Make sure everything is neat and tidy, and easily accessible. Toothbrush, toothpaste, hair brush, etc. It should all be on-hand, either on the counter or on a nearby shelf. If you have multiple children and multiple bathrooms, assign them to specific bathrooms so the mornings can run smoothly. One time-saver would be to shower or bathe the night before - this can save 10-15 minutes off your morning routine (per kid!). 

Set up the closet

During the summer, there’s a chance the kids’ bedrooms got pretty messy, and their closets are probably a disaster. If your kids wear uniforms, then this is easy - all you need to do is have a section of the closet dedicated to uniform apparel. If they don’t wear uniforms, then try setting up a closet with different sections for days of the week, Monday through Friday. That way, all your kid has to do is remember what day of the week it is. Is that so tough? 

Make breakfast easy 

If you have slightly older children, closer to teenage years, then have a breakfast bar area where you keep cereal, fruit, bagels, bread, muffins - any of the staples. A huge time suck is staring into the pantry or fridge wondering what you’re going to eat. Make things easier by having one destination in the kitchen where the breakfast foods are located. If you have even older kids in their late teens, get them to make you breakfast. Just kidding, but you can try. 

Create a work space

Some kids have work spaces in their rooms, but some kids’ rooms aren’t large enough for a desk, shelving, and other storage. Through the school year, designate another section of your house to be specifically for after-school work. No space? If you live in a single-family home, we’re sure you can find a little spot for school work. When was the last time you used the family room at the front of your house? How about the basement? 

Try a smart home assistant 

Kids respond well to technology. Something like Google Home or Amazon Echo can help you schedule your mornings, evenings, and set alarms for certain times of the day. For example, you can have an alarm for waking up, one for breakfast, and one for when it’s time to leave. 

You’re probably wondering why we didn’t provide any mudroom tips - that’s because that’s a whole other blog post, coming soon. We hope these tips help you and your kids get ready for heading back to school!