If you have kids, they’re likely returning to school this month, and you might be feeling a combination of relief and stress about the coming school year. The good news is that some small-home organization can go a long way toward helping you feel prepared for another school year and help to lessen your stress, whether your home is small or large! We’re talking about not only back-to-school organization but also organization ideas in general. We know you probably have plenty of your own organization ideas for home — some that you’ve relied on for years and some that are part of your routine. Here are a few more organization home ideas you might not have thought of yet. We hope they help make your new school year run as smoothly and stress-free as possible!
Planning ahead
Once children are old enough to attend school, they’re ready to start learning the basics of leading an organized life by prioritizing important tasks and managing time. You can help them on this path by establishing after-school routines they will learn and expect. They’re also old enough to start contributing to household tasks. Read our post on how to make chore charts.
Making a checklist
You can work with your child to create a checklist for busy mornings during school days. This list can include all the important things you want your child to do before school, but it should also include some things the child would like to do in the morning. This way, your child has some input and ownership of the checklist and should feel empowered by the collaboration.
Meals, organized
Preparation is the key to eliminating stress about mealtimes, whether packing lunches for the kids or planning family dinners. Have a go-to space in the fridge and the pantry for after-school snacks so you can whip those up quickly and easily see when you’re low on supplies. Here are some snack ideas for busy families. Let each family member vote on a weekly dinner.
Homework, organized
Prioritizing schoolwork begins with having a designated home space where a child can feel well-equipped and encouraged to get it done. Depending on how your child works best, you might want to use another room, but you don’t have to isolate them. Consider creating a homework corner in a well-lit part of the kitchen so you can prep a meal while your child does homework.
Paperwork, organized
When it’s time to head back to school, related paperwork for each kid can pile up. To ensure nothing gets lost, designate a space for all permission slips, program sign-up forms, health-related papers and anything else on paper that’s school-related. If you want to get even more organized, log it all into a digital file on your phone or desktop computer, complete with scanned copies.
Closet, organized
If your kid needs help selecting clothing for school days, and it’s getting to be a battle, consider setting up your child for success with a system designed to help them select an entire week’s worth of clothing on the weekend. Whether you use cubbies, shelving, hooks, over-the-door organizers or some combination, you can eliminate the daily argument.
Mudroom/entryway, organized
Beat clutter and maintain organization throughout the home by catching it on the way in or out. A well-organized mudroom or entryway, with benches for changing shoes, shelves for footwear and books, hooks for jackets and backpacks, and personal cubbies for each family member’s items, like keys and sunglasses (or favorite car toys), can impact the entire home.
Laundry, organized
Save yourself time by organizing laundry into labeled bins that presort everything into your choice of categories, like dark colors, light colors, delicates, and heavy-duty items like blankets. If you make sure everyone in the home understands your laundry policy and that no dirty laundry is to be left anywhere but in the appropriate bins, you’ll eliminate even more clutter.
Family, organized
Designate a spot for a dry-erase board that contains all the essentials of the family’s weekly schedule, such as in the kitchen or the mudroom/entryway. Add columns for each family member and have each person to pick a color. Use the colors and columns to highlight each individual’s important tasks and appointments for the week. Include yourself and other adults. Cross out or erase tasks as your family accomplishes them. Highlight important events and celebrate victories!
Conclusion
Hopefully, reading our back-to-school organization tips was a useful way to help get you into the mindset to achieve a well-organized (and lower-stress) school year. Are you still motivated to do all you can to keep your home running smoothly with as little stress as possible all year long? You might also want to look into the many peace-of-mind, encouraging benefits of a comprehensive home warranty from Cinch.
The information in this article is intended to provide guidance on the proper maintenance and care of systems and appliances in the home. Not all of the topics mentioned are covered by our home warranty or maintenance plans. Please review your home warranty contract carefully to understand your coverage.