If back to school feels like returning to chaos and stress, it’s time to switch things up. Reduce time wasted and inspire independence with these five organizational ideas for your home. You won’t miss another soccer practice or important school document again…and you might even leave the house five minutes earlier!
Every family’s needs are different, so feel free to pick and choose which home organization ideas could help you and the kids after the summer holidays.
If your kids are always forgetting something on the way out the door, having an organized entryway will help them out a lot. Containing the chaos will also reduce your stress levels! Add a bench seat for putting on and removing shoes; it helps if it has lots of storage for outdoor gear, bags and coats. Setting up a functional hallway is also a great tool for teaching toddlers independence. Create dedicated spaces for their things—like a tray for their shoes and a coat and bag peg labeled with pictures. That way, they’ll know exactly where to find things!
Reduce stress around breakfast and after-school snacks by creating a more efficient kitchen with a back-to-school food station. Depending on the size of your kitchen, it could be as simple as a bottom drawer dedicated to healthy snacks the kids can grab independently when they want. Or make a cabinet station, complete with all the breakfast essentials: bowls, storage containers and a mini-fridge for drinks. If possible, create your back-to-school breakfast or snack station away from where you cook and wash up.
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Just as you set up a home office space to concentrate on work distraction free, the kids will benefit from having a dedicated space to do their homework. A homework station will help them focus. It could be a makeover of the desk in their bedroom or a kitchen table station. That way, you can ensure homework is done as you’re cooking.
Tip: If your kids are always hunting for more stationery supplies, try an over-the-door supply organizer. It’s a space-saving way to store pens, notepads, rulers and more.
Keep your family running like a well-oiled machine by creating a command center. This could be as simple as a (homemade) corkboard to pin up a calendar, notices, and the after-school chore list. A chalkboard or whiteboard is also handy for scribbling to-do lists. It should be the place everyone in the family can easily find out what’s going on—when soccer practice is, when the school play is performing, and when that sleepover is happening.
Uniforms, sports gear, towels…doing laundry seems to triple when the kids are back in school! Make your life easier by making it easier for them to help out. Have several laundry baskets labeled darks, colors, lights, and an extra one for really dirty items that need immediate stain-removing attention. Ask them to put their clothes in the correct baskets to save you from searching in gym bags and under the bed.
Putting these simple organizational ideas into action will ultimately save you time and, hopefully, some anxiety during the school year. Happy organizing!
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