It is hard to believe that summer vacation is coming to an end in just a few weeks. With the back-to-school season approaching for kids, it may feel overwhelming to ensure that your home is back-to-school ready and that you are prepared with everything you will need to set your kids up for success. The truth is, getting your home ready for the new school year does not have to be a hard transition, especially if you pace yourself and start preparing early. We have pulled together some ways that you can prepare your home ahead of your kids going off into a new grade!
Here’s how to get your home back-to-school ready:
1 – Designate homework and study spaces.
Create an area in your home where your kids can get their homework and studying done in a space that will not be distracting for them. This will help to keep them on track and stay focused when getting their schoolwork and projects done. Some areas in the house to consider could be the kitchen island, your dining room table, or even on a porch or back deck if the weather is nice out. Near the homework station should be a box of everything they might need to complete their work, including pens and pencils, papers, or any schoolbooks.
2 – Organize school supplies and determine any supplies that need to be purchased.
While you are getting the workstations set up, it is also a great time to check out what school supplies you have on hand and get them organized, while also figuring out what needs to be purchased for the upcoming year. Figure out how you want to best store items such as erasers, pens, pencils, notebooks, crayons, rulers, and all other materials that your kids will be using throughout the school year. Make sure that back-to-school supplies are easily accessible for your kids and in an area where they can grab them quick while getting their homework done.
3 – Organize the entryway/mudroom.
It is important that the entryway or mudroom in your home is organized ahead of the back-to-school season simply because this is where everything gets dumped after school each day! For many families, backpacks, shoes, and coats will be stored in this area, and so staying organize can ensure that nothing gets lost and that everything is in order, especially before the next morning. There are lots of different ways to organize the entryway in your home, whether you purchase some bins that you can stack and store shoes in, hooks for backpacks, coats, and any extracurricular items such as bags for sports, as well as a calendar or bulletin board for any important papers that you should not forget about.
4 – Get the calendar up to date.
The calendar is an absolute must when it comes to staying organized throughout the school year. Whether you choose to keep the calendar in your entryway or mudroom, on your kitchen fridge, or hung somewhere else in your house, make sure that you take a look at each of your kid’s schedules ahead of the school year and mark down any dates that you know ahead of time. This can include anything directly related to school as well as their extracurriculars, such as sports games, any clubs they are involved in, or even social gatherings. Staying on top of everyone’s schedule can be hectic, so keeping the calendar up to date is the best way to set yourself up for success.
5 – Meal prep.
Lastly, when possible, try to meal prep and keep your fridge stocked with easy grab-and-go snacks that your kids can take before they head to back-to-school as well as enjoy when they get off the bus.