As the back-to-school season approaches, many parents find themselves overwhelmed with the flurry of tasks and preparations required to ensure a smooth transition for their children. From shopping for supplies to establishing new routines, getting organized can make all the difference in creating a stress-free start to the school year. To help you and your family start the year off right, I've compiled a list of ten essential tips for a more organized back-to-school experience. By taking these steps now, you can set your child up for academic success, create a predictable and supportive environment, and ensure that both you and your child are ready to tackle the new school year with confidence and ease.
10 Tips for a More Organized Back to School Experience
1) Prep NOW (Don't wait until the last minute).
- Start shopping for back to school supplies early (like NOW).
- Start shopping for back to school clothes.
- If your child will be participating in extracurricular activities, it wouldn't hurt to start
getting any items they'll need for that activity too.
2) Set your child up for academic success. Make sure they have the tools they need
to get their homework and projects done.
- Set up designated homework stations (some area that is quiet, has limited
distractions, well lit, and fully stocked with the necessary school supplies).
- Invest in a really good planner. Not all planner's are alike. It is not enough to have
a planner that you just jot down homework assignments. A good planner will help
your student with time management skills so they can make sure they set enough
time aside to get their homework done on time.
3) Establish daily routines for predictability in your child's day.
Established daily routines provide children with a sense of stability and predictability, which are crucial for their emotional and cognitive development. When children know what to expect, they feel more secure and confident, enabling them to focus better on their school tasks and responsibilities. Other benefits include...
- Reduced stress and anxiety
- Increased focus and productivity with their studies.
- Helps children develop time management skills
- Routines provide children with a sense of security and fosters a sense of control
over their lives.
- Research indicates that children with established daily routines do better
academically.
- Research also shows that children thrive better in a more structured environment.
- Promotes better sleep.
4) Prepare your child's bedroom for the school year.
Declutter and organize their closet.
- Get rid of clothes that no longer fit or are out of style.
- Purge the "excess". A cluttered closet leads to more wrinkled clothes and is
a hassle to take out clothes or put them away.
Declutter and organize their entire bedroom.
- A clutter free room increases focus and productivity.
- A clutter free room reduces stress.
- A clutter free room promotes better sleep.
5) Avoid "over commit" to too many extracurricular activities.
A 2024 data analysis found that children who participate in too many extracurricular activities tend to struggle more often with anxiety, depression, and anger. Kids feel stressed out having to run from one activity to another. Too many extracurricular activities leave little time to complete homework assignments which then leads them to stay up late to finish everything. The resulting sleep deprivation further adds to their anxiety, depression, and anger. The stress is compounded even more if a family has more than one child with an over-committed schedule. So consider a "less is more" approach
6) Prepare for any before or after school activities.
Create a "Launching & Landing" station near the door you use each day. It provides a safe place where children can put their backpacks, lunch bags, shoes, etc. It reduces the chance of running around the house looking for those items when you're trying to leave on time. It's also a great transition spot for when children return home from school too.
Create a system or station for reviewing homework assignments, or for papers requiring a parent's signature.
Set up "Go Bags" that are pre-stocked with items you need for after school activities. It can include easy (non perishable) after school snacks, extra water bottles, a change of clothes, a small first aid kit, activities for siblings needing to tag along, school supplies (pens, pencils, calculators) so they can work on homework if there is "down time", etc.
Create an easy to follow checklist of after school general chores that need to be completed like making their bed, putting clothes away, clearing their own dishes for the kitchen table. (Research shows that children who participate in daily household chores have a higher self esteem than children who don't participate in chores).
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7) Prepare your car for the school year.
Consider purchasing car organizing products to help when you're "on the go" in your car. They can be a very useful organizing tool to keep you organized while transitioning from school to home (or to after school activities). There are some car organizing products that attach to the back of the front seats and there are some that sit directly on the back seat. You can keep non-perishable snacks in these organizers or extra school supplies (like pens, pencils, highlighters) in the organizers. There are also wonderful trunk organizers to help store larger items (like sports equipment) neatly. Keeping some sort of organizer in your car that can hold the after school snacks and supplies, along with any activity equipment you need, really helps make getting to those after school activities on time so much LESS stressful.
8) Make sure communication is easy by creating a "Family Command Center".
Try hanging a huge whiteboard "FAMILY" calendar in the central part of your home so that everyone can easily see everyone's activity commitments in one place.
Set up file folders (or file trays) near that family calendar to store important papers like homework, school notice, or even household bills.
Create a spot near your family calendar for leaving notes to one another because sometimes our schedules don't line up and having a designated spot for notes can keep the lines of communication open.
9) Prep meals for the week ahead of time.
During the school year, things can get pretty hectic with all of the extra school activities and responsibilities. One game changing strategy I personally used was to make all of my children's weekly lunches ahead of time. I'd make the entire week's worth of sandwiches on Sunday and then store them in the freezer. I'd also have some type of fruit, a small bag of chips, a little treat, and a juice box or water bottle all portioned out and prepped for the week too. That way every school morning my kids could simply grab what they needed and throw it in their lunch bag. Easy-peesy.I also did the same with dinner prep. I used to make 5 complete dinner meals every Sunday. I would then divide each meal into single portions before freezing them. I divided the meals into single portions because sometimes our "dinner time" schedules would vary. For example, if my oldest child had a school activity that ran late, my other two children could simply microwave their meals on time so their schedules wouldn't change. Pre-preping meals like this really saved me a lot of time and prevented too much disruption to our daily routines during busier weeks.
10) Build a consistent bedtime routine.
Studies show that a regular bedtime schedule allows your child to get better sleep, which in turn helps improve their cognitive function. Children who don't get enough sleep can struggle with hyperactivity, find it difficult to pay attention, struggle with school work, become more irritable or moody, and become unable to control their emotions (often throwing more tantrums). On the flip side, children who get enough sleep show a higher level of attention, learn more easily, have better memory, can regulate their emotions better, have better mental health, have stronger physical health, and have less stress and anxiety.
Here's the recommended amount of sleep children need.
Preschool (3–5 years): 10–13 hours, including naps
School-age (6–13 years): 9–12 hours
Teens (14–17 years): 8–10 hours
So remember, getting organized for the back-to-school season doesn't have to be a daunting task. By implementing just some of these ten tips, you can create a smoother, more efficient transition that sets your child up for success both academically and personally. From prepping early and establishing routines to creating dedicated spaces for school activities and ensuring effective communication, these strategies will help you manage the chaos and foster a supportive environment for your child's growth and development.
What do you think? Are you ready to transform your back-to-school experience? Please share your own back-to-school organization tips and successes in the comments below, and don't forget to subscribe to my blog for more practical advice and helpful strategies. Let's make this school year the best one yet!
Here's to a more organized start to your BACK TO SCHOOL experience!
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