Changes for Parents to make Before the School Year
When you hear the words “back to school” you might automatically think of school supplies and the most fashionable clothes for your kids. However, as parents, preparing yourself and your space for back to school is just as important because it's very easy for your space to become cluttered without any systems or structure. Have you ever experienced walking through the door and stepping over backpacks or being bombarded with important schoolwork that you need to manage? Well, here are a few things you should consider implementing within your space to ensure it’s orderly and maintained for the upcoming school year.
Snack Attack
I had the opportunity to organize a former client’s pantry and problem solve one of her biggest challenges, not having a specific space to store snacks for her son. You can view the outcome here. This was an issue for her because the pantry would be orderly but after her son rummaged through the pantry to locate a snack, the pantry would be in disarray. So, I created a space within the pantry just for her son to locate his snacks. Problem solved!
By creating a specific space to store snacks for the kids, your space will remain orderly because the kids can easily grab a snack without creating a mess. This also helps you to monitor how many snacks you feel comfortable with them consuming. I also recommend using labeled bins or baskets for kids to quickly locate their snacks. If you have more than one child, use separate the snack bins to eliminate any conflicts. The next time your kids ask you for a snack, you can point them directly to their designated snack bin.
An organized, labeled basket storing chips.
White basket serving as a drop-zone to store bags
Drop Zone
Your kids will be carrying school bags, backpacks, totes, and whatever else they may use to transport school items. In order to prevent a pile-up of back-packs or bags at the end of every school day, I suggest creating a designated drop-zone for them. By creating a designated space, you are promoting a clutter-free space and teaching your kids the importance of being organized. The drop-zone will come in handy to easily grab the bag when in a possible rush, as opposed to searching all over the home which could waste more time. Now the kids can store their school bags and then head to the pantry to grab their snack!
Important Paperwork
Between schoolwork and mailings from the school sharing updates, it's more than likely you will become inundated with a high volume of paperwork. I think the best solution for that, is to stay ahead of the problem before the amount of paperwork becomes out of control. I suggest using durable, storage boxes which not only contain the items in an organized manner but they also keep your space looking very nice! Read here how helpful Bigso Boxes can be when it comes to concealing and managing paper clutter.
Be sure to assess each document you receive and group similar documents together. For instance, all progress reports should be stored together inside their own storage box. As a parent, it's important to be aware of how your child is performing so, whenever you're ready to review or revisit save reports you will know exactly where they can be retrieved. Don't fret the next time your handed a piece of paper because you will have a storage system in place to manage all the incoming paperwork!
As a parent, you have to manage meetings, extracurricular activities, preparing lunches and so much more. By implementing these tips before the start of the school year, you will be able to stay ahead of the issue instead of operating from a space of panic. If your kid is of a certain age, it's also beneficial for them to learn accountability and responsibility and that being organized can to set them up for success. As the the saying goes, the best learning starts at home.
