Well, here we are again, counting down the remaining days of summer and preparing ourselves to head back to school! As a teacher, I know that this time of year can cause a lot of anxiety and stress as we prepare to let go of the unstructured times of summer and head back to a more consistent schedule. While having a schedule can create more stress, it can also help to ease other stressors. Most people do much better when they have a schedule to follow. I struggle with saying good-bye to the freedom of summer, but I also look forward to bringing back a bit more structure. This transition can be challenging, so I wanted to share a few tips on how you can feel more prepared for this change and help you get a few things around your home organized to support this transition.

Below are my top suggestions for how to set-up your home for a more smooth transition back to school.

Set up a drop zone- backpacks, shoes and paperwork

I am sure you have been frustrated by walking in the front door of your house and tripping over all the shoes and backpacks. As frustrating as this can be, it is futile to try to change everyone's habits. I recommend going with the flow on this, but creating an intentional space for people to “drop” their items as they come into the house. Think about adding hooks or baskets for each person to hang their backpack and coat, or a basket to leave their shoes. Getting people in the habit of taking two seconds to put their belongings in a designated space will save everyone frustration and time.

If you don’t have a space right near your door, think about a closet that is nearby that can be converted to a drop zone, or perhaps you can add a bench in a nearby hallway that can serve this purpose.

Create a homework area

We all seemed to have specific homework areas in our living spaces during COVID, but I am sure most of those spaces have morphed back into what they were originally used for (such as a closet). However, the idea of having a dedicated space to do homework is really helpful for kids and teens. It does not need to be a large space, but it should be a comfortable place to work (that is not their bed) that can be dedicated to just doing homework. This helps kids and teens differentiate between downtime and work time. When they try to do homework in spaces that they also use for downtime, their brain gets confused and tends to want to only do the downtime activities (because those require less work). Having a separate area for work helps the brain stay focused on the task at hand. It is also helpful to build homework time into your evening routines (see below) so that there is an intentional time to do the work as well.

Clean out closets- also set up a “Outfits for the week” system

Since there is a tendency to buy new school clothes this time of year, it is a perfect time to do a quick closet declutter! Seasons are starting to change and kids are growing out of old clothes. I recommend doing a decluttering session with each kid before you go school shopping. This will help you know exactly what they have and what they need to head into fall.

While you are cleaning the closet, perhaps there is an area you can designate to house the “outfits of the week” so that kids can layout their outfits for each day ahead of time. This eliminates one extra task in your rushed mornings! Try using a hanging organizer that has a spot for each day, or you can use 5 different bins labeled with the days of the week.

Set up a family calendar (digital or paper)

Taking the time to set up a family calendar can be a challenge at first, but once everyone is used to referencing that calendar, it can be an invaluable tool to keep your family organized. This calendar can either be something digital, like a shared Google calendar that you can color-code and write down critical notes for everyone to see. Or, it can be a good ol’ fashioned paper calendar that you keep in a strategic place at home. The key here is to make sure everyone uses and references the calendar when scheduling events. It also helps to have a visual of all of the things going on in your family’s life and where you might be able to build in some time to lay low, or get out of town!

Create Morning and Evening routines

Having set morning and evening routines can really help you all start and end your day on the right note. These routines do not need to be anything elaborate. But, having a list of things that you get done every morning and every night will save you lots of energy each day. I recommend starting to practice these routines a week or two before school starts so everyone has a hang of it before the first day of school.

Some ideas of what to incorporate in your morning routine may include exercise, journaling, making your lunch, or having breakfast together. In the evening, perhaps you lay out your clothes for the next day and make sure all the backpacks are packed with signed forms and other needed items for the next day. I also highly recommend incorporating a “decompress” time every night where you engage in activities that help you wind down to go to sleep. This can include things like bathing, putting away devices or practicing yoga or reading books.

Create “snack zones” in your pantry and fridge

One thing I know for certain is that by the time people start walking in the door from school and work, the first thing people usually want is a snack! If you are proactive about this it can not only allow folks to independently get what they need, but it also allows you to take a breath once everyone is home and not have to make the snacks for them! Set up a zone in your pantry and the fridge that houses pre-approved snacks that your family members enjoy. This does not need to be anything elaborate, but just having a bin labeled “snacks” in those two places can keep it flexible enough to change from season to season and it helps you know when you are running low on common snacks because they are all together!

I hope you are able to use one or more of these tips to help you all ease back into the school routine!

Happy Sprucing!

Getting your home organized for “back to school”