Ah, the back to school season! Suddenly, your house transforms into a whirlwind of backpacks, lunch boxes, and stray socks. You probably find yourself asking, “How on earth do I keep this place from turning into a disaster zone?”
Don’t worry; you’re not alone! Every parent knows the struggle of trying to keep a home organized when the school year starts. But here’s the good news: with a little planning, you can transform your home into a well-oiled machine.
In this article, you’ll learn how to set up key areas of your home to avoid the school-year clutter. We’ll tackle the mudroom, the kitchen lunch area, closet, and the all-important study zone. By the end, you’ll be ready to face the school year with confidence—and maybe even a little bit of sanity left intact.
Picture this: It’s a Monday morning, everyone’s running late, and the mudroom looks like a shoe shop exploded. There are coats on the floor, mismatched gloves everywhere, and you’re pretty sure there’s a soccer ball hiding under that pile of backpacks. Sound familiar? The mudroom can either be your best friend or your worst enemy when it comes to keeping your home organized during the school year. But fear not! With a few clever tricks, you can turn this chaotic space into a clutter-free zone that’ll make you feel like you’ve got this whole “parenting” thing under control.
You’ve set up your mudroom—congrats! Now, how do you keep it from becoming a disaster zone again? Here’s the secret: regular maintenance.
By following these steps, your mudroom will become a organized haven rather than a cluttered chaos zone. Next up, we’ll tackle the kitchen, where we’ll create a lunch station so efficient, your kids might actually stop saying “Mum, where’s my lunch?” (Maybe).
Let’s face it, school mornings are like a high-speed race, and the kitchen is the starting line. Between making breakfast, packing lunches, and trying to remember where you put the car keys, it’s easy for things to get chaotic. But with a little bit of organization, you can transform your kitchen into a streamlined lunch-prep station that’ll save you time and maybe even a few grey hairs.
First things first—create a dedicated space in your kitchen where all things lunch-related live. This way, you’re not running around like a headless chicken trying to gather everything while the kids are bickering over cereal. Here are some ideas to get you started:
1. Snack Central: Designate one shelf or drawer for all the lunchbox snacks. Use baskets to group similar items together (think crisps, granola bars, fruit snacks, etc.). This not only makes it easier for you to pack lunches but also lets the kids grab their own snacks without tearing through the pantry like a tornado.
2. Lunch Bag Parking: Set up a specific spot for lunch bags. This keeps them from getting lost in the abyss of your kitchen and makes it easy for the kids to pack their lunch themselves.
3. Fridge Lunch Packing: Designate one shelf in your fridge where kids can reach for yogurt, cheese and other snacks that need to be in the fridge. On the same shelf place an acrylic bin for premade sandwiches from night before. It’s a great way to encourage kids to start packing their own lunches (because independence is the goal, right?).
4. Water Bottle Station: Keep water bottles together in one spot, either in a bottom cabinet or drawer so it’s easy for the kids to fill up their bottles themselves before heading out. No more last-minute dashes around the house looking for that missing bottle!
Now that your lunch area is all set up, it’s time to get the kids involved. After all, the more they can do on their own, the smoother your mornings will be.
With these systems in place, your kitchen will go from chaotic to calm in no time. And who knows, you might even have a few extra minutes in the morning to sip your coffee while it’s still hot. Next up, we’ll dive into creating the perfect study zone to help your kids stay focused and on top of their schoolwork.
A well-organized study zone is essential for your kids to succeed academically and for your sanity as a parent. Here are four key systems to set up to ensure that your home is ready for the school year:
If there’s one thing that schools excel at (besides teaching, of course), it’s sending home a never-ending stream of papers. From artwork to report cards to random worksheets, the paper clutter can quickly overwhelm your home if you don’t have a system in place.
Let’s be honest: the kitchen table often doubles as a homework station, craft zone, and snack bar all rolled into one. To prevent it from turning into a cluttered mess, setting up a system is key.
Life with school-aged kids means you’re constantly juggling forms that need signing, library books that need returning, and schedules that need tracking. Without a centralized system, it’s easy to lose track of it all. That’s where the Command Centre comes in. We like Kvissle from Ikea or similar type from Amazon.
A well-organized closet can be the difference between a smooth morning and a frantic one. By setting up simple systems in your kids’ closets, you can make getting dressed a breeze, reduce the stress of last-minute outfit decisions, and keep their wardrobes tidy all year round. Here are three game-changing strategies to implement.
First things first—let’s tackle the great wardrobe divide. If your kids wear school uniforms, mixing them with their casual clothes can lead to chaos (and the occasional mismatched outfit). The solution? Create separate sections in their closet for school uniforms and casual wear.
Kids grow fast, and their closets can quickly become overrun with clothes that no longer fit. Instead of letting too-small outfits take up valuable space, set up a donation bin directly in your child’s closet.
By dividing the closet into sections for uniforms and casual clothes, planning outfits for the week, and adding a donation bin for outgrown items, you’ll transform your child’s closet into a well-organized space that makes mornings easier and keeps clutter at bay. These simple systems will help ensure your child’s wardrobe stays functional and tidy all year round.
The start of a new school year doesn’t have to mean the start of chaos in your home. From organizing your mudroom to creating a dedicated lunch station, setting up effective study zones, and streamlining closet organization, each of these small changes adds up to a more functional, stress-free home.
By implementing these ideas, you’ll not only reduce clutter and save time, but you’ll also foster a sense of responsibility in your kids as they learn to take charge of their own space. The beauty of these systems is that they’re designed to be simple and sustainable, ensuring they’ll keep your home running smoothly throughout the entire school year. So go ahead—set up those hooks, baskets, and command centre, and get ready to face back-to-school season with confidence, organization, and maybe even a little extra peace of mind.
Need help setting up your home for back to school? Hire a professional organizer! Read about how much it cost to work with a professional organizer in Calgary?
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