How Parents Can Get Their Kids (and Themselves!) Organized for the Upcoming School Year

As summer break winds down and I’m now finding myself roaming the back-to-school aisles with a school supplies checklist in hand, all I can think about is how am I going to get these kids back into the routine of school. Luckily I have many school years under my belt now, with my oldest going off to middle school, and it all comes down to setting up a great system to help you stay organized.

Here are four ways to help get your kids (and yourself!) organized and prepared for the upcoming school year.

First and foremost, kids need a designated space to hang their backpacks and keep their school folders. For backpacks, hooks on the wall or the back of a closet door work really well. No wasting time searching for the backpack when it’s time to do homework or, even worse, when you’re rushing out the door in the morning. We like to keep ours right by the back door since it’s the one we use the most. As for folders, create a spot close to where your kids will work on homework using a shallow basket or bin.

Each day, my kids come home and immediately empty their backpacks. Any important papers are taken up and placed in my paperwork basket. I keep this in my desk area so I won’t forget about them. A file folder works as well, just make sure you have it in a spot where you will see it and can easily reference it when needed.

Of course, there is no shortage of crafts, artwork, and writing samples our kids bring home. So many precious items that we want to keep forever, right? Well, I definitely use a discerning eye on what to keep and then toss or recycle the rest. What I do keep goes into a keepsake bin I’ve created for each child. All you need is a plastic file box and a dozen hanging folders. Label each folder with the grade or age, and store the papers accordingly. Not only does this help keep all the papers organized, but it also gives you a set amount of space to limit how much you actually keep.

Now, the biggest thing that’s helped keep our school mornings and afternoons running smoothly as they can be has been a checklist. I’ve sampled a few styles, but my favorite is a laminated, two-sided version. My kids have their morning routine on one side and after-school routine on the other. They know to refer to these lists each day to make sure they do and have everything needed for that day. Our lists include things like eat breakfast, brush your teeth, and pack your backpack for the morning and wash your hands, hang up your backpack, and do your homework in the afternoon. They check off each task they’ve completed and then I can easily wipe it away for the next day. You can make these as extensive or simple as you want, and adjust them according to your kid’s age and abilities.