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5 Simple Ways to Get Organized for Back to School

Filed Under: back to school, BLOG, Family Life, One Word Challenge, Sponsored Posts Tagged With: , , ,

* This back to school article was written expressly for The Maids by me and all opinions here are my own.

I have seen the light and summer vacation sadly has finally come and gone.  While, it’s a shame that it went so quickly, it is that time of year when school bells ring in session once again.

Today officially marks the first day back to school for my own girls.  I knew the handwriting was on the wall when I received the girls’ new teacher assignments last week. Also, I picked up supplies from the school for them. Then, I attended the late summer Kindergarten orientation for my youngest.

So with summer coming to an end, I have been trying the past two weeks to get slowly more organized for back to school.

5 Simple Ways to Get Organized for Back to School

Here are my five surefire tips that have helped ease us back to school:

1.  Give the kids a reason to want to help. 

If you are anything like us, you might have slacked a bit with chores over summer vacation.  Now with the new school year upon us, we most definitely need to get back into the groove. We will make sure rooms and other areas aren’t too cluttered.  Also, will be making a chore chart. This will be complete with rewards and incentives to have kids help when they are home or on weekends. See I find this a huge help in keeping things in order around here.

2.  Don’t wait until the last minute to get back into the school schedules.

Another thing we are guilty of is to have more lax sleep schedules over the summer.  But about a week or so out, we get our girls ready. How? By reintroducing school bedtime ease back into back to school.  Trust me, it isn’t easy at first. But I have found if we start a few days ahead, we have a better shot at the first day not sneaking up on us.

3.  Create an area for all school calendar needs.

This one I actually began last year, when my oldest entered Kindergarten. It actually served me well the whole school year. See I have been known to be more than a bit forgetful.  So, you better believe I am using it again this year.  It is a simple bulletin board that I hung on my kitchen area wall. This board houses the school calendar with all important and upcoming dates. It also displays school awards, tests scores, and more.  This just helps me to visually see and not forget, anything for both my girls.Fall Back to School Bulletin Board

4.  Get a handle on school paperwork.

I also created a filing system. This filing system has a simple metal filing caddie with two sections. These sections house file folders to be able to file any important papers I may need to get my hands on quickly during the school year and not lose either.Back to School Organizer

5.  Organize homework school supplies.

Let’s face it homework is sadly a part of school no matter how you slice and dice it.  And having all supplies, such as pencils, pens, crayons, glue, scissors and more easily accessible helps when getting down to homework after school.Back to School Supplies for Homework

**Hopeful that these above tips with help lighten your back to school load once again this upcoming year.  Have a great school year ahead now. Plus for more organization and cleaning tips, please check out The Maids.

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About Janine

Janine is a published author of the books, The Mother of All Meltdowns and Only Trollops Shave Above the Knee. She has been featured on The Huffington Post, Mamapedia, Today Parenting Team and SheKnows. She also runs her own graphic design company at J9 Designs.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. Seana Turner says

    I’m about to do a presentation on organizing for school success, so your timing is perfect! I so agree with these tips… having the homework supplies closet at hand, having a place to hold important papers, and a big calendar/board can be a lifesaver. Best of luck to your sweeties this school year!

    • Janine says

      Just got back and cannot believe that my girls are truly in school full-time now. Seriously I am a bit shell shocked, but just got fingers crossed for the best day for them both now xoxoxo

  5. Charlene says

    Great tips Janine! I love reading organisation (sorry organization) posts! I am currently doing Peter Walsh’s #31Days2GetOrganized challenge and loving it so far. I really want to set up a homework/craft station for my daughter! Thanks for the inspiration.

  6. Bill says

    Written from a deep pool of experience, and that always counts big for me.

    Have a great Wednesday, Janine!

    • Janine says

      Aw, thanks Bill and now as I sit here for the first time ever, I am alone and it is so very quiet without my girls here though. Have a great Wednesday now, too!!!

  9. Astrid says

    I am so glad I am not in school anymore and don’t have kid sin school. However, I do need to get organized too and some of these tips are great for general daily life organization too.

  11. Robin (Masshole Mommy) says

    My big thing is getting everything prepared the night before. It makes life much easier.

  12. Diane Roark says

    Janine,

    I love your back to school tips. I am so glad you are encouraging others to be organized. I do not know how people survive without being organized. I can only imagine the chaos without it. I hope your girls have a great school year.
    Many Blessings,
    Diane

    • Janine says

      Aw, thanks again Diane and I truly wouldn’t survive the year myself without some organization here. So just so glad to share xoxo 😉

  13. Jen says

    You are my hero! We are a month into school and my desk looks like a bomb went off! It is so very full of papers. I think it’s time I get my act together and get organized. I hope it is a happy day for your girls!

  15. Kristen says

    Great tips, especially the school schedules, so tough to wake up early! You are super organized, impressed!

  17. Kelly L McKenzie says

    Wise, wise advice here, Janine. The one thing I never really managed to get sorted until well into the school year was a file system for all the important papers. I used to just lump them up on top of the fridge along with the art work that I was waiting to see if the kids missed (and if not, I’d pitch). It was horrific. December would arrive and I’d be at sea. “Where’s the d^%n signup sheet for water polo?” Happily my daughter took over once she got older.

    • Janine says

      Thanks Kelly and I am trying this year as the paper got away from me at first last year and don’t want that happening to me again.

  18. Stephanie @ Life, Unexpectedly says

    You know, I was wondering what to do with the space above the radiator in our kitchen. It’s been not quite a good spot for shelving, and a piece of artwork would be wasted at that spot, I thought. Well, a bulletin board it will be, to pin all the important letters from school, instead of having everything in a pile under a magnet on the fridge. Thanks so much for the tip 🙂

    Violet will be the first one to go back to school on Monday, with Calvin following the Monday after and Lily that Tuesday. Soon, routine will be back at our home 🙂

    • Janine says

      Aw so happy to give the tip and our bulletin board was one of my best purchases last year. And routine is definitely the word of the week here, too 😉

  19. Jill Herzberg Morgenstern says

    Love that first one! Even if it’s not a chore chart, it makes sense to have a reason. I never thought of it like that before.

  20. April G says

    I desperately need organization. I have a cabinet, but even within that, it’s a mess. I need to get some things to make sure my desk stays clean.

    • Janine says

      I know truly not sure where the time has gone and got to be honest not sure how we got here, but here with go again with a new school year upon us! 🙂

  23. Rea says

    Having a calendar that can be seen easily truly helps! Reiko is only in preschool and his schedule is not busy yet. I might have to employ that big calendar thing once he starts Kindergarten. We’re ending the semester over here while you’re starting your school year there. Hehe.

  24. Tamara says

    Let me tell you – I spent a good hour on paperwork today! It’s all good, though.
    We don’t have a corkboard or magnet board or something for notes and schedules. We desperately need one in this house.

    • Janine says

      The cork board is a life saver and yes I spent enough time sorting the paperwork, which is now in duplicate as my girls are in the same school and only a year apart.

  26. Chris Carter says

    Those are AWESOME tips, Janine! You look like you have outdone yourself with organizing and being super prepared for the new school year, my friend! Good for YOU! I still need to get a better system for chores… I swear I have tried and changed dozens as my kids have gotten older, busier and more competent at them.

    Off to the drawing board once again! 🙂

    • Janine says

      Chris, I am sure as my girls get older, I will have to amend the chore chart as with kids getting older we just have to be flexible it would seem, but still trying my best and right now with what I got 😉

  27. Mary Hill says

    You are so organized. I wish I had your gift. Even though I worked as a librarian, organization has always been fluid with me. I love the caddie filing system. Thanks for sharing your ideas on lightening the load.

  28. Kenya G. Johnson says

    I need to start with a designated spot for Christopher to do his homework. Sometimes he starts at the kitchen table, goes to the coffee table, to his room and back to my office, leaving a trail of this and that. Love your organization.

    • Janine says

      Kenya, our dining room table is pretty much it for the girls, as the supplies are right off my dining room area now and seems to work for us, but wonder how it will play out as the girls get older. I assume time will tell here now, too.

  29. Eli@CoachDaddy says

    Great ideas here, Janine. I’ve found it helps tremendously for me to make sure my stuff’s together, too. Nothing’s worse than the girls being ready for school and having to wait for dad as he looks for his keys/wallet/animal cookie stash.

    • Janine says

      Eli, I am the master at losing or forgetting my own stuff, so trust me if I don’t there stuff together I am that much worse off, too! 😉

  30. Allie says

    Great tips Janine. Unfortunately I read them too late:). Us poor, sweating Georgians have been back in school for a month. Oh, did I fumble the ball – more than once – to kick off this school year. Getting my groove back though – slowly…

    • Janine says

      Allie, when I was in Florida, the kids were going back the second week of August. Made no sense to me as it is hot in August down there. So, sorry you have been back as long as well and not sure how you are coping, but hot here this week when the girls went back and definitely not feeling fall or school-like here at all, because of it.

  31. Elaine A. says

    You are super organized, I love it! I also have a binder for school papers, and a tab for each kid. It helps so much to keep things together. I like your school supply stash – we usually just pull everything out individually but a basket is a great idea!

    • Janine says

      Elaine, baskets totally work for school supplies and am using a few now in my drawers that are housing our supplies. It just makes me feel better and more relaxed now to be organized for the year ahead 😉

  36. Aunt Gloria says

    Terrific tips. You are really good at organization and managing to juggle many things at once. I’d like to think it’s in the genes! 🙂 I know this school year will be a good one for the girls. Happy Labor Day weekend! xxoo

  37. LeSlow says

    Wow, look at that bulletin board! I wish I could maintain something like that. We are in no way organized enough to keep a paper system. Tried it…failed. Booooo us! Hope your back to school transition went well!

  39. Jhanis says

    Great tips Janine! We are now in the middle of the school year but some of these are still applicable to me! No amount of readiness will ever make me ready I think. I’m always a step behind! Hahaha!

  40. karen says

    great bulletin board !!! I so agree, getting organized now makes it easier when things get hectic and plans all go to hell. I have a hanging six-folder organizer on AJ’s door. this way we can put work, projects, homework, and important items in there to deal with. It has helped with the entrance clutter.

    • Janine says

      I love that you have the folder organizer and might have to add something like this, too as you are so right, we can never be too organized 😉

  42. Tanya @ Mom's Small Victories says

    Getting into a bedtime routine a couple weeks before school starts is a must for us. We have a high schooler leaving the house before the sun comes up now and the two younger ones don’t have to be at school till 9 so it makes for longer mornings for all of us. I love your organization of the school supplies! Thanks for sharing with Small Victories Sunday Linkup. Pinning to our linkup board and hope you found some great posts to visit this week!

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