Quick Click: 6 Ways to Get Organized for Back to School
Keep back-to-school time from becoming berserk by getting things in order before the first day.
Putting the following strategies into action now will save a lot of time and anxiety later!
1. Shift Your Schedules — The lazy, unstructured days of summer are ending, and so is your child's freedom to sleep in and eat erratically. Ease him back into a school schedule by shifting his bedtime back to a school-day bedtime and waking him closer to the hour he'll need to rise. Also start serving breakfast, lunch, and snacks a few weeks before classes begin on a school schedule to help his appetite adjust.
2. Have a Morning Routine Run-Through — The week before school starts, start getting your child up, dressed, and fed in the same time as you would on a school day. Both you and your child will benefit from a few practice runs to smooth out trouble spots (how long does it take her in the bathroom?) and get comfortable with the routine.
3. Clean House — Go through your child's clothes and get rid of anything he's outgrown or worn threadbare. It'll be easier to choose outfits if there's less clutter. Do a thorough cleaning of his room and study area as well, storing papers and books he won't need this year to make room for new books and supplies.
4. Stock up on Supplies — After you and your child are through cleaning, make a list of everything she'll need for the coming year, from socks to crayons. Ask her teacher or the school for a list of supplies and check what's missing. Buy extras of essential items and store them for later.
5. Get Papers in Order — While you're calling the school, ask what paperwork your child will need to start. Take care of any missing vaccinations or forms ASAP, then gather all the papers in a large, clearly marked envelope or file and photocopy everything. It's a great idea to make extra photocopies of any form your child might need year after year, like parental release forms, so you don't have to look up or re-copy emergency contact numbers and doctors' addresses each time.
6. Create Calendar & File Central — Set up an area with a large calendar so everyone in your family can see everyone else's plans for that month. For added organization, color-code each family member and keep colored markers nearby so everyone can easily mark plans. Pen in after-school activities, lessons, play-dates, and family time. Nearby, set up file baskets or bins marked "To be Signed," "From School," and "To School," so your child can deposit papers you need to see in a regular place right after school and pick up things to go "To School" each morning. Adding this ritual will reduce lost papers and mornings filled with frantic calls of "sign this!" as the school bus pulls up.
