Back-to-School Organization Tips to Make Life Simpler!

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Can you believe it’s already time for school to start up again? Back-to-School season is peeking around the corner (or already here for some of us!), and it stirs up a mix of excitement and chaos in our homes. I’ve found that the best way to make a smooth transition from summer to school is to be prepared!

I’m sharing a few of my favorite ways to prep and get organized for the new school year with the help of today’s sponsor, Taskrabbit. Taskrabbit is an app that makes everyday life easier by helping people get more done around the home.  So— let’s dive into this guide on gearing up for the school year.

A Tidy Home = A Tidy Mind

Trust me: Clutter leads to stress, so when we declutter— we also destress.  Let’s kick things off with a bit of organization magic. It’s time to declutter those spaces that might’ve turned into summer chaos zones. Clean up the summer (pool & beach) toys and put away what you won’t use until next summer.

If you’ve got some heavy lifting or deep cleaning on your plate, Taskrabbit is just a click away to help you tackle it. Taskrabbit has independent contractors, called Taskers, who can help you with everything from deep cleaning your house to organizing your closets. Taskrabbit helps make everyday life easier, which allows you to experience the blissful relief of the ‘after’ feeling – enjoying getting time back to do what you actually love.

Entryway (Catch-All) Organization: 

This is the time of year when coats, backpacks, and shoes get dropped inside the doorway.  If you can organize these spaces, it makes everyone’s lives a little bit easier… no more lost shoes, homework folders, etc. 

TRY THESE SUGGESTIONS:

1. Build a Mudroom Bench (You can follow our directions to make your own DIY Mudroom Bench)  If you aren’t handy with tools, hire a Tasker through Taskrabbit to build one for you. You can search for the best Tasker for the job based on cost, skillset, availability, and past client reviews. 

2.  Everyone Has Their Own Spot: Create designated spaces by the entryway or garage door for each child and their things.  Have a hook for their coats, a basket for their shoes, etc.

3. Have a Drop Zone: My biggest pet peeve is when our teenagers and my husband drop their keys and wallets on the countertop. 
I have figured out a simple solution- I have a small basket screwed into the wall near the entryway. They put their belongings in there.  It is simple and takes care of the problem. If you can have a drop-zone for things like keys, school IDs, etc., it will keep things from being lost (and keep your countertops clear.) 🙂 

School Work Station(s): 

Designate a spot in your home for homework or school work.  When our kids were younger, they worked at our kitchen table, with me checking every few minutes to make sure that they understood what they were doing. 

As they became a little more independent, they moved into our office area, and we set up a homework station. 

Now that they are older, they would rather do their homework at the desks in their room, where it is quiet and they can concentrate.  Stock their area with pens, highlighters, pencils, and erasers. 

Whether you have a designated homework station (like the Ikea Homework Station that we built here.), If you need help setting up or putting together the perfect desk, science lab, workstation, or homework corner, Taskrabbit can make it happen.

Speaking of homework… getting school supplies is another stress area for many parents.  Each teacher needs a different set of supplies. 

In our family, that means we have 35 lists of supplies (four kids with many different teachers since most of our kids now switch to a new teacher & class for each subject.)  This would be a great task for a Tasker at Taskrabbit.  Just give them your lists & have them get everything that you need.

Closet Organization Steps

As the seasons change, so do our kids’ wardrobes. It is definitely a tedious task, but take the time to clear out clothes that no longer fit.  This allows you to make space for new outfits that your child will need. 

1- Start by taking everything out of the closet.  I know this is a time-consuming task that no one wants to do, but it’s really the best way to get started.  We just organized our daughter’s closet last week, and while it took several hours, it was worth it!   We took everything out of the closet and then went through each item.

2- Go through and decide what should be kept or donated. 

3- Use multi-purpose hangers when you can. (It can give you 30% more room.)  We found that combining outfits on these hangers freed up space and made the mornings much easier when it was time to pick out what to wear. 

4- Arrange clothes by color.  We have our closets separated by season (long sleeves and short sleeves get a different area), and from there, we organize them by color.  This makes it easy to find what you are looking for daily.

5- Store accessories and small items in clear bins.  We use bins for hair ties, purses/bags, etc.

6- Add a shelf, if possible, to hold the bins and other items.  (You can hire a Tasker through Taskrabbit to do this for you if needed.)

7- Hang over-the-door shoe storage on the inside of the closet doors.  This will free up a lot of floor space.

8- Personalization Note: If your child wears a uniform that requires a logo or school name to be stitched onto it, Taskrabbit can lend a hand. They can also help with minor alterations.  

Ps– Is the laundry basket overflowing? Taskers can wash, dry, fold, iron, and even pick up dry cleaning. 

Planning A Back to School Menu:

This is a huge one for us.  If I don’t have dinner planned, I find that it makes the entire afternoon & evening more stressful. Check out some of my favorite recipes that we use over and over again.  

By being prepared with a meal plan or frozen meals, I don’t have to look for what I have, try to thaw something quickly, or run to the store to pick up last-minute ingredients. Taskrabbit has Taskers that can prep meals for you.  You could even hire Taskers to deep-clean the kitchen to help you prep for the Back-to-School season!

Must-Do Organization Tips:

Finally, here are some MUST-DO Tips to stay organized during the busy school season:

1-  Write Everything on the Calendar: Every meeting, appointment, sporting event, practice, etc.
Keep this calendar in a place where everyone can see it (we use the kitchen wall)

2-  Prepare the Night Before: Have lunches ready to go (I pack once for the week).  Lay out clothes and shoes before bed.  Everyone is in charge of making sure to charge their laptops and gather up their homework and school supplies before bed.
I even prep our smoothies before we turn in for the night.  All of these things make the morning so much easier! 

3- Freetime After School: Remember to give your kids some downtime (AKA free time) after school.  Whether you homeschool, use a virtual education service, or send your kids to school, downtime is important. 
Giving the kids plenty of time to run outside and get some energy out is a great use of after-school free time!  Our kids love to play basketball, ride their bikes, or toss the lacrosse ball after school.  It helps them to decompress from a busy school day & it’s an easy way to transition into the evening.

If you need help setting up a play area (basketball hoop, soccer goals, etc.…) Taskrabbit can help.

4- Get Help. Gain Happiness.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help (or offer to help someone else.)  Enlisting help is a way to save your time and sanity. Taskrabbit can help with everything: Yard Work, Home Improvements, Furniture Assembly, Help Cleaning, Indoor Painting, TV Mounting, Help Moving, Organization, Heavy Lifting, installing almost anything, and so much more.  Check out their giant list of helpful Taskrabbit services here.  

5- Make the Most of Each School Year!  Each school year comes with new challenges and new adventures. There will be plenty of laughter, memory-making moments, and real-life moments.  Enjoy them. It’s worth it!  Have a great school year!! 

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