Our Best Sanity-Saving Back-to-School Organizing Tips

It’s that time of year when we find ourselves asking, “where did the summer go?” and “oh my goodness, I have so much to do before school starts! Where do I start?” Over the years, the professional organizers at Less is More® have written many articles with Back-to-School planning tips. Here is a round-up of some of our best organizing ideas to make the transition from a laid-back summer to a busy fall that much easier:

Start with What You Already Own

A cluttered closet and dresser are huge sources of frustration (and total time thieves!) for parents and children. A few weeks before the first day of school schedule time to take an inventory of what still fits, and what needs to be replaced. Have your children try things on. Set aside outgrown clothes in good condition to resell or donate. (See our Resources page for sites and organizations.) Make sure to have a paper and pen handy so you can write down the items and sizes you need to buy.

Once the clothes are done, take an inventory of your child’s old school supplies. Chances are there are items like notebooks or index cards that your child never ended up using. Cross these items off the school supplies list and set them aside. That way you’re only buying the items that you actually need.

Organize a Digital Supply Swap

A fun way to save money and declutter the school supplies is to organize a digital supply swap. Use the power of WhatsApp to set up a swap group. Invite families and neighbors with children of different ages to share pictures of extra supplies, outgrown school uniforms, or books from last year’s required reading list. Perhaps you can trade some of those packages of loose-leaf paper that you bought on sale for the extra packs of pens that have been cluttering your neighbor’s supply drawers? Once items have been claimed, they can be dropped off at the recipient’s house. (And, of course, an in person supply exchange works as well)

Create a Lunch Prep Zone

Making lunch each day for two children is one of my least favorite duties as a mom. I streamlined the time it takes me to put it together by gathering all of the supplies - lunchbox, containers, baggies, water bottles, utensils - and storing them as close as possible to the snacks that go in their lunchboxes.

Bonus tip: once everything is in one, easily accessible location, teach your children how to assemble their own lunch. I started doing this when my kids were in 4th grade.

Designate a Spot by the Entryway or in the Coat Closet

Keep the kid clutter at bay (and get out of the door faster) by assigning each child a dedicated spot for their backpacks, coats, and shoes.  A hook placed low enough for your child to reach is a simple way to keep coats and backpacks in the right place. I love using decorative hooks from Anthropolgie but a simple metal hook from 3M works as well. A dedicated drawer or a bin is the perfect home for each child’s hats, gloves, and other small items.

Important detail: make sure to add a label above each hook or on each bin with either your child’s name or their picture so they can easily recognize where their stuff belongs. You can’t expect your children to consistently put stuff back if they don’t know where their things should go.

Be prepared for the onslaught of important school documents by giving each child a personalized folder that you keep with your other household papers.

Plan Your Time Wisely

A lots of school-related errands need to happen before the first day. Plan by task, not by child. Make time for one shopping trip (or online shopping session) for clothes and shoes, one for supplies, and one day for doctor’s appointments. Block the time in your schedule. Schools require A LOT of paperwork. If you’ve got multiple kids, you’re basically writing a novel. Again, block the time in your schedule for this task. If you have to write the pediatrician’s information four times, you might as well do it in one sitting. Once the paperwork is complete, you can scan it or take a picture of it so you have it handy just in case.

You CAN Say “No”

In the coming weeks you are going to get hit with ALL the requests - activities, lessons, committees, fundraisers, etc. Resist the temptation to overschedule. Children, regardless of age, need downtime. Who else does downtime benefit? You. Having one “do nothing” day (i.e., no activities or commitments) a week does wonders for everyone’s sanity and gives you the space and time to enjoy your loved ones without the stress of scheduling, the hassle of carpooling across town, or the pressure to perform. In fact, child psychiatrist Alvin Rosenfeld, MD, coauthor of The Over-Scheduled Child, explains that injecting your calendar with this sort of “unproductive” family hangout time boosts kids’ self-esteem by “showing them that you love spending time with them and that they don’t need to perform to get your attention.” Adopting a “less is more” mindset, where you commit to fewer things but ones that you really love, will benefit everyone in your household.

Get The Kids Involved

Whenever possible make your kids part of the back-to-school organizing process. Hold a family meeting. What worked well last school year? What didn’t? Brainstorm how you can work together to keep the ship afloat. Make decisions about daily tasks and responsibilities. Have them choose the color of their bins and folders. Create a calendar and write down fun activities and events to look forward to. Getting them involved will give them a sense of responsibility and ownership, and will encourage them to keep everything in order. The more “skin in the game” the kids have, the more likely they’ll get on board.

Once you have all of your organizing systems set up, explain them to your children. Take the time to go over the tasks and the behaviors you expect. Show them exactly where to hang up their coats and where to put their papers. Be a good role model. Pack your bag the night before and leave it by the door, too. Don’t assume your child is too young. At 3 years old my daughter knew she had to take off her shoes and put them in her bin when we got home, as something similar was expected of her at school.

Good habits combined with the right set-up will make the transition from summertime to school time that much easier.

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