The approaching school year almost always involves a mad dash to get new clothes, shoes, and supplies. It's so normalized that "back-to-school" is practically its own season. The marketing starts early in the summer, pushing parents and caregivers to "set your kid up for success with all this new stuff!" But at Element of Fun Organizing, we don't believe new stuff always equals success. We see this time of year as an opportunity to assess what you already have, blueprint what you may need, and create organized systems for the school year ahead.
Cut Stress and Expenses With a Strategy
Think about this... According to Statista, the national average for back-to-school spending is about $900 per K-12 student and about $1,400 if they're in college. That's a lot to swallow, especially if you have more than one child to outfit. And the tangible stuff isn't all you need to prepare! So, before you head to the store and start checking things off your back-to-school list, let's think through your strategy.
A) Assess
Inventory what you already have and determine what you still need.
Instead of going out to buy a whole new wardrobe for your budding scholar, take a good look at their current closet. What have they outgrown? What is too worn to wear? Maybe their sneakers are in good shape and just need a good scrub down to look brand new, but boy does the sock drawer look sad!
Be sure to skim through the school handbook each year. Rules about dress code, backpacks, and cell phones can change.
As far as supplies, before you buy everything on the grade-level supply list, talk to the teacher and make sure all the items will actually be used this year. That may mean taking a beat until after Open House when you can ask your questions in person. Also, take a look at the school or craft supplies from last year. Can anything be reused? Do your kids really need another water bottle or a new lunchbox? If a calculator or flash drive is on the list, be sure to find out the details on the kind, size, and how soon they may be needed. There may still be time to hop onto social pages like Buy Nothing and make a request!
From a budget perspective, don't forget that some schools require dues each year!
For clothes and supplies, here's the general organizational process we suggest:
Sort all the items into similar categories.
Remove/Edit items to be donated/recycled/thrown away.
Decide what to do with the remaining items (hand them down to a younger sibling, send them to school as extra "in case" clothes, save them for next year, etc.)
Place items that remain in their designated space (shelf, drawer, storage container, etc.).
Maintain the system consistently.
It's a Great Time to Donate
Taking the time to evaluate what you have and truly need will help parents and caregivers avoid the frustration of having way too many items to maintain and swimming in clutter before the school year even begins. And, remember, you're not the only parent trying to manage the time and money-consuming back-to-school prep. If you have items your child no longer needs, consider easing the financial burden of others with your timely donations.
B) Blueprint
Think through what the school year will look like.
It's a good idea to put all school holidays, no school days, and any half days in your calendar sooner rather than later. You'll also want to add these to the family calendar so they do not sneak up on anyone. If you don't have a family calendar, schedule a Complimentary Introduction Call and I'll tell you how to set one up!
Then, help your kids set goals. Do they want to join a new club or sport? Do they want better grades than they had last year? Do they want to audition for the school musical? Do they want to take more responsibility for their homework or do you still need to be fairly involved? How can they start the year on the right foot to reach their goals and how can you support them?
Looking at the school year as a long game can also support your family goals, routines, and habits. Maybe you want to have more family dinners together around the table or read with your kids before bedtime. Putting first things first may limit the number of after-school activities or commitments each individual can make, but it will help your family be more aligned with your values. Or maybe you would like a tidier home where the shoes, backpacks, and school papers land somewhere intentionally instead of everywhere. Speaking corralling the chaos, that leads us to Part C of the strategy.
C) Create Systems
Set up home and time management systems for an organized school year.
In organizing, systems are the structures or rules we set up and follow that create order in our world. An example of a simple system is a hook by the door where your kid hangs their backpack. The rule or action that makes the system work is to always hang their backpack on the hook when they come home. Then, when it is time to do homework or leave the next morning, they can always find their backpack.
A more complex example might be your family calendar. The rule is that all events that affect the family go on the family calendar, and the result is that everyone in the family has access to what is coming next. Practices, school holidays, doctor appointments, play dates, trips, school project due dates, and more should be on the calendar. For families with younger kids, this may be a paper or dry-erase calendar on the wall. If your kids are older and use their own digital devices, a synced online calendar might be a good solution. Either way, this is a communication tool that creates trust, fairness, and transparency between your family members.
Here are a few more examples of the kinds of systems that can help families be more organized during the school year.
Backpacks: How is your child's backpack organized? How often is it cleaned out? (Psssst... Daily or weekly would be a good place to start.) Where does it hang when they get home? What should your kid check for every morning before walking out the door?
School Papers and Announcements: Have a plan for papers before the tidal wave of art, worksheets, and newsletters arrive! Where do these go when they come home? How long will you keep them? Who is in charge of recycling or disposing of them at the appropriate time...the child or an adult? Who is in charge of reviewing newsletters?
Homework: When and where is homework completed? Who is responsible for checking assignments and monitoring grades?
Teacher Communication: How does each child's teacher communicate with adults at home? Which adult is responsible for completing forms, permission slips, etc.? Have you signed up for the proper apps, listservs, or emails to be informed?
Routines: Do you and your family have coming-and-going routines? A small reminder list can help with this. Do you take off shoes at the door, wash your hands when you come home, or need to take out the dog? In the morning, would a reminder list help your kids get ready so they can get out the door on time?
We Can Help You Get Organized
So, now you know the A, B, C's of back-to-school organizing. Believe me, it's a lot easier to be proactive than reactive. School stuff can go from zero to overwhelmed pretty quickly if have haven't prepared for it. If you want a helping hand this "season," here is your permission slip to give us a call!
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