Are you ready for it?!
If you’re like most out there, you may be feeling a combination of excitement and overwhelm all at once.
But don’t fret…
Here’s a few of my favorite go-to tips for all you parents ringing in the new school year!
Katie’s 5 Go-To Tips for Back to School
1. Color-Code the Kids When it comes to coordinating all the activities in your kids’ schedules, you might as well sign up to work at NASA, because it takes a lot of brain power to keep it all straight. My best advice for all the craziness is to designate a specific color for each family member. Whether it’s in your phone, day-planner or whiteboard calendar, keeping each child’s activities and appointments on track by having a specific color for each kid is a total game changer!
2. Designate your Errand Day It’s easy to feel behind when Monday rolls around and a new week of craziness approaches. To help offset the overwhelm, pick a consistent day and time of the week when you will run your errands, like grocery shopping, deposits, gas fill-ups and so on. By setting aside a certain day and time consistently each week, you’ll instantly feel the stress melt away and be on top of your week to-do’s. Oh, and PS, make sure to keep that day and time sacred. Schedule around it!
3. Pre-Day Prep This may be my most important tip yet! If you really want to feel like an organized pro, pre-plan your day ahead by prepping the evening before. As part of your family’s bedtime routine, review what to expect the next day (school projects, sports, appointments, etc.). Have each family member lay out their outfit, pack their backpacks with homework and prepare their lunch and set it in the fridge. On days when you really want to be a Rockstar, prep what you’re going to make for dinner, so it’s easy to throw together. This truly gives you the greatest jumpstart each day of the week!
4. Top 3 To-Do’s Like a pre-day prep, I have found one way to set my mind at ease is to look at my next day’s to-do’s and simply pick the top 3 priorities that I’d like to accomplish for that day. I write those top 3 priorities down in my day-planner and anything I get done above those 3 things is just a cherry on top. This helps my brain focus on what’s most important and not feel anxious over the long list. And by the way, my top 3 things are sometimes simple items like, schedule my dentist appointment or returning an item at Target.
5. Kids Home Cubbies Lastly, having a designated place for each child’s school items helps keep kids’ items separated and in better order, and a major plus… it helps prevents common ‘drop-zone’ areas like the kitchen table from becoming cluttered chaos. When kids get home from school with art projects, school forms and worksheets, have them place all their items in their cubby, drawer or folder. That evening review each child’s school spot to stay on top of all the items coming home. On weekends, have each child toss what’s garbage or store special items they want to keep in their keepsake bin or folder.
Ready to Show-Off your ROCKIN’ Organization Skillz this New School Year?
Hope your Kids are Ready for the New YOU this Fall!– Katie