Keeping Your Home and Kids Organized Now That They're Back to School

The start of a new school year is a great time to help your kids organize their new school supplies and create a positive environment for doing homework and projects. It’s also an opportunity for you to get organized and help everyone in your family embrace a new daily routine.

• Set Up a Storage Area – Choose a place where your kids can store their backpacks, coats and sports equipment when they get home. Whether it’s the mudroom or a hall closet, clean out the items that no one uses anymore, and make some space for regular necessities. Hooks and shelves are an easy way for kids to deposit their coats and bags in a central area that doesn’t include kitchen chairs or the foyer floor.

• Homework Station – Create a designated place for your children to do homework and work on class projects. Stock it with everything they need for a good working environment, including pens and pencils, paper, a computer and other learning tools. Choose furniture and lighting that helps your kids stay on task while they’re working.

• Develop a Filing System – Even though many schools have developed a paperless system with emails and electronic forms, there will still be plenty of papers brought home from school. Put these and artwork that has been retired from the refrigerator into a separate file for each child. This doubles as a quick reference spot for important school information and a safe place for creative keepsakes.
• Create a Menu Plan – With everyone involved in a new routine, afterschool activities and programs can put a crimp in planning ahead for meals. Create menu plan on a central calendar to help coordinate snacks and meals. Combine it with a calendar of activities. Use a whiteboard with empty blocks to make a new monthly calendar that maps out who will be where until when and what’s for dinner. Don’t forget to include plans for making lunches or eating in the school cafeteria, so the kids will know what to expect in advance.