Back to School is a time for new beginnings and in less than a week, those new beginnings will start for most of us. You have a few more days to get organized and get your kids (and yourselves) ready and if you tackle one small project each day for the next 6 days, you can be ready to go!
TODAY – Thursday
Attack the shoes and the outerwear. That’s right – go through that front closet, the kids’ closets and if you’re feeling super-motivated, do your closet too! Try them on the kids, if they don’t fit and are in okay shape, they go in the donate pile. If they’ve been worn like crazy and have holes and rips, toss them. If your daughter hasn’t worn them in 6 months – donate them. Get rid of the clutter! Keep a piece of paper handy and note anything that needs to be replaced (like those sneakers your kids need for gym class or the tap shoes that are two sizes too small or the jacket that is looking more like a belly-shirt), and you can pick those up on your next shopping trip.
Friday
Today you’re going to map out the kids after-school activities. For me, I’ve made a chart for the two girls to be sure I’m giving myself enough time to cart them around. Then, you need to go through each activity and be sure they have all the supplies for the activities. Are they doing soccer? Do they have their shinguards and cleats? Have they outgrown their gymnastics leotard? Do they have their instrument ready to go for music class? Organize all of the extra-curricular supplies in a duffle bag and you’ll be ready to go next week
Saturday
Okay, this one is going to take the most time and may be the most unpleasant, but it HAS to get done – organizing the clothes, closets and drawers. There is nothing more annoying than getting the kids dressed in the morning only to find out they’ve outgrown those jeans. Again, you’re going to need a piece of paper for this activity so you can note the things that need to be replaced. Visit every dresser drawer and every closet and go through EVERYTHING. Donate the things that have been outgrown and are still in good shape and toss the items that have tears and holes. Then fold and hang everything that fits nice and neatly and you’ll feel so much better. (Let’s be honest – by Christmas it will all be a disaster again, but at least for a couple of months you’ll feel organized!)
Sunday
It’s time to make sure the kids are prepared with all of their school supplies. Do they have a backpack and a lunchbox? Have you purchased all of the supplies the classroom teacher requested from each student? Do they have their notebooks, pens, pencils, crayons? If not, drive yourself to your nearest office supply store and stock up! Pack everything in their new backpacks and WHAM! School supply organization is complete
Monday
It’s time to hit up the grocery store and prepare your fridge and pantry for the school season. Make sure you load up on school snacks, drinks that you can pack and supplies for making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! You’re also going to want to stock up on those easy-to-put-together dinners as the after-school hours are about to get busy with homework and extracurricular activities.
You may also want to make tonight and tomorrow morning a “dress rehearsal”. Get the kids to bed at their regular “school night” bedtime tonight and tomorrow you can run through your morning routine to practice!
Tuesday
Okay, it’s “Dress Rehearsal Day”. Get yourself and the kids up at the time they’re going to need to get up tomorrow for school. Have them walk through their routine – making beds, getting dressed, getting breakfast and brushing teeth. Pretend to have to pack their lunch and backpack. Do you have everything you need? If you don’t, you still have today to get it!
You’re now ready for the 2015/2016 school year! Good luck to all of the kiddos heading into a new grade and good luck to all you parents who have worked so hard to get them there!
