Blog #4: Back to School Season- Tips From a Professional Organizer
🎒 Back-to-School Organizing Tips for a Smooth Start
As summer winds down, the back-to-school rush begins—and with it comes the chaos of school supplies, schedules, snacks, and sports gear. But with a little planning and smart organizing, your home can feel calm and ready for the new school year.
Here are my top back-to-school organizing tips to help you and your family transition with less stress and more success.
1. Create a Launch Pad
Designate a space near the door for backpacks, lunch boxes, shoes, and coats. Use hooks, bins, and cubbies to give everything a home. This helps prevent those frantic morning searches and keeps clutter from spreading through the house.
Pro Tip: Label hooks and bins with your child’s name so everyone knows where their things belong.
2. Set Up a Homework Station
Whether it’s a dedicated desk or a portable caddy on the dining table, kids need a consistent spot for schoolwork. Stock it with essentials: pencils, paper, glue sticks, scissors—whatever they use most.
Keep it distraction-free and within eyesight if your child needs supervision.
3. Use a Family Calendar System
School events, practices, meetings—keep them all in one place. A wall calendar, whiteboard, or digital app can help your family stay on the same page.
Color-code by family member for a quick visual of who’s doing what and when.
4. Streamline Mornings with a Routine
Lay out clothes the night before. Prep lunches and pack backpacks before bed. Create a morning checklist for younger kids (with pictures!) so they can stay on track independently.
Mornings run smoother when the decisions are already made.
5. Organize Paperwork Before It Piles Up
Designate an "inbox" for school forms, permission slips, and flyers. Review and sort it daily or weekly. Use folders or binders for long-term storage, like report cards and schoolwork you want to save.
6. Simplify School Lunch Supplies
Keep lunch items together in one spot: containers, water bottles, napkins, and shelf-stable snacks. This makes lunch-packing fast and frustration-free.
Bonus: Add a snack station kids can access after school without tearing through the pantry.
7. Declutter Closets and Clothing
Take time to switch out summer clothes for fall essentials. Donate outgrown items and make a list of what's needed before the back-to-school shopping trip.
Final Thought:
Back-to-school season doesn’t have to feel chaotic. A few organizing systems now can save you time, energy, and stress all year long. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, remember—you don’t have to do it alone. A professional organizer can help set up systems that actually work for your family and your space.
Happy Organizing,
Brooke
