Ma!! Where’s My Backpack!?

Jul 30

Fresh notebooks. New shoes. Earlier bedtimes. A calendar that suddenly looks like it belongs to an air traffic controller.

Back-to-school season is here.

And while we spend plenty of time getting the kids ready, there’s another member of the family that could use a little preparation, too:

The house.

Because summer living and school-year living are two very different things. Come August, your home needs to handle backpacks, homework, sports gear, permission slips, rushed breakfasts and the daily mystery of where someone left their other shoe.

Before the first bell rings, here are a few simple ways to get your home ready for the school-year shuffle.

Create a Landing Zone

You don't need a gorgeous custom mudroom with matching baskets and everyone's name written in calligraphy. You need somewhere to put the stuff.

Choose a spot near the door for backpacks, shoes, jackets and whatever else comes home each afternoon. Hooks, baskets, a small bench or even a few designated bins can keep the daily pile from migrating across the entire house.

The rule is simple: everything needs a home before it comes home.

You can find an affordable alternative to create this entryway after-school pitstop.

Give Homework a Headquarters

Some kids need absolute silence. Others want to work at the kitchen island while telling you every detail of their day. Either way, designate a homework space and keep the basics nearby: pencils, paper, chargers, scissors, glue sticks and whatever else prevents the nightly cry of, “MOM, WHERE'S THE—?”

It doesn't have to be an entire room. Shoe organizers work great as an alternative to catch-all drawers and cluttered cabinets if you have a coat closet that is more closet than coats.

A corner of the kitchen, a small desk in the hallway or even a rolling cart that can be pulled out after school can alternatively work.

Reset the Kitchen for School Mornings

Summer kitchens are for popsicles and grazing. When school starts you need a kitchen fit for efficiency and time zones.

Create an easy breakfast area. Put lunch containers, reusable bottles and sandwich bags where everyone can reach them.

Have a basket with snacks for after-school munching.

Designate a portion of the fridge for grab and go sandwiches.

DO NOT be afraid to show your kids how packing a lunch is done, they can always help!

Tackle the Closet Before the Shopping Trip

Before buying another stitch of back-to-school clothing, go through what everyone already owns.

What still fits? What's missing? What's been hiding in the back of the closet since February?

Donate or pass along the outgrown pieces, toss anything beyond saving and make room before bringing new things into the house.

You'll probably discover three perfectly good hoodies, six pairs of shorts and approximately 47 unmatched socks.

If they wear uniforms, make sure they still fit, most schools will recycle them.

Teen girls. They love fifty million bags to lug around with them. Teach them to consolidate and make sure they have a discreet period pouch for those unexpected visits.

Teen boys. Good lord stock up on the deoderant.

Don’t be afraid to buy a size up for these growing bodies!

Give the Calendar a Home

School events. Sports. Practices. Appointments. Spirit days. Field trips. Picture day. The project your child definitely knew about for three weeks but will mention at 9:14 p.m. the night before it's due.

Put one family calendar somewhere everyone can see it. Paper, dry-erase, digital—it doesn't matter.

The important thing is having one central place where the household knows what's happening.

And while you're at it, create a spot for school papers that actually require attention. One tray or basket for “Mom/Dad needs to see this” can prevent important forms from disappearing into Backpack Purgatory.

Do a Five-Minute Nightly Reset

This may be the least glamorous suggestion on the list and possibly the most useful.

Before everyone goes to bed:

Backpacks by the door.
Shoes located.
Water bottles washed.
Devices charging.
Lunches started.
Tomorrow's schedule checked.

Five or ten minutes at night can save twenty minutes of chaos in the morning.

Don't Organize the Life Out of Your Home

During the school year, there will be backpacks by the door and artwork on the refrigerator. There will be cleats in inconvenient places, crumbs under the kitchen table and a science project taking over a perfectly good countertop.

That's life happening inside your home. The goal isn't perfection. It's creating a home that makes all of that life a little easier.

So reset the pantry. Hang the hooks. Find the missing shoes. Buy the pencils.

And then let the house get lived in. Because before we know it, those backpacks won't be hanging by the door anymore. Make your home efficient and organized for the chaos, but transition where necessary as time and phases transform.