Filed under: back-to-school
Keep track of family'a schedule with our Weekly Wall Calednar
The KidPack.pad is a great checklist for making sure everything gets packed for a busy day at school.
As many of you approach the first day of school for kids, you’re probably starting to think about how your daily schedule will change once the school bell rings and your kids are back in class. Some of you are probably looking forward to getting back on regular, more predictable schedule, while others of you are dreading the idea of getting everybody out of bed, fed, and out the door on time. And then, there’s after-school activities, sports practice, music lessons, and, of course, homework.
No matter what your outlook is on the impending first day to school, here’s an important adage to remember: back-to-school success is based on routines. Mornings will be smoother and bedtime will be calmer if you can design a daily schedule that works for you AND your kids.
Developing a routine will help you stay on time and on task. Your plan should be simple and easy to implement so everyone in your household has a clear understanding of their responsibilities. Your plan should also be flexible, taking into account each child’s personality and style. Trying to get everyone to adhere to one strict way of doing things won’t be productive and can create more chaos.
For example, if your son has a hard time getting out of bed in the morning, don’t expect him to pack a lunch, fill his backpack and find his lunch money in the morning. Make sure all of that is ready to go the night before. If your daughter would rather sit in bed to read or study for a test, allow her to be comfortable as long as she’s getting her work done. Bottom line: find a system that works and stick to it.
One of the easiest ways to implement school routines is to develop a checklist. Below is an example of some of the activities that you might include in yours. Slide them around to suit your style. For example, it may suit your family better to make lunches before going to bed.
Before School Checklist
- Get dressed
- Make bed
- Eat breakfast
- Make lunch
- Brush teeth and hair
- Remember back pack on the way out
After School Checklist
- Snack
- Talk about the day at school
- Change clothes
- Play outside
- Do homework
- Sign any forms
- Practice (sport, instrument, etc)
- Chores
- Set table for dinner
- Help with making dinner
- Feed pet
- Fold laundry
- Take out trash
Before Bed Checklist
- Plan breakfast and set the table for it
- Tidy room
- Pack backpack – what ‘day’ is tomorrow for special requirements such as gym…
- Binders
- Notebooks
- Schoolbooks
- Library books to return
- Finished homework
- Signed permission slips
- Notes to teachers
- Money
- Pens
- Pencils
- Highlighters
- Calculator
- Flash drives
- Gym clothes
- Sneakers
- Musical instrument/music
- Sports equipment
- MP3 player
- Shower
- Brush teeth
- Pick out clothes for tomorrow
- Set alarm
- Read
With routines and lists in place, back to school will be simpler, more organized and most importantly,
LESS STRESSFUL!
July 29, 2011
Our Kids Multi-Pack Desk is made from sustainable materials and will help create the perfect study environment!
Does your child have allergies? Are they easily distracted? Do you notice their concentration level slipping when they are given an assignment? You may want to consider the products they are using. Adults spend the majority of their time at work and our children spend their time at school/daycare or with friends. Using eco-friendly products are essential for your health as well as your child’s. Here is a list of suggested products:
- Use binders made with 100% recycled corrugated material.
- Children put everything in their mouths, so consider biodegradable or non-toxic writing utensils.
- Use post consumer products for paper products.
- Scissors should have a 70% recycled plastic handle.
- Use desks that are100% formaldehyde free.
A number of companies (traditional brick and mortar and online) sell environmentally-friendly products that a parent can use to set up an in-home study area for their child.
- 100 percent recycled file folders from Staples are perfect for a study area.
- Greenhome.com sells an eco-friendly wastebasket made from 99 percent reclaimable automobile tires and recycled plastic trim.
- IKEA sells a number of storage products that can be placed in the study area as a drop point to recycle school papers and junk mail.
- When purchasing recycled or reclaimed products be sure to look for the recycle symbol on the item’s exterior packaging.
If you’re not fully convinced, compare a recycled folder to a regular product by taking the ‘sniff’ test. You can smell the toxins in non post consumer products and the texture is different as well.
Online sources for eco-friendly organizing products
- Lowimpactliving.com
- IKEA.com
- SeventhGeneration.com
- SpecialtyLiving.com
- Greenhome.com
- Inmodern.net
Thanks to Organized A to Z.com partner Paris Love for contributing this article. Paris is a Professional Organizer serving Metro Atlanta and the Gulf Coast. Paris has written monthly articles for Ezine, BrownSkin Magazine, OnlineOrganizing, Home Base Quarterly and the Covington News. Currently, Paris is passing on her passion for organizing by helping others live an organized and clutter-free life™. For additional tips or information visit www.organizewithlove.com or call 251.223.7174 Gulf Coast 770.722.2748 Metro Atlanta.
August 23, 2010
Create an effective study space for your homeschoolers with this beautiful desk and hutch. Available in different finishes, too.
More and more parents are homeschooling their children, successful students are organized and prepared for school. When you home school treat this as if your child is going to a traditional brick and mortar building. Here are seven tips for your homeschooler.
1) Start early, make sure your child has breakfast and is dress appropriately for school. After all, your child wouldn’t show up for school in their pj’s and uncombed hair…would they?
2) Establish a study and work area. You can convert a spare bedroom or an area in the basement (if you have one). This area should only be used for school.
3) Use eco-friendly products (pens, paper, binders, etc) so your child isn’t breathing in harmful fuses. Non-eco friendly products are harmful and can cause your child to lose concentration or become ill. I recommend using a Desktop Stationary Organizer for small spaces.
4) Eliminate distractions such as television, radio, Ipods, games, and friends.
5) Invest in a binder with color tabs. Use the tabs for each subject, for example, blue = Math, red = English, green = Social Studies and so on.
6) Make sure you take breaks during the school day. Have lunch prepared and don’t forget to take study breaks, fifteen minutes is essential.
7) At the end of the school day, be sure to review the day’s material, assign homework and don’t forget to clear away any material that you have worked on. An organized work area is essential for the successful student.
Follow the steps above and watch the progress your child makes. Remember getting organized will not happen overnight, remain consistent and focused.
Thanks for Organized A to Z.com partner Paris Love for contributing this article. Paris is a Professional Organizer serving Metro Atlanta and the Gulf Coast. Paris has written monthly articles for Ezine, BrownSkin Magazine, OnlineOrganizing, Home Base Quarterly and the Covington News. Currently, Paris is passing on her passion for organizing by helping others live an organized and clutter-free life™. For additional tips or information visit www.organizewithlove.com or call 251.223.7174 Gulf Coast 770.722.2748 Metro Atlanta.
August 16, 2010
Well – it’s August and it’s time to think about school! Get a head start and start making your lists now.
Clothes – what do the kids need? Start with the basics. Go through their drawers and check their supply of socks (have fun finding the matching pairs) and underwear. Are they in good shape and do they fit? Do they have enough and the right kind? For everyday and for sports.
Make a list of what they have, how many they have and sizes.
Shoes – school shoes, tennis shoes, boots (you don’t think you are going to find boots in the winter do you?). Take into consideration that they might grow before winter when buying boots and they will also have on thick socks.
Winter coats, scarves, gloves/mittens, hats. You should always keep a supply of extra gloves on hand for when they get wet (since they take forever to dry). And gloves are like socks. They disappear.
If your kids are in a growth spurt be sure to buy the coat with extra room so that by winter time it’s not too small. Also, be sure to remember that in the winter they will be wearing sweaters under their coats. Leave enough room if you are buying the coat when it’s still warm out and they aren’t wearing a sweater when they try it on.
Check the newspapers for sales, then immediately go to get the best selection and avoid the crowds of parents that waited until the last minute.
Dont' forget the locker! This shelf makes it easy to keep a locker neat and organized.
School supplies. Most schools have lists. Get them as soon as they come out. Check them against the list of supplies that you have on hand (from “Schools Out” article). Go to the stores and get all of the supplies.
You can break it down and buy school supplies one day and clothes on another day. Or if you have more than one child you can break it down by child and make a “one-on-one bonding moment” complete with lunch or dessert.
Yes, it can be a “fun” bonding moment…. IF you plan ahead instead of waiting until the last minute.
That’s the beauty of organizing….it reduces / eliminates the stress and allows you to enjoy even the most mundane task.
Kids grow up fast. Make these “stressful” times more enjoyable by being organized.
Thanks to Organized A to Z.com partner Karin E. Fried, CPC, for contributing this article. Karen operates Organizational Consulting Services. You can visit her Web site at www.organizationalconsultingservices.com.
HTML clipboardWell – it’s August and it’s time to think about school! Get a head start and start making your lists now.
August 9, 2010
In September the school bells toll for the youngster, but August is when the college bound gear up. If you or anyone you know is headed toward a campus, read on…
Rise and Shine: Bed risers are a must. Definitely maximize the use of space under the bed. Before hand, check the bed leg style. Round or Square will determine which riser design you buy.
Pack Light: Unless the school is in the total boonies, wait to get all the laundry detergent, etc. There will be a Big-Mart type store in town. Plus, once you have really experienced the (small) size of dorm living you will be thinking differently about the product size you buy.
Quad Sale: Check to see if your college is having a Quad Sale. This venue offers students different types of storage bins, dorm sized carpets, bulletin boards etc. Again, the size of the average college dorm room can be quite sobering! Room items that multi-task are best.
Our Orbz Flex Compartmented Tote is perfect for storing and transporting shower items
Less is More: Less stuff = more time around campus! Understandably, freshman year the room can be a very exciting part of the process. Words of wisdom ~ err on the side of less. (No, we don’t need to bring our high school pom-poms with us.) Here are the basic groups that need to be addressed. Keep it as lean as possible within each group.
- Clothes
- Technology
- School supplies
- Linens
- Hygiene, general cleaning products
- Personal
Switch Out: Dorm closets are small and can’t handle an entire wardrobe. Before leaving home, separate clothes into Fall, Winter, Spring. Take “in season” clothes with you. Switch off “out of season” clothes when traveling home for visits. Otherwise, plan to accommodate a double load of clothes at the end of the year.
Our Wallies Peel and Stick Dry Erase make great "no nails required" message boards
No Nails: Most colleges prohibit nails in the walls. The alternatives are adhesive putty, mounting tape, poster tape etc. All are available from 3-M, Scotch and Velcro brands. Leave extra in the room, there will be plenty more events that will need to be showcased.
A Rose is a Rose: Male or female, make sure there is some kind of room deodorizer in place. Fact: dorm rooms can get pretty stinky. Many scented options in the grocery and drug stores. Also consider reed diffusers. Check out options in the bath and body type shops. Remember that most colleges have a “no flame” policy in the dorm room, so skip the scented candles.
Thanks to Organized A to Z.com partner Holly C. S. Tunstall for contributing this article. Holly is President of Cannon Clutter Control, LLC. You can visit her Web site at www.cannoncluttercontrol.com.
August 2, 2010
