Back-to-School Hacks for Smooth Sailing
It’s that time of year again… back to school! Whether you have a kindergartner, a high schooler, or a mix of both, a little preparation now can make the year ahead less stressful and more organized. To help you and your kids start the school year off right, here are some of my back-to-school hacks I shared during a TV segment and some of the same ones below.
1. Create a Family Communication Center
School papers are about to start rolling in for you — permission slips, flyers, volunteer signups, you name it! To avoid lost papers and last-minute scrambles, set up a communication center at home.
One simple solution: a cascading 6-pocket letter file that hangs on the wall or back of a door. Label two pockets for each child — one “Inbox” and one “Outbox.” The inbox is to provide papers to you, while the outbox is for papers you‘ve completed and ready for your child to take back to school. Teach your kids how to use it so important papers don’t get lost.
2. Keep School Papers Without the Clutter
Not sure which papers to save for reference or keepsakes? Create a year-long “maybe box.”
Throughout the school year, toss any “not sure” papers into a decorative storage box. At the end of the year, go through the box with your child, recycling what’s no longer needed and saving the true keepsakes. I like using larger sized decorative boxes — they blend with your home décor and are perfect for holding artwork and oversized projects, too.
3. Maintain an Organized Homework Space
If your child has a designated workspace at home — whether it’s a desk in their room or a corner of the kitchen — take a photo once you’ve organized it.
Tuck the picture somewhere in the workspace. When things get messy, your child can use the photo as a visual guide to reset the area back to its original organized state. It’s a simple trick that builds independence and keeps the space functional.
4. Plan All the Meals — Not Just Dinner
Most parents have caught onto the importance of meal planning dinners, but back-to-school season is the perfect time to take it one step further and plan school lunches, and maybe breakfasts too!
By mapping out all meals for the week, you’ll know exactly what groceries to buy and avoid last-minute lunch-packing stress. To make it easier, download and print my free School Week Meal Planning Template and start the week feeling one step ahead of the game.
5. Simplify Sports and Activity Gear
Back to school also means back to sports, dance class, and other after-school activities. To prevent the dreaded “Where’s my jersey,” store all activity gear in one dedicated spot. For soccer include the shirt, shorts, socks, and shin guards. For swim lessons include the suit and goggles. Make it one-stop “shopping.”
A dresser drawer works great — fold and stand items vertically (think file-folding style) so everything’s visible at a glance. Add drawer dividers to keep things tidy. No extra drawer space? Use a bin on a shelf and stand items upright in it for easy access.
6. Create a “Launch Pad”
Set up a Launch Pad — a dedicated space where everything needed for the next day gets placed the night before: backpacks, sports gear, instruments, and more.
If lunches are stored in the refrigerator overnight, make a simple reminder: write “Lunch” on an index card, punch a hole in the corner, and attach it to the backpack with a carabiner. In the morning, grab the lunch, unclip the reminder, and reuse it the next day. No more forgotten lunches!
7. Keep Your Drivers Safe
If you have a teen driver — or even a college-aged commuter — consider getting a phone holder for their car. With Pennsylvania’s new hands-free law making it illegal to hold your phone while driving, this simple tool helps keep your driver safe and focused. (Bonus: get one for your own car, too!)
Here’s the polished tip you can add to your back-to-school blog post as a standalone entry:
8. Label Shoes and Teach Left from Right
Have a preschooler or kindergartener heading off to school? Teachers often request that children’s names be written inside their shoes. Turn this into a learning moment! Label the left shoe with your child’s first name and the right shoe with their last name. Then explain that when the name reads correctly, the shoes are ready to slip on the right feet. It’s a simple hack that helps kids learn left from right while keeping their shoes organized.
Stay Connected for More Tips
Back-to-school season is just the start! I share organizing, productivity, and travel tips throughout the year…
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