When the calendar turns to August, my mind starts turning to back to school mode. What do the kids need for the first day of school, what do we need to do in the house to get ready, what do I want to tweak to make for a smooth(er) start to the year. If you have kids that are school-aged, you know that doing a little prep work before starting is the secret to a smooth and uneventful start. Let’s start small and choose just three things to organize before going back to school. The three things I start with?

Backpacks, shoes, coats

This is an area that can quickly become a dumping ground – wherever you store backpacks, shoes, and coats, take some time to assess the area and items and see what fits and what doesn’t and clear out the space. You can see more about our mudroom here.

We took out the kids’ shoe baskets, cleaned out the shelves with a vacuum cleaner and a soft cleaning cloth with a little multi-purpose cleaning spray. While I was cleaning, the kids went through their baskets and kept out just the shoes that they fit into and will wear. Simply eliminating the excess helps to keep the clutter away and it makes it easy for the kids to find what they need.

School & Homework Stations

The older kids have a desk in their room for studying and homework. They did a quick assessment of the spaces and got them ready for school. I find that a clear separation of schoolwork/homework is helpful for all of us. Think in terms of are these areas easy to keep clean as well as easy to clean up? Does everything have a place? Can the kids find what they need quickly?

I like having specific areas that work for each child but sometimes it’s at the kitchen table and counter with a homework caddy at the ready.

Closets & Clothing

Last but not least, I like to go through closets with each kid, sorting and assessing what they have and what they need, what fits and what doesn’t. Catch up on laundry and make sure that clothes are easy to find. If you have younger kids you can even lay out a couple back to school outfits to help them get ready.

What are your must-dos before school starts? Share them in the comments!

Need a little help with a routine and knowing what to clean and when to clean it?

Do you need a mindset shift? A little direction and routine? I have always argued that regardless of how busy you are, you need a cleaning routine. Routine, even if it’s loose, is everything when things get busy. 

If you haven’t tried the Clean Mama Routine or even if you have but need a little refresher, the Start Here page is designed to help you get started. When you do the Clean Mama Routine you are already keeping your home CLEAN on a daily basis. The Clean Mama Homekeeping Planners and the Homekeeping Society Subscription are designed to take the GUESSWORK out of cleaning – everything is laid out for you with Daily and Weekly Tasks. I love sharing the Clean Mama Routine with you during the busiest of times because I know that’s when it really shines.