I always have mixed emotions when school starts back up. I was the teacher shedding tears with the mamas before I even had kids. Some moms go home and go back to bed and others go have mimosas at Trader Joe’s. I’m somewhere in between but I typically start with a quick home reset – tidying things up, putting away the Legos that have been on the dining room table most of the summer, vacuuming, deep cleaning the kitchen, putting swim gear and sandals away. Cleaning and organizing is cathartic/relaxing for me – if you don’t find this to be a good task for you or your schedule, go grab coffee with a friend or do something else you’d enjoy. I also miss my kids terribly the first week or so and find this to be a good distraction.

If you need a little more of fresh start and a lot more guidance, you should check out my new course Jumpstart Your Routine. It’s perfect for getting from messy and disorganized to a cozy and simplified home in a hurry.

Why take some time to clean and organize when the kids go back to school? Fall gets busy really fast. The first few days are usually pretty low key with minimal activities and homework. By doing a little cleaning at the onset, I can save us some time and energy in the future, setting us up for success. I also find that the new-found quiet and uninterrupted time is pretty conducive to getting some stuff done quickly.

I want to preface this by saying I’m spreading this out over three days and you’ll also see that I’m working WITH my cleaning routine to get it done. My kids go back on a Wednesday – this list is for Wednesday – Friday. Use my list for inspiration and make your own. Maybe you only want to spend an hour or maybe you have quite a bit to do, get some stuff done!

—-> Grab a FREE printable checklist here – I suggest the Prioritizing To-Do List or the Basic To-Do List for a little project like this.

Here’s my official list for what I’m cleaning + organizing on the first week of school:

quick tidy of the house – this post has a good list if you need one

clear surfaces

washing and sealing granite kitchen counters (this has just been on my list)

taking back the pantry + refrigerator – am I the only one feeling this?

deep cleaning kids’ bathrooms

wiping/washing doors + woodwork (this is more from the dog slobber than the kids)

cleaning/vacuuming couches

vacuuming the floors – Wednesday – vacuuming day

washing the floors – Thursday – floor washing day

Have your kids gone back to school? What’s on your to-do list?

Here are a few kid-themed posts you might enjoy – click on the image to head to the post!