Back-to-school organization can be stressful, especially if you’ve overlooked 5 essential zones that will ensure a smooth start.
Do you ever think you have it all together for back-to-school…but then realize one week in that everything’s just as disorganized as last year?
It starts off great: labels on the supplies, backpacks hung up, the first day of school outfit picked out.
But then comes week 2:
“Mom, where’s my library book?”
“Oh, I need you to sign this form” – and it’s crumpled beyond recognition…
“Ew – I forgot to empty my lunch kit on Friday”
Or, new this year, “Bud, where are your new glasses?” … “what glasses?!” 🤦🏻♀️
So, how can we prevent lost items, destroyed permission forms, and forgotten lunch leftovers?
We can instead ensure a stress-free morning and smooth school day by organizing 5 essential back-to-school zones.
back-to-school organization: 5 rules
Your family’s organizational habits will stick if you stick to 5 rules:
- Incorporate these zones into your daily routine – don’t wait and let it become a disaster zone!
- Make sure there’s one obvious “home” for your students’ items instead of having them scattered around the home (ie: all pencil crayons go HERE)
- Store belongings where they’re used, not where they “should” be (ie: my daughter always forgets to put on socks, so we’ve moved all her socks to her cubby in the entryway)
- Refrain from picking up after your kids! This will not teach them responsibility and organizational skills,
- Use visual or audio aids (we have a checklist for the morning, after school, and school night routines so I don’t have to repeat instructions, I just re-direct to their checklist)
With these rules in place, you’ll need to go through my 3 step back-to-school organization process of decluttering, tidying, and filling each zone:
- First, clear the space of anything that doesn’t belong or impedes your family from tidying or finding things quickly.
- Then, tidy and organize the space to be best used.
- Finally, fill the space with any bins, hooks, or other tools to help organize – as well as with some decor to make the space a brighter place to be!
Now we’re ready to go into detail about what each zone needs for effective back-to-school organization.
1. backpack/entryway zone
Back-to-school organization begins and ends with the front door. Whether your kids are walking in or heading out that morning, their things need a clear home and firm instructions so that a month in, hanging that backpack up has become a habit.
Declutter
- coats, sweaters
- shoes, boots
- backpacks, purses
- lunch bags
- cupboards, drawers, shelves
- garbage or recycling
- anything out of season
- seasonal equipment, toys, sports
Tidy
- deep clean the area
- where do your kids want their things to go?
- can they access what they need easily?
- is there anything in the area that makes it harder to get in and out the door quickly?
- do your guests have somewhere to put their things?
- is your “drop zone” (where you put your keys, etc) organized?
Fill
- stock up on outdoor clothing
- what do you need to add/buy to stay organized?
- does it have your family’s personality in it? Does it have the “feel” you want for this year?
- is there anything your kids want to add?
As soon as your kids walk in the door from school, have them put everything away before they get to their afternoon snack. I find food is the best motivation for kids 😉
2. homework zone
Next up for strong back-to-school organization is the homework station.
You might have all the kids gather around the kitchen table, in which case you could have a homework cart nearby. OR your kids might focus better in their rooms. In this case, it would be better to have individual buckets you can buy from the dollar store.
Declutter
- textbooks, dictionaries, etc.
- school papers
- drawers and cupboards
- desktops and table space
- school supplies
- manipulatives
- teacher guides
- apps, browser favourites/bookmarks, digital files
- garbage or recycling
Tidy
- deep clean the area
- where do your kids want their things to go?
- can they access what they need easily?
- does the space feel distracting or busy?
- is there anything in the area that makes it harder to focus, learn, or stay on task?
Fill
- stock up on school supplies
- what do you need to add/buy to stay organized?
- does it have your family’s personality in it? Does it have the “feel” you want for this year?
- is there anything your kids want to add?
Make sure your kids know that homework is done faster when they don’t waste time looking for that eraser or pencil. For motivation purposes again, remind them the bucket has to be tidied before they can move on to screen time or supper.
3. lunch & snack zone
All my kids pack their lunches (or when we homeschooled, cooked the family lunch, and made snacks). When things are within reach and easy to grab, this chore is one of their favourites.
Declutter
- appliances
- countertop
- drawers, cupboards
- pantry
- fridge, freezer
- lunch/snack containers
- cookbooks, recipes
- towels, tablecloths
- garbage or recycling
Tidy
- deep clean the area
- where do your kids want their things to go?
- can they access what they need easily?
- is there anything in the area that makes it harder to prep meals and clean up?
Fill
- Stock up on lunch/snack containers, bags
- What do you need to add/buy to stay organized?
- Does it have your family’s personality in it? Does it have the “feel” you want for this year?
- Is there anything your kids want to add?
Save yourself some time, and put your kids in charge of their lunch (and even breakfast): The Kids’ Cooking Menu Plan is a themed menu plan for kids that will fast-track their confidence in cooking family meals, freeing up significant time for busy moms.
Intrigued? Learn more here.
4. bedroom / bathroom zone
The more I get my kids to prep the night before, the smoother our mornings are. But the bedroom and bathroom zones need to stay organized for this to happen.
When it’s their laundry day, my kids can take 2 minutes in the morning and pop their clothes in to be washed – because everything’s already in the hamper ready to grab and go. They don’t need to organize a search party for missing clothing all over the house!
As well, each child has one “morning bucket”, with everything they need for hygiene: hair, deodorant, toothbrush, etc. No more chaotic mornings looking for the hairbrush.
Declutter
- clothing
- bedding, stuffies
- toys, games, puzzles
- books, papers
- artwork
- garbage or recycling
- drawers, cupboards, shelves
- top of washer/dryer
- countertops
- towels, linens
- toiletries
- cleaning, laundry supplies
Tidy
- deep clean the area
- where do your kids want their things to go?
- is there a spot in their rooms where each category of their things belongs?
- do they have space to relax and play?
- is their bed distracting or too busy? can they easily unwind?
- is there anything in the 2 areas that makes it harder to clean or do laundry?
- can your kids quickly go through their morning and evening hygiene routine?
Fill
- Stock up on clothing, bedding
- Stock up on cleaning/laundry supplies, linens, toiletries
- What do you need to add/buy to stay organized?
- Does it have your child’s personality in it? Does it have the “feel” they want and need?
- Is there anything your kids want to add?
5. paper zone
The last back-to-school organization zone is more for parents: the paper station.
As soon as my kids come home I ask them to put their agendas and loose papers on my desk. I also give each kid a waterproof zippered pouch (Amazon link) to store these in, so they don’t get crumpled, lost or stained.
I keep all paper in one spot in my home (permission slips, mail, flyers, you name it). I deal with them immediately when possible or by end of the day if not. My shred-it bin and recycle bag are nearby.
Additionally, I store longer-term papers on my digital home binder on Trello (there’s a template board available for you in the Scheduling Magic course).
Any hard copies I need to keep I put in a “file later” folder, which I file monthly as part of my Family Cleaning Masterlist (found in the Organized Family Toolbox and Scheduling Magic course).
Declutter
- drawers, cupboards, shelves
- organizers
- desktop
- office supplies
- paper, digital folders, file folders
- magnetic, corkboard space
- electronics, cords
Tidy
- deep clean the area
- do your kids have a clear spot to put papers and can retrieve them easily?
- is there anything in the area that makes it harder to stay organized?
- is there anything in the area that makes it harder to focus on key papers/sections?
Fill
- Stock up on office supplies
- What do you need to add/buy to stay organized?
- Does it have your personality in it? Does it have the “feel” you want and need?
- Is there anything your kids want to add?
If you deal with the paper immediately, you’ll never feel overwhelmed or stressed when you can’t find it or something’s handed in late. It’s already taken care of.
The back-to-school season can be a breeze when you’ve taken a bit of time to organize these 5 essential zones as a family. Your kids will have their own tidying and organizational style, and if you want more responsibility and buy-in, it helps to create a system for their belongings together.
To get started, download the Back-To-School Organization Room-by-Room Checklists, which puts all the to-dos in this article into an easy checklist format for you.
Now, let me know in the comments: which zone have you already mastered? which one is your weakness (but you’ll conquer this school year!)
read more:
- Crush Stressful Mornings With This Powerful Back-To-School Routine
- 5 back-to-school tools your kids need to be successful
- How to set up a staggeringly smooth chore chart
- Fix-My-Schedule Assessment: what are you missing that’s preventing a smooth day?
- Teach kids to make their own snacks and lunches
- Yes, your kids can do their own laundry. Here’s how