I hate to say it out loud, but it’s time to start thinking about it. Schools in this area will open four weeks from today.
Forget January 1st; the beginning of September is the New Year for families with children in school. If one of your resolutions is to be more organized this year, do a little planning now. What can you do over those next weeks to make things easier?
Week one: Clothes
- Go through the school wardrobe.
- Try on clothes to make sure they still fit.
- If anything needs cleaning or repairs, get that started.
- Look over the school policies regarding clothes, gym uniform, “inside” shoes, or uniforms.
- Make a list of anything that you need to buy, so that you can watch for sales this month.
Week two: school supplies
- Go through the leftovers from last year to see what is still useable.
- Make sure you have the school’s list of what’s needed for the upcoming grade.
- Keep the list with you when shopping so that you can take advantage of sales.
- Check that the backpack and lunchbox are clean and in good repair.
- Label all supplies with the child’s name.
Week three: outside activities
- Get the family together and sit down with your big calendar.
- Decide what extracurricular activities each member will be participating in, and check for scheduling conflicts.
- Fill in the calendar with all the information available, and make sure it is placed where everyone can see it.
Week four: daily activity management
- Set up the “launch pad” where the equipment will be ready for the following day.
- Have a plan for making lunches, remembering them as you go out the door, and retrieving containers at the end of the day.
- Figure out where notices will be placed as they come in, and will be saved for information you need.
- Have a meal plan and grocery shopping plan ready to streamline your evenings.
- If necessary, start adjusting bedtimes and morning routines to ease back into the school day schedule.
