12 ways to get organised for back to school

For many of us, after a long summer break, it’s nearly the start of a new school year, which means it’s time to start getting ready for back to school.

Getting our kids and ourselves ready to return to school can be challenging, and it can feel impossible to remember everything that needs to be done.

There’s school supplies to think about, uniforms that need ordering, lunches to be packed, school events that need to be scheduled, and a whole host of other school related things to think about.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by everything that comes with going back to school, and would like a bit of help on remembering some of the key things you need to do, then here are 12 ways to get organised for back to school that will help you feel more on top of everything that a new school year brings.

Don’t overcommit

As mums we overcommit, there’s no doubt about it. We do whatever we can to make our kid’s school lives easier.

We enrol our kids in after school clubs, we spend hours baking cakes, making solar systems, and doing other things that don’t count towards our kid’s grades.

We volunteer for school trips, help at lunch time, organise playdates we’re not entirely comfortable with, and do a whole host of other things, whenever we can.

Before thinking about the more obvious ways to get organised for back to school, take a moment to think about yourself and the things you will and won’t do the following school year.

Be realistic about your time and what you’re prepared to do, and don’t feel guilty for anything that you opt out of.

For me this means not doing extra projects like cake baking, or solar system construction if it’s not part of Ryan’s required homework, unless Ryan really, really wants to participate and is willing to do the majority of the work himself.

Avoid the mum comparison trap

Avoiding the mum comparison trap is another of the ways to get organised for back to school that we may not think about, because just like the tip above, it’s not usually associated with back to school organisation.

Avoiding the mum comparison trap means not doing things just because other mums are doing them.

I’ve definitely fallen into the mum comparison trap before, by doing extra school projects, and buying costumes that I didn’t want to buy so I didn’t look like I made less effort on things compared to other mums.

We need to do what’s right for us and our families, and never feel guilty about the choices we make, or the effort that we go to for our kids.

Get your calendar ready

There are so many date specific things to remember once school starts, and knowing how you’ll record these things is an important way to get organised for back to school.

To do this, will you use a paper planner, Google Calendar, a list making app, a family command centre, or something else?

Once you know what you’ll be using, start to put as many things in it as you can.

This can include school holidays, drop off and pick up times, when to order new uniforms, excursion dates, and dates the school has already provided you with.

Go through existing school uniforms and supplies

At least a few weeks before the start of a school year, go through your kid’s wardrobes and drawers and hand down any uniforms that are still wearable to younger kids, or if not applicable, donate them to the school, or throw out whatever isn’t repairable.

Go through your kid’s school bags and stationery supplies and throw out anything that’s broken, and sharpen any pencils that are blunt.

Once done make a list of what school uniform items and school supplies you now need so you can purchase them, don’t forget to include water bottles and lunchboxes on this list.

Purchase school uniforms and supplies online

Shopping with kids is no picnic, we end up buying more than we need, and when it comes to school supplies, many shops are low on stock.

When buying stationery, stock up on items that are on offer, as it’s amazing how many pencils and glue sticks get lost throughout the school year.

Many schools will send you a list of what supplies your kids need, depending on the year they’re in.

If you don’t receive a list, or can’t find it, see if it’s on the school’s website, or ask another mum for ideas.

In terms of uniforms, most stores have fantastic clothing return policies so you can return or exchange any school uniform item that doesn’t fit.

Start planning school lunches

Planning and preparing school lunches isn’t always easy, but to make it easier, consider making weekly school lunch meal plans detailing what lunches your kids will have the following week, and then purchasing what you need.

Then each weekend prepare whatever you can for the week ahead, then each night pack your kid’s lunchboxes with their lunches, and snacks, and put the lunchboxes in the fridge so they’re ready for the morning.

You may also consider storing all school food supplies in the same container in your fridge or cupboard so you don’t use them for other meals, and so they’re easily accessible.

Stock up on snacks

Stocking up, and prepacking school snacks, is another way to make school lunch prep easy, and will save you a lot of time each morning.

You could also pre cut fruit and vegetables and store them in individual containers ready to put into your kid’s lunchboxes.

Get some labels

One of the ways to get organised for back to school that saves you rebuying lost items, is to label everything.

Labels also help because many kids in the same class have the same items, so labelling your kid’s items will ensure no one else accidentally takes them home.

There are many different types of labels that you can buy from stickers, iron on labels, and even stamps.

The labels I use are Stikins and I put them on Ryan’s water bottles, book bag, clothing, shoes, pencil case, and lunchbox. They have never come off after washing them in the washing machine or dishwasher.

Set up a homework area

Before starting school think about where you’d like your kids to do their homework, and get what you need to set the area up.

How much space you need, and what supplies you’ll have to purchase will depend on the age of your kids.

For example, Ryan’s still at the age where I need to help him with his homework, and he doesn’t require a lot of space, which means that we can sit together at the kitchen table with minimal supplies and do his homework together.

However, you may have a kid that’s at the stage where they need to do their homework independently, which means they’ll most likely need a desk setup somewhere away from the noise of the house.

They may also need a computer, stationery, noticeboards, and anything else to help them get their homework completed.

Set up a paperwork area

Schools come with a lot of paperwork that you’ll need an area for.

There are permission slips, competition notices, upcoming event flyers, and a whole host of other paperwork that can very quickly get misplaced if not kept somewhere safe.

Before the start of a new school year, think about where you’ll store school paperwork, and how you’ll deal with it.

One way you can do this is to buy folders, and store the folders in a container in your kitchen.

You could have folders for artwork, permission slips to sign, permission slips to return, assignments, competitions, and any other paperwork category that makes sense to you.

Or you could have two trays or containers with in and out on them. Anything that needs to be dealt with goes in the in tray or container, once it’s been looked at or signed it goes in the out tray or container to be sent back to school, or filed away.

Organise your school supplies

There are so many different school supplies that can create clutter in our homes if not stored or organised well.

Having areas for school supplies means that instead of your kids coming home and throwing their things on the floor, they can put them where they belong.

Some ways that you can store or organise school supplies include putting hooks on the wall near the front door, or hooks on the back of doors for bags and jackets, having shoe racks, or assigning each kid a large container for all of their school supplies.

Get back into a routine

One final way to get organised for back to school is to get back into a morning routine.

At least a couple of weeks before school starts, get your kids back to bed at the time they go during school time, and wake them up at the time they would wake up if they were going to school.

Maybe even do some back to school trials, where you get up, get dressed, and go out somewhere at the same time you would on a school morning.

I hope you’ve found some ways to get organised for back to school that you’d like to try that will make the beginning of your school year run smoothly.

Do you have any back to school tips that work for you?