5 Rooms to Get in Tiptop Shape for Back-to-School

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As summer comes to a close and school doors open, it’s time to get the kids—and your home—ready for the scholastic season ahead. Take a tour of each room and make sure it’s working hard to keep your family organized throughout the school year.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][carousel_anything items=”1″ items_tablet=”1″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Kids’ Bedrooms

From the moment that adorable ladybug alarm goes off, it’s go time. Pajamas off, clothes on, bed made and school bag packed—there is a lot happening in the bedroom. If getting dressed is a daily disaster, consider figuring out a week’s worth of outfits so they’re ready to go in the dresser each morning. Also, make sure the schoolwork area is clear of clutter and full of all the supplies they’ll need for future class projects (e.g. glue, coloured pencils, markers).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”14636″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Main Bathroom

If the kids share a bathroom with the adults of the house, it’s even more important to keep everything in its proper place. Toothbrushes, toothpaste, hair accessories and nail clippers, the bathroom is full of messy, small objects that scatter and spread very easily—especially when small fingers are involved. Designate clear stacking boxes to each family member for personal items and consider using a machine-washable utensil drawer organizer for teeth-cleaning tools.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”14634″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Kitchen

Equipping your kids with all the fuel they need to do their schoolwork throughout the day is a top priority, but packing last-minute lunches early in the morning can be extremely stressful. If your kids are old enough, stock the lower drawers of the fridge with easy-to-pack snacks such as applesauce, string cheese and carrot sticks so they can compile their own lunch. A little shopping and organizing forethought can elevate a lot of food-related friction.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”14637″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Front Hall

With so many people opening and closing the front door throughout the school week, the entryway can get a little bottlenecked with boots, coats and kids. Arranging furniture and coat racks to maximize flow is key to a stress-free family exit and entrance. To cut down on clutter, each family member gets their own coat and bag hook, as well as a shoe- and winter-accessory cubby. Even if space is limited, a set of strategically placed hooks can make all the difference in the front hall.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”14635″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]

Laundry Room

Warning: Dirty gym kits are coming and you need to be ready. Soccer shorts, hockey socks and dance leotards, they all come through that laundry room and need to be washed, dried and folded. If your kids are old enough to make them dirty, they’re old enough to help clean them—or at least put them away. Set up a shelving unit with cubbies for multiple, labeled laundry baskets (one for every family member) so that clothes can immediately be folded and placed in the appropriate basket. When it’s full, the owner puts away his or her own clothes. It’s never too early to ingrain a sense of responsibility for your own possessions.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”14638″ img_size=”large”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/carousel_anything][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]For yearlong organizing success for the whole family, get your kids involved in the set up and onboard to try their best to keep everything neat. Happy organizing and good luck!

You might also like: 10 Mind-Blowing Household Hacks Tailor-Made for Busy Families, found on HGTV.ca.

Courtesy of HGTV.ca.

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