How to Survive (and Maybe Even Enjoy) the K-12 Back-to-School Chaos
Ah, July. The month where the sun is shining, the BBQs are sizzling, and—oh wait, what’s that? It’s BACK TO SCHOOL time already?! Cue the dramatic music and the frantic scramble to prepare! But fear not, brave parents and eager students. We’ve got your back with some hilarious and handy tips to make this transition smoother than a freshly laminated class schedule.
As a part of your Quarterly Action System, below are four home management upgrades that you can get started on right away - one good move at a time.
Some of your kiddos are starting back earlier than others. Check these out and set a reasonable pace at which you can put each one into your get-it-done rotation.
1. // Create Heading-Out Stations
You know how airports have those super organized check-in counters? Your home can have one too! Set up a station near the door with hooks for backpacks, a spot for shoes, and a tray for all those little things that love to disappear (we’re looking at you, house keys).
Pro Tip:
Use a shoe rack for the shoes and a basket for each kid's “school stuff.” Trust us, your mornings will go from chaotic to choreographed.
The Good Move: Don’t buy new baskets or plastic bins if you already have some. Go on a 10-minute treasure hunt around the house and locate enough containers that could easily be repurposed once you declutter them of stuff you either rarely use or just needs to be thrown away. Give them a good cleaning up with a sanitizing wipe and microfiber cloth and voila! You have your containers ready to go.
Bonus: Don’t fuss with labels. Just fold and tape (on the back of the paper on each side) a piece of paper onto the front facing edge and write the happy new owner’s name on it. Get style points by using colored paper or adding some nice patterns of your own.
If you really do need to buy some supplies, check out these top-rated picks from Amazon:
Watercolor Styles Aesthetic Stationery Paper, 8.5 x 11 In, 60 Sheets, Double Sided, Colorful Pretty Decorative Scrapbook / Writing Paper, Printer Friendly for Invitations
2. // Batch Prep for Lunches & Snacks
The only thing worse than a Monday morning is a Monday morning where you realize you forgot to pack lunch. Become the superhero of meal prep by dedicating Sunday afternoons to batch prep lunches and snacks for the week.
Pro Tip:
Assemble a snack and lunch army—cut veggies, portion out chips, and make sandwiches. Store them in easy-to-grab containers. Your future self will thank you.
The Good Move: The best options for both the foods and the containers are the ones you and your family will actually use. Don’t over think it here. For the lunches and snacks, think variety, cost-effectiveness, and prepacking where it makes sense. One lunch idea: Crackers, cheese, fruit, sandwich, and applesauce.
One snack idea: Snack-size bags of granola, cheese sticks, beef jerky, or another either pre-packed or easy-to-repackage option. Whatever you decide, take 1 hour over the weekend to get at least the first three days of the week ready. Take another 30 minutes mid-week to prepare those last two days.
Thankfully, food prep and snack containers and baggies can be found at your favorite grocery store on the cheap.
Bonus: Want to dehydrate your own fruits and veggies for a super nutritious options that's hasn't been hijacked by added salt, sugar, and not-the-best-for-you preservatives? We LOVE our Kalorik Air Fryer Oven Grill. Get it on Amazon:
3. // Homework Carts: The Mobile Command Center
Homework: the bane of every child’s existence and the source of many a parent’s headache. Enter the homework cart—a rolling cart filled with all the supplies your mini Einstein needs. Think pencils, paper, calculators, and that elusive protractor.
Pro Tip:
Label each drawer or section for different supplies. Not only will it keep things organized, but it will also make you feel like a Pinterest genius.
The Good Move: Load this bad boy up with a mix of open and closed containers as needed to hold all the goodies. Just like in point 1, you likely have a shopping-center worth of options around your home just begging to be repurposed, even the rolling cart thingy.
If not, here again are some top-rated Amazon-to-the-rescue finds:
PENGKE File Organizer Triangle Iron Desktop Storage Book Rack Bookshelf Copper Magazine Newspaper Holder Art Desktop Organizer Rack,Rose Gold Pack of 1 - GO >
4. // Family Calendar: The Master Plan
How many activities can one family juggle? The limit does not exist! Keep track of everyone’s schedule with a family calendar. It can be a traditional wall calendar, a whiteboard, a pin-friendly cork board, or even a digital one shared on your devices.
Pro Tip:
Color code each family member’s activities. It’s like a rainbow of organization—and rainbows make everyone happy.
The Good Move: Going digital across devices can be hit or miss. With so many things on our phones, we tend to swipe away from notifications too quickly to read them or ignore them altogether. The paper or whiteboard route can be just as slippery because it is only in one place and can be easily left behind. The best solution for you and your family is the one that you all (or most of you) will commit to checking daily. The key guideline is to make sure your pick is: regularly updated and highly visible.
Top digital pick: Google Calendar
Top physical ideas: White board in the kitchen or by the door you use to exit most, dry-erase calendar plus post it notes, a tear-off notepad with the items listed for each person to snap a picture of each morning
Final Words of Wisdom
Remember, the back-to-school season doesn’t have to be a stress fest.
With a bit of planning, a sprinkle of humor, and these actionable tips, you’ll be ready to tackle the new school year like a pro. And hey, if all else fails, there’s always coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.
The Success-Stacking Results:
You rest better at night with as that feeling of being ready for the day ahead lets you relax from head to toe.
Your kids start doing better in school because they too are better prepared on all fronts: organized, nourished, accomplished, and in-sync schedule-wise.
You all use your boost in mental well-being and confidence to set up other areas of your life for success.
Stay best-life ready, friends!
Feeling prepared yet?
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Bonus:
Have you heard about the AMAZING new platform for collecting all of your best online goodies in one place and them sharing them with your friends? We have bonus Back to School Material for you here:
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