Back To School: These 10 easy steps will get you ready for the new school year
Editor's note: Kendall P. Gilbert is a local mom and creator and founder of MORE SPACE. Go Ask Mom featured her in July.
Photos of kids donning backpacks and new shoes are streaming across retail sites, dollar spots are filled with college dorm gadgets and school bus yellow is the color at all the big box store entrances. Although most of us are probably soaking in the last drops of sunshine, delighted with lazy days, reminders surround us indicating the back-to-school whirlwind is headed our way.
The change in the seasons is often good, but it can feel a little daunting to “get back on the horse” after a low-key summer. To help us kick it into gear without feeling too overwhelmed on the eve of the first day of school, I’m sharing 10 tips on how to prepare a little bit each day between now and then. All you need to do is spend just minutes over the next week getting ready for school. Then, relish in that last day of summer break without the chaos!
ONE: Locate your school supplies lists. If you are a pen and paper person, print them so you are ready to cross out the items when you shop.
TWO: Pull out backpacks, lunch boxes and water bottles from storage. Take a look to see if any need to be repaired, cleaned or replaced. Add anything to be bought to the supply lists.
THREE: Designate a time to shop for school supplies. If it's easiest to buy online, reserve time for ordering everything. If it’s fun to involve the kids, plan a day to bring them along. Or, set a time to shop alone and avoid the “extras” that get thrown into the cart!
FOUR: Schedule a night to celebrate the end of the summer and all the fun possibilities the new school year brings. It doesn't have to be a huge effort or expense (think s'mores or ice cream). Just being together to intentionally mark the end of one season and the beginning of another can serve as a great vehicle to set expectations and get in the mind frame of what's next.
FIVE: Create a list of EASY go-to meals for the busy weeks ahead. I'm talking frozen-pizza-easy. The beginning of the school year can be overwhelming with early mornings and evenings of homework and activities. Having an easy button to push for dinner during those first few weeks can help get the family back into a routine with less stress.
SIX: In preparation for assembling lunches and making dinners easier, clean out your refrigerator and pantry. You'll be so glad it's effortless to find food when you start filling lunch boxes again.
SEVEN: Write down your personal morning routine. For me, it's helpful to have time to myself before the chaos of a school morning gets underway. Setting a routine helps me name what's important for me to do before the kids get up and stick to it. It's a little self-care in these full seasons.
EIGHT: Record your evening routine. With summer in full swing, we've kept late nights and very few rhythms for settling down to go to bed. Deciding what our family needs before going to sleep and determining what time we need to start those nightly rituals helps get us in the mindset of the new school season.
NINE: Set expectations by discussing the evening routine with your family. Choose a day and time to have a quick conversation with everyone prior to the night before school.
TEN: Schedule time to take a breath during the first few weeks of school. Those initial days of going back to school can be overwhelming for everyone. Since you are likely captaining the ship, taking care of yourself is of utmost importance. Refill your tank so you can give to others!
Kendall P. Gilbert is the mom of two and founder of MORE SPACE, helping local families carve out more space in their lives and homes.
