Back to School Organization (so you can keep your sanity)

I still can’t believe that school has already started here in Georgia. Growing up here in Georgia, we used to get almost 3 full months of school, but now it’s just two which is totally insane in my opinion. I mean, summer and the south kind of go hand-in-hand so I feel a little like my kids are getting cheated or something. 

Okay, rant over. Anyway, a lot of my Instagram followers were asking about my planning methods for back to school after seeing a few of the things that I do in my InstaStories. So, in case this helps you get prepared for the new school year, here you go my friends!

1. Lunch Menu

I started this last year and it was amazing! We had about a month where at least someone in the house was sick and you know that meant that this mama was worn slap out. Trying to come up with decent and healthy food options with very little brain power just wasn’t happening. 

So once everyone was healthy and life was kind of back to normal, I brainstormed a bunch of lunch ideas. And now, I keep this list in our Family Favorites binder in my kitchen, so I don’t have to think about what to pack my kiddos for lunch. 

It’s important to note, that my kids usually eat leftovers for lunch but when there aren’t any to choose from, this is the list I head to for options. Super time-saving and helpful!

I will tell you that my boys can eat – I usually have to pack them a hearty snack like a muffin to help them get through the day without starving to death. 

2. Have a staging station

You can call this whatever you, command center, staging station, the place to put your stuff, whatever works best for you! Basically, this is the place that your kids are going to put their school stuff every day. This allows you to go through their school work with them and helps them learn to put all of their stuff in their bag the night before. 

3. Keep a Routine

I have one child with ADHD and sensory issues and I can tell you from experience, that having a routine makes all the difference! The key to the routine is to stick to it! A Mother’s Rule of Life and Say Goodbye to Survival Mode are two of my favorite books on creating a routine that I suggest for creating a routine that works for your family. 

Basically, our routine during school days looks like this:

6AM Wake up & eat breakfast (this is the alarm clock my boys have)

6:30 AM Brush teeth, wash face, brush hair, get dressed

6:50 AM Walk to the bus stop

7AM Bus picks up boys

2:45 PM Bus drops boys off

3 PM Show mom all the school stuff and agendas. Put school shoes back in the closet and wash hands. Snack time.

4 PM Meal prep (mom’s duty) and homework

5/5:30 PM Dinner time.

6 PM Clean up from dinner, pick out clothes for tomorrow and make sure all the school stuff is in the backpack. Playtime until bedtime.

7 PM Bath time.

7:30 PM Brush teeth, PJs on, and brush hair. Read devotional or Bible story and say prayers. Mom reads one story out loud. Conner reads one BOB book out loud (Collin will be doing this too after Christmas). 

8 PM Kisses goodnight and lights out.

Obviously, your schedule will look different and on various days for our family, it looks different too depending on soccer or school commitments. 

4. Their Own Supplies

Okay, so just like you have to buy them their own school supplies for school…you need to get them their own homework supplies. I know, I know, it’s another thing, but it’ll keep the fighting about homework at bay (or at least make it less frequent). My kids each have their own pencils, scissors, paper, and crayons/markers. 

They just get their supplies when it is time to do homework and it makes getting the homework done so much faster! 

Okay, so that’s all I got for keeping somewhat organized during the school year. I’d love to hear your tips!

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