Back to School: Make a Plan

Masks or no masks? Bus or no bus? Digital or paper? What’s the plan for school this year?!?
When faced with back-to-school confusion, what does a professional organizer do? Make a plan!
Taking control of the things that are within your control will help you and your family feel calmer and more confident about the start of school. Here are my top tips for a smooth transition.

Your Back to School Plan

1. Start going to bed and getting up earlier—not just the kids, but you too! It’s time to admit that vacation is coming to an end. Use the extra AM time to work your way into a good routine. You’ll all be less stressed after banking some good sleep.

2. Establish your school-year screen time and device rules now. Get the kids’ buy-in by explaining to them the need for rules, then asking for their input and having a conversation. Just remember that the parents have the final say! ...

Some basic screen rules to cover are:

• When can screen time happen? (E.g. Non-school screen time allowed Friday through Sunday only.)
• Where do devices live? (E.g. Devices must be used in a public area of the house and are garaged in the kitchen overnight.)
• What about morning device use? (Teens are apt to turn on the phone and linger in bed, making everyone late. A good rule might be that devices can be checked only after everyone is dressed and ready.)

3. Organize the entryway and drop zone. Backpacks, jackets, and supplies need to be easy to grab in the morning and easy to put away when arriving home. Getting these ready in advance—and having the kids help set them up—will help everyone remember that things have a designated home in your house and don’t belong scattered all over the place

4. Set up a homework supply area. A box or bin is ideal so kids can bring it over to where they want to work. Stock it with paper, pencils, markers, ruler, calculator, etc.

• About a week before school starts, review the school-day timeline and logistics.
• Times: wake up, leave the house, arrive back home, start homework
• Places: bus or carpool, where they get picked up/dropped off
• People: who picks up/drops off, who watches them after school
• Stuff: after school activities, lunch plans (buy or bring), other commitments

The final plans you need to make? Before vacation ends, plan a few more beach or pool days!