20 Back-to-School Organizing Tips from 20 Years of Organizing Families
Growing up in England, we got six weeks of summer holiday (vacation). It was hardly long enough to get accustomed to a lazy summer. I’m not sure it’s a better system, but one thing is for sure: American families struggle with the back-to-school routine after three months off. We’ve helped hundreds of Philadelphia-area families establish systems and routines, and since we’re celebrating twenty years in business, here are 20 back-to-school organizing tips to help:
Mindset Lessons
- The first couple of weeks are always chaos. No system necessarily prevents it, but the right one shortens it.
- Systems before stuff: families love to buy organizing supplies before they’ve figured out what they actually need. Don’t fall into that trap!
- Kids stick to systems they help build, not ones handed to them. Get their input.
- The routine that survives is the one that was simple enough to keep doing, not the most elaborate one.
Morning & Afternoon Routines
- Create a back-from-school drop-off routine from the get-go. Where does the backpack go? The shoes? Establish it, and enforce it.
- Backpacks get unpacked the moment they come through the door.
- Morning routines don’t fail all at once. They fail at one choke point, usually shoes, backpacks, or breakfast.
- Prep as much as possible the night before to avoid the morning scramble. This includes clothes, lunches, breakfast, and shoes.
- Establish an afternoon routine from the get-go: snack, homework, leisure time. However you want to structure it, create the routine before the school year begins.
Organizing the Spaces
- A landing zone by the door beats a “perfect” mudroom every time: function over Pinterest.
- Siblings need separate systems; shared bins are where things get lost.
- The junk drawer of school supplies needs a home too. Create labeled, size-appropriate containers for glue sticks, spare pencils, index cards, and more.
- The car is an extension of the house system. A tidy car creates a calm atmosphere to start the day.
Taming the Paper (and Digital) Chaos
- Paper folders have given way to school apps. Create a system for online organization, too.
- Labeling works. Kids (and parents) follow visual cues faster.
- A weekly “paper purge” prevents the September binder from becoming the November avalanche.
- The everything bowl by the door is a trap: keys, mail, permission slips. A home for everything, and everything in its home.
Staying Consistent
- What worked for your oldest won’t automatically work for your youngest; systems have to flex with each child’s wiring.
- An hour or two of prepping on Sunday can alleviate a stressful week.
- The families who bounce back fastest aren’t the most organized. They’re the most consistent.
None of these tips work in isolation, and that’s the point. Together, they build a rhythm your family can actually rely on, week after week. Start wherever feels most urgent, but don’t stop there. Twenty years of watching families reset every September has taught us: the households that thrive are the ones that commit to the whole system, not just the parts that are easiest.
Need help getting organized for the new academic year? Contact The Organizing Professionals, we’re just a phone call away!
Janet