The Back to School Checklist you need
As summer comes to a close, we are appreciating each slow morning, pool day, and sunsets on the trampoline. However, now is the time to prepare for the school year. I like to take inventory and pull the house back together for a fresh start heading into the fall. Sometimes this list isn’t finished until September. Today, I am sharing with you the back-to-school checklist you need to start the school year off right!
The Back to school checklist
- Wash Backpacks and lunchboxes
- Take Inventory & Create Shopping list
- Declutter & Home refresh
- School Supply list
- Make Shopping List & Go Shopping
- Choose a Planner & Build Routine
- Rest
- Bonus: Teacher Gift Ideas & what they really want
Wash Backpacks and lunchboxes
I always start with this step, and in some weird way, I enjoy it. I fill up my bathtub with warm-hot water and laundry detergent. Empty the pockets of the bag and pretreat any areas that have stains or extra wear. Soak them in the bathtub for ONE HOUR. I like to scrub ours down and thoroughly move water throughout the bag until I have covered all the sides. Then I rinse with cold water and put them on the patio to dry in the sun.
Clothing Inventory
Limiting the amount of laundry we manage helps keep the house in order, the budget down, and decisions to a minimum. Not only will you save time and money, but you will create a wardrobe for your kids that will last all year. Knowing what we need and don’t need helps create boundaries and an intentional experience.
Challenging myself to less this year. Be free from Instagram perfection and impressing your neighbors. This year, limit the kids’ closets to this list, putting any extras in a bin somewhere out of sight! If you need something, grab it, but chances are you won’t.
I do have 2 jackets per child for the school year BTW. One year, someone left their jacket at school, so I make sure to have a spare around just in case. What else is a mom to do!?
Declutter & Home Refresh
Purging the kids’ clothing gets me in the mood for a refresh. Usually in July the house is a wreck from letting down my cleaning and order routines a bit. I’ve learned to appreciate this relaxed time of rest, but enough is enough. I can finish this in a day or two and focus on decluttering and cleaning the most. Check out this post on how to declutter your whole house.
School Supply List
By now the supply list for the schools should be out. This is another area that goes over budget quickly. See what you have at home already and keep the basics quick and easy. I like to order the basic items in the store’s brand, online. Then, we go as a family to grab a new binder and water bottle for the year.
Make your shopping list & go shopping
Create a shopping list from your clothing needs and school supply lists. If you order online, I like to take the kids to grab a new binder and water bottle each year. Tennis shoes are also a must, so add that to your list and make sure they can run fast in them. Setting a budget for these items beforehand, creates boundaries and will help you stay on track. Grab a cup of coffee and celebrate a new school year. This is an exciting tradition the kids enjoy each year and by keeping it simple, we enjoy the process and time together.
Choose a Planner & Build a Routine
With kids in school, it’s easiest to have a planner that follows the school year. This way class information and sport rhythms carry on throughout the whole planner. However, buying a planner and USING YOUR PLANNER are two different things. To get the most out of your planner, create routines to update your planner and organize your life and to-do list. Even if you digitally plan, a paper planner has many benefits, and once you get in the rhythm, you will be more organized and productive. The planner I purchased for this year! Use this link for $10 off!
Rest
August can sometimes feel like Maycember with the sudden change in schedule and new routines. Use this time to create margin and empty your calendar a bit. Be bored and okay with less to do and see how you feel. Spend extra time at the pool and exchange chores for a cozy book. Fill up while you can, because August and routine are right around the corner.
Bonus: Teacher gift ideas and what teachers really want
I love giving, and blessing teachers is one of my favorite ways to do that. The cute pinteresty gifts can be cute, but practical is the way to go for the first week of school. The first week is exhausting for them, so having support of any kind goes a long way.
This year I am making breakfast casseroles and cinnamon rolls, wrapped in tulle to send in on first Friday of school. Your teacher will appreciate a Saturday morning breakfast. Let them know it is coming though, so there’s a plan to refrigerate them.
Another idea is to buy items off their classroom list. Teachers have enough coffee cups and crayon signs. They appreciate getting the items they need and the support encourages them.
I cannot believe another school year is here. It always reminds me how fast time really does fly and big the kids are getting. The fall time is such a refreshing and exciting time of year.
