Organizing for back to school

Well it's that time of the year again when the lazy days of summer can quickly turn into an overwhelmed chaotic nightmare if we aren't prepared for back to school.  And by prepared I mean organized.  Incorporating some simple organized solutions into your day can take you from stressed out to calm and controlled when it comes to getting the kids out the door and off to school each day.

School Clothes:

My kids don't start school until September 8th so this week in preparation of the big day I am going through all the kid's clothes and creating an inventory of what they have and what they'll need.  I have them try everthing on for me.  I'm happy if they each have at least five outfits, one for each day of the week, plus a couple of sweaters and I don't feel it's necessary to buy new back to school clothes just because.  If there is a need, then yes, otherwise we just don't worry about it.  To assist with this process I found this very cute and handy Back to School Clothes Shopping Checklist provided by Controlling My Chaos.

School Supplies:

The next thing I do is take the school supply list and check off what we already own.  Where possible I re-use what I can from previous years.  I then take this list with me to the store and only purchase the essentials.  Once I get the school supplies home I immediately sit down, write the names on everything and load it into their backpacks.

Backpack Station:

The biggest contributing factor in my house for staying on top of the school craziness is having a designated backpack station by the front door. I'd absolutely be lost without it.  The kids know exactly where their backpacks need to go when they get home from school and the central location allows me the opportunity to check the packs each day to ensure notes are received and homework is done.  Mornings are also a snap because backpacks can quickly be grabbed on the way out the door.

Here is a picture of what my simple backpack station looks like:

You can also view some other backpack station examples on my blog here.

Command Central:

As for all the school papers, and boy is there a lot of them, I highly recommend setting up a Command Central to keep important papers and calendars all in one place.  Having a pre-planned system ready to go will ultimately mean less confusion and more order in your home.  Please visit this post of mine for more information if you are interested. 

What others are saying:

Another back to school tip is to prepare for mornings in advance.  You can find plenty of ideas on how to do this at the Feels Like Home blog ~ Plan Ahead to Make Mornings Easier.

To assist you with organizing your day, I love these Must Have Printables for Simplifying Your Life from Mommypalooza.

And for fun, these Free Printable Lunchbox Notes from Once Upon a Holiday are adorable.

Finally, I got such a kick out of what Busymom.net thinks of all these back to school tips and how they apply to her life :)  

What helps you get ready for back to school and/or stay sane througout the school year?

PS:  Have you entered to win a George Foreman Electric Grill yet?