Counting down . . . 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and Back to School! Whether it’s something your family dreads or eagerly awaits, heading back to school creates all kinds of activity and change. Besides the obvious back-to-school shopping (see Back to School Shopping) , there are other things you can do ahead of time to feel more organized and ready to embrace the new school year.

I have a few ideas to share with you to help you gear up. Before I share these, may I suggest two things:

1. Take a look at the past. What have been the successes during the school years for your family? What have the trials and frustrations been? In other words–what worked and what did not!
2. Imagine the school year of your dreams. Break that down into the week or day of your dreams. What would it look like? How would it feel? How would it sound?

Now that you know what you don’t want and what you do want, you’re ready to begin creating a plan! Allow some time to think about and create the plan and be sure to include your family in these steps! Schedule a “team meeting” to discuss schedules, curfews, meal times and chores. Then choose one or some of the ideas below to try at your house.

Some ideas you can consider:

• Create a landing pad. Somewhere near the door where everyone enters and leaves you home, make a designated spot for hanging jackets and backpacks, stashing shoes, placing items that need to be remembered as people leave, etc. This will vary in design on your needs, your space and your family members.
• Create a home management center or household hub. If you already have one in place, take a look at what might need updating or rethinking. This is a one-stop-shopping place for all family members to find family calendars, contact information, school calendars, class schedules, medical information, shopping lists, take-out menus, etc. It can be in a binder, in files or in any way that it is organized and easily accessible for everyone.
• Create a homework zone. This will be the designated spot for kids to do homework. It may be at a desk or at the kitchen table–anywhere free from distractions such as the TV. Plan for good lighting, a clear workspace, computer access and any other type of reference materials needed.  You will want to be sure to have on hand plenty of school supplies–perhaps a general supply bin or a smaller individual set for each child.
• Plan for a snack zone. Create a spot where the kids and the parents know the snacks are accessible and approved. This will take some planning–but you KNOW they’re going to be hungry when they get home. Accept it, understand it and plan for it!
• Plan your own time so that you can be available as a support for your kids. Teach them to be responsible for checking their backpacks and calendars for important project information and paper for parents. Offer input if requested with homework, but don’t take from them the satisfaction and the savvy they’ll gain from doing it by themselves.
• Consider a trial run. A few days before the actual Day #1, practice the bedtime routine, the morning routine and the after-school routine. Make sure the kids have input into the planning and implementation–they’ll be much more interested in your ideas if you are interested in theirs!

No, it will never BE perfect. If it were, we’d have nothing left to work for. But it can be better, and we can progress daily and weekly. We can take a look at how things are going and decide if we need to regroup.

For more information and some additional ideas on this topic, you are always welcome to listen free to The Organized Woman Show!