Back-to-school organization tips: Make this school year the best ever

Our social media newsfeeds are filling up with pictures of back-to-schoolers with big smiles and backpacks. Behind the cameras are the parents, and you can almost see their ear-to-ear grins as their kids head back for their (hopefully) great first days of school.

The truth is that every good school day starts with a little behind-the-scene effort: a clean and organized home. Here’s how to get your home organized and cleaned for a smooth-running school year that’ll keep the smiles on every member of your family’s faces.

Mudroom

Your mudroom is the first line of defense, so concentrate your cleaning and organization in this key room. Deep clean your floors and place mats in key locations to keep the dirt and grime off your floors. Set up an area for everyone to take off their shoes (your inside floors are going to thank you!) and an area for backpacks, jackets, sports and winter gear. Use hooks, shelves, and benches.

Kitchen

While a kitchen may not be an obvious part of the school day, it is the site of many lunch-packing. Clean down your school lunch prep area, and reorganize your cabinets and pantry so you have adequate storage and easy access to your kids’ favorite school lunch items. Clean your floors (use these floor cleaning tips) or schedule a floor cleaning to make sure your kitchen is ready for many delicious school lunch preps.

Bedrooms

While your kids’ rooms may not always be clean, that doesn’t mean you can’t take steps to make sure it is clean and organized for the school year. Have the carpets cleaned so the room is clean from the ground up (and allergen-free for a healthy year). If your kids do have allergies, consider having the ducts cleaned so to minimize allergens circulated throughout your home. Organize the closet and remove any clothes that don’t fit (it’ll help so they don’t have to change and change their clothes again).

Bathroom

Make sure your bathroom is clean and ready for many smooth morning routines. Organize the drawers and make sure that items your kid use in the morning are easy-to-access. If your kids change in the bathroom, make sure there is an area where they can lay out their clothes for a quick out-the-door every morning.

Homework area

Get your kids ready for many nights of homework. Make sure the area your kids work at is well-stocked, organized, and cleaned. Clean the floors, surface, and chair so your kids can focus—and, hopefully, can tackle their homework distraction-free (and even with a smile?).