Your Guide to Back-to-School Prep

Text by Bethany Adams

The back-to-school season is here, and if you’re feeling less than prepared, you’re not alone! To help you prep for every hectic moment, we pulled together inspiration and products designed to get you organized and ready to transform the chaos into calm.

Study in Style

A designated homework spot is a must-have for your little scholars—complete with plenty of shelving for books. This cozy nook is equal parts fun and functional, and it shows the advantages of designing a space that suits your child’s style and makes study time a little more appealing.

Stick Around

Keeping important tasks and reminders in sight can help keep them in mind, but neon sticky notes tend to be an eyesore! Opt for a set that will have you smiling every time you look at them—like this box set that offers even more ways to organize your thoughts!

Planning Ahead

While a good planner is obviously a must-have for staying organized during the school season, it’s difficult to pick from the many options. This option by organization queen Emily Ley keeps everything simple and easy to find—meaning the hardest choice will be which pattern to buy it in!

Welcome Home

Set the stage for an orderly home the second your kids step foot in the door with an entryway geared toward organization. Hooks for backpacks and jackets, cubbies for shoes, and cabinets and baskets for whatever else your kids bring home with them mean less straightening throughout the afternoon—which means more time for getting that homework done and having fun as a family!

File It Away

Keep all of those field-trip release slips, homework printouts, and supply lists sorted and in their proper places with a set of color-coded file folders. Whether you sort them by category or kid, a set like this one will ensure your kitchen table stays uncluttered (and all those assignments make it back to the teacher on time).

Top Tier

A tiered rolling cart is the perfect place to stash notebooks, highlighters, and all of the supplies your kids require throughout the school season. Easily moved from space to space, these little helpers come both with drawers—to hide away the clutter—or without, like this model that allows for easy access while keeping everything in place.

It’s a Date

When it comes to staying on top of all of those important school year dates, a wall calendar is another clear choice—and this one especially so! Whether you prefer the monthly or weekly option, a family calendar lets everyone keep up with the plan, and opting for a reusable acrylic option makes it easy to adjust things and means you won’t need to go shopping for a new one next year.

Good Reads

Summer reading may be months away, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a cozy corner perfect for breaking out your kid’s latest library find. Lots of lighting and comfy cushions are vital, and a nearby table for after-school snacks will have them excited to learn something new.