Set your home, and your kids, up for success all year long with these tips for incoming paper, your entryway/drop zone, and kids’ clothing and laundry. Save time and your sanity and make mornings run smoother with these systems in place.
1. Create a Plan for Paper
SO.MUCH.PAPER. comes into the home. Having a plan for that paper will prevent piles on the kitchen table and counters, and prevent important permission slips from getting lost.
My 3 recommendations:
A Sunday Basket is used for all actionables and to dos. For example, a birthday party invitation that needs an RSVP and gift, and the calendar for the soccer season that needs to be entered digitally. Have one place for these items and know exactly where they are when you need them and never miss a deadline. Make sure to go through this basket once each week to stay on top of it.
- Artwork/Completed Homework Drawer
The second area is a place to corral kids artwork and completed homework. You by all means have permission to recycle or throw away these papers when you come across them. However, sometimes it’s easier to sort through and filter out the most important ones at one time. You can either go through this pile at the end of each semester/season or when the drawer fills up. You may want to designate a spot for each child, or make sure to write their name on every paper. A date or age can be helpful when recalling memories.
- Memory Box for Each Child
When you go through the designated paper dump pile, set aside the pieces that evoke emotion and the biggest milestones or proudest moments. You can always take photos of your child with art, especially larger projects. These most special papers can go in their memory box.
2. Survey Your Drop Zone
Take a look at your entryway. Remove everything and only put back what is needed for this season. I recommend at least 2 hooks per person. Try to stick with the essentials. 1 backpack, 1 jacket, 1 sweatshirt, 1 bag for soccer, etc. Designate a place for shoes – a basket works great for small ones. Place a sticky note near each backpack with a list of items that are needed each day. For example: water bottle, lunch, snack, Wednesday: library book, Thursday: tennis shoes, etc.
3. Organize Kids' Clothes
Make mornings a breeze with an organized bedroom closet and dresser. Create 3 bins or designated areas with these categories:
“Too Big”
“Too Small”
“Off Season”
This makes looking for new sizes and changing clothing out a breeze. It’s totally up to you if you want to hang, fold, or toss. This is very child dependent. Just make sure the clothing is categorized based on type. Label drawers and add a picture for littles too young to read.
Bonus laundry tip: keep each household members’ laundry separate. This will save so much time sorting. It can also make it easier for kids to put away their own laundry. If your child is in sports or daycare that requires bedding, I recommend taking those items directly from the dryer and putting them into their designated bags in the drop zone — keep them out of their bedrooms!
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