Back to school is in full swing, and we are all looking for ways to make getting back into the routine easier. This year has been a game-changer for my family as it is our first year having a child in school full-time in kindergarten. With the change in routine from summer, plus adding in getting to school five days a week, I have been in a constant state of trying to find items that will make the transition easier.
Below is a list of “survival items” I’ve incorporated into my family’s life to help make adjusting to the back to school routine easier:
Morning clothes boxes
Let’s face it; even as adults picking out what we are going to wear each day is a challenge. So this year I bought each of the kids their own “Morning Box.” Each night, I put clothes, socks, and shoes into their boxes. In the morning, my kids know to look for their box and start getting ready with the clothes we picked out the night before. Even my three-year-old is getting the hang of finding his box and trying to put on his clothes. It is a time saver and creating independence. Win-win.
Linked here are some of my favorite boxes for starting this routine in your home.
Family calendar
I call our family calendar our house’s command center. On our fridge, I have a dry erase calendar, note pad, and school calendar. I will also put up any school notes with magnets around it. If my husband or I need to know what is going on, this is where we look. There we will find things to do, events, school activities, extracurriculars, etc.
I have my favorite linked here. It comes with the note pad and calendar together.
Frames for school art
I am not sure about your kids, but mine bring art and papers from school home every day. They are so proud of their work and my momma heart swells to see how proud they are. But, it is a lot of paper, and of course, they want it displayed. Instead of hanging their work on the fridge where it gets tore down by my toddlers, I bought some really cool wall art display boxes. My favorite part is that they are also storage for all the art. Each day my kids bring something home, I simply put the item in the frame, move the last piece that was displayed to the back storage part, and hang it in a way that everyone can see. When the storage gets full, I take them down, pull out my favorites to put in my kids’ memory boxes, and the trash the rest (don’t tell my kids it goes in the trash!).
I have these frames; they have held up really well over the last two years.
Car organizer
My car is always a mess. With four boys under six, the back two rows and hatch of my Expedition are always in a constant state of clutter. I’m embarrassed to even mention the bag of donation items that have been riding around with me for the last two months. But, I am on a mission to change this.
I took my grocery organizer and turned my hatch area into an organized center that also doubles as a grocery carrier when I go to Aldi. I keep the essentials (extra clothes, toilet seat for potty training, extra diapers and wipes, and small toys) in one section of the organizer, and keep the other two free for when I need to take it out to go shopping. I get asked every time I am at Aldi where I got my car organizer because it makes shopping there a million times easier.
My bag is linked here. It also came with a really neat cooler that fits in the dividers which helps to save space when we pack snacks for the park or road trips.
Activity box for car rider line
The wait in the car rider line is HARD for a four, three, and almost two-year-old. If we don’t hit it just right, we may be waiting for 30-45 minutes. That is a lot of time to try to keep young kids entertained while in their car seats. After last week, I decided to make an activity box for them so my back seat did not become a wrestling ring. I’ll update in the comments later on if this works since it is my first week trying it.
Linked here are some of the items I put in it to try to keep my kids entertained without creating a huge mess.
Mini cooler for snacks
Are your kids starving after school or is it just mine? When my kids get in the car after pick up, the first thing they always say to me is, “I’m hungry.” I refuse to go through the drive-thru constantly after school (because who has the money for that with four kids!?), so I started taking a mini cooler filled with snacks, juice, and water for them to have once they get in the car.
I have also learned that if I have a snack ready for them and they are not complaining about being hungry, I usually hear more about their day on the way home.
I am using the cooler from my cooler from grocery/hatch organizer linked here.
