5 Back-to-School Projects to Keep You Organized

There’s just something about summer… that makes you feel irreparably disorganized! From chaotic schedules (or no schedules at all) to the masses of sun-drenched, chlorine-soaked laundry, to staying outside way past dinnertime, this school year couldn’t start soon enough. 

And if you’re ready to recoup your sanity, we’ve got just the way to do it, with a few easy – but highly impactful – organizational projects you can tackle now that the kids are back in school. 

Delete Some Apps

We can mark the beginning of any school year with one guarantee – we’re going to need to download at least one (but probably more like three) new apps for each school our kids are attending. And if you don’t want to feel overwhelmed every time you look down at your phone, take a few minutes now to reorganize. 

Delete any unused apps and make sure those you need and use most frequently are easily accessible from your home page. Once that’s done, you can go through your contacts, notes and – if you’re feeling ambitious – maybe even your photos. We love this 30-minute phone organization plan from Practical Perfection, so if you can squeeze in a half hour, hop over and follow their lead!

Fold Your Linens

When September rolls around, the morning rush gets real. And a cluttered kitchen – and all the drawers that go with them – can make things feel even more hectic. Once your kids are in school (and you’ve scored a few hours alone in your home), take a morning to organize those kitchen drawers. 

And since linens are our brand of expertise, we suggest you start right there. First, sort through your towels and dish rags and donate any that are old, worn or simply not your thing. When organizing your drawer, we suggest using the Marie Kondo folding method. This allow you to see all the cute prints at a glance and keeps all towels from bottom-of-the-pile banishment. Hop over to YouTube for a quick tutorial and see how cute your kitchen drawers can be!

Pro tip: If it’s not adorable, head over to Geometry to check out our newest collection!

Create a Family Command Center

You don’t need to take it from us; you already know how hard it is to juggle everyone’s schedules. From pick-ups and drop-offs to music lessons, soccer games and social events, there’s too much for one mind (or one mom) to remember. That’s why creating a designated space for a family calendar – plus all the other info you need on the daily – can go a long way in helping you feel more organized.

Your family command center doesn’t have to be elaborate; in fact, we love a simple calendar hung on the inside door of a cabinet (pro tip: choose the cabinet everyone opens at least 10 times a day). Along with your family calendar, include useful printouts like the school lunch menu, soccer schedule, daily reading assignments, etc. If you want to get a little more creative, head over to The Spruce for some fun ideas. 

Create a School/Artwork Repository

Nothing says back-to-school like stacks of school and artwork you feel too guilty to throw away. But if you try to keep everything your littles bring home, your scrapbooks are going to read like Russian novels – and not in a good way.

Instead, buy an inexpensive art folio for those pieces that are heirloom worthy (like those handmade Mother’s Day gifts, or those turkeys made from a handprint). For everything else, consider creating a digital repository. Create photo folders on your phone for each of your children, then snap a photo of the stuff you’d like to remember. And if it’s not worth remembering, there’s no shame in tossing it straightaway!

Stock the Freezer

We all have the best of intentions, but once that hectic school-year schedule sets in, family dinners can feel like an afterthought. Aside from the difficulty of gathering everyone at the table at the same time, there’s also the meal itself to prepare. 

Give yourself a little head start by stocking your freezer with easy meals ready to go – for those days when the afternoon errands take a little too long. And since you’re probably pressed for time (aren’t we all?), check out this meal prep tutorial from Six Sisters’ Stuff, which shows you how to make eight freezer meals in an hour!

With summer trending out, it’s time to up your organization game! These tips will have you tackling the school year like the pro you are – so let’s get to it!