Getting Organized for School Mornings

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In a few days my daughter starts kindergarten.  No longer will we roll out of bed, play a bit, and then eventually meander to the breakfast table.  Our mornings will be all about waking up on time, getting dressed, and out the door in time to get to school.  This past week I’ve been trying to get organized for school mornings.

simple tips to get organized for school mornings -- get organized for back to school

 

There are some simple ways to get the kids out the door a little more smoothly in the mornings.

  • Have your child lay out their clothes the night before.  This will eliminate the last minute search for that special skirt that matches their favorite shirt.
  • Get backpacks packed the night before.  Skip the drama of looking for last night’s homework or those gym clothes in the morning.
  • If your child packs lunch, get that lunch made the night before.

Along with those simple ideas, you can also make school mornings go more smoothly with a bit of organizing.

 

Organizing Lunch Box Items

It’s amazing how quickly the collection of sandwich boxes, drink bottles, lunch boxes, and other lunch related items you can acquire when your kids start school.  These items need a space of their own where they can  be in one spot instead of spread out throughout the kitchen.  This will make lunch packing go much more smoothly.

We are fortunate to have a small cabinet with pull-out shelves that works perfectly for this.  I like having the cabinet down low so the kids can help put items away once they are clean and can even help pack lunch.

back to school tips

 

Organizing Lunch Snack Choices

When it comes to lunches, it’s also helpful to organize school-friendly snacks and desserts.  We created a separate place in our pantry for desserts, fruit cups/applesauce containers, and other snack items (Goldfish crackers and dried fruits) to be stored separately.   This makes it easy to quickly find items you are looking for.

I like using what we already have on hand, so I recycled a couple mismatched baskets and even a sturdy cardboard box.  You could always find matching containers at the dollar store if you want a more cohesive look. Having them stored in separate containers also makes it easy for kids to find the snacks they are looking for.  Letting kids have a say in what gets packed means they are more likely to eat their lunch.

 

Getting Ready for School Checklist

Finally, what I think will be the biggest help in getting us out the door in time is this simple flip chart.

how to make a flip chart

I used some over-sized paint samples I had in our art supplies and wrote out each step of our morning process.  I also included a simple picture on each card to make it easier for my non-reader to follow.

By punching a hole in the corner of each card and threading them onto a large metal or plastic ring, you can make a getting ready for school flip chart.  (I like using what I have on hand, so I recycled a baby toy link and just wrapped a bit of tape around the opening in the ring to keep the cards from falling off.  You can also use a metal binder ring.)

 

Are you ready for back to school?  I hope these simple tips help you feel more organized for school mornings!

tips for starting school

Other back to school posts you may like:

 

 

Comments

  1. It all looks great. I’m trying to be more organized this year. I m trying a meal plan chart. I have a daily schedule on the fridge. My goal is to have as consistent as possible schedule with dinner, baths, and bedtime because I feel like we were all over the place last year. I wish you good luck with the new year. We also got the felt dolls in the mail. My girls love them. Thank you very much.

    • I am hoping to be more organized when it comes to dinner meal times this year, too.

      I’m glad the girls like the felt dolls. 🙂

  2. Have her set out her clothes for the next day, right down to the underwear, so there won’t be any decisions to make in the morning. Also have her school bag ready to go the night before with what she needs for the next day (ie gym clothes, homework, etc). The fewer tasks and decisions there are when you are all still half-awake, the better.

  3. Wow….it looks like you’re very organized!
    I LOVE the flip-chart ~ what a great idea = )
    What an exciting time for you and your little peanut!!

    I found it very helpful to label everything with a permanent marker in case something gets lost ~ maybe you’ve already done that?

    And getting as much as you can ready the night before really helps the morning to go more smoothly ~ pick out clothes, set the breakfast table, pack lunch, organize backpack, etc.

    Also, you may want to start getting used to your “new” morning schedule/routine now….before school starts. That way it’s not such a big adjustment that first week of school.

    Don’t forget to take a photo on the first day of school to help remember this special occasion. It will be fun to display it at her graduation party in 13 years!!!!

    • Thank you for the tips!
      Definitely getting clothes ready the night before and lunch packed. Never thought about having the table set for breakfast already — love that!

      I’ve labeled all her lunch stuff, but still need to label jackets, etc. And I’m hoping to try out the new schedule/routine this week before school starts.

  4. WOW…super organized babe. Can I link back to this post in two Thursdays? I am starting to get ready… with lunch bags and snacks in one place. I like your kid schedule, I have to get a calendar ready for Dino when he goes back to daycare everyday…I like the idea of it though. I may work on a similar type one in chart format…

  5. Wow, you are organised!

    I have a printout list (words and pictures) on my big girl’s bedroom wall, setting out what she needs to do to get ready in the morning (and in what order). It really helps.

    I hope your daughter has a great time at school and that you all adjust easily to your new routine 🙂

    • Having a list of what needs done in order has helped so far on our “practice runs” — hope it holds true when we start school this Thursday!

      🙂

  7. Could you be MORE organized???? I love these things you did to help your daughter!! I lay out my kids’ clothes for the week on Sunday. Then there is no worrying about what to wear every morning!!! XO

    • I was debating picking out clothes for the whole week. I even got a little organizer to put each outfit in — but my daughter quickly put all her shoes in the little cubbies… Since her shoes were all over the place, I decided she might have a better idea than her momma! 🙂

  9. Hi! I found your site from Homeschool Creations this morning. I have one child, and we are getting ready for Preschool. I have been focusing all month on prepping!!

    I even redid part of our pantry to store all of his crafting goodness!

    Love your site. You have a new fan and follower! 🙂

    • Oh, organizing the craft stuff always takes me forever! 🙂 I actually got most of it done last week, but I’m not sure how long it will last!
      Can’t wait to go read your post!

  10. Great tips! We’re starting school on Monday — have to get all four kids out of the house by 7:45 so big sister can get to school. No more leisurely mornings is right! One thing that’s really helped us is having all shoes and socks in pull out drawers in the hall closet. Makes it fast!

    • Yes! We have all our shoes and collection of socks in pull out drawers in the kitchen, next to the jackets and her backpack.

      Good luck!

  11. We start pre-K this year at a new school. I am looking forward to it, she however is anxious. Great ideas to get ready for it. Thank you for sharing at Sharing Saturday!

  12. I think you’ve done great. Sadly, there will just be those days where one or the other of your children just doesn’t want to get up and get ready. Overall, it’s going to be a fun year for all of you.

    • Oh, there have been a few “I don’t want to go…” moments b/c she wants to stay and play with her brother…. I’m sure when it is winter those moments will happen more often. And truthfully, Mommy won’t want to have to get in the car to drive, either!

  13. Best of luck to you this year! Sending your kid off to school for the first time can be a challenge (and emotional), but it sounds like you have a handle on things. 🙂

    Thanks for linking this up to my Back-To-School link-up! I think it will be helpful to a lot of people!

    • That first full week took a lot out of all of us! But I have to say the picture flip cards help keep her on track.

      Thanks for hosting the link up!

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