Published September 2, 2021
Hack Your Back-to-School
It’s that time again! Whether you’ve already begun school or plan to go back in a few weeks, there’s always room for improvement! This year is a great opportunity to try out some new planning techniques and back to school hacks with the kids. (Some of these would even work wonders for grownups going to work each week!)
Take a look to try a few of them for yourself!
Take Back to School Pictures The Night Before- If you love a first day of school picture, the evening before school starts is a great time to make this happen! This means you’re able to capture everyone with time to spare and before the first day jitters set in. We love this cute chalkboard sign to mark the first day!
(Please note, the links in this post are affiliate links. Our marketing partner may receive compensation if you purchase any of these items from a link used in this post.)
Assign a Color to Each Child- As you shop for school supplies, consider assigning a color for each child. This will help to avoid confusion when packing homework and means one fewer decision during the harried days before school begins.
Create a Flyers Drop Zone- A clip on the refrigerator is easy to use to create an important flyers zone. Older kids can remove announcement flyers or permission slips as they set up their homework each evening.
Add a Chunky Keychain on Zippers- If your littles are having trouble opening their lunchboxes, a chunky keychain can help. Attach it to the zipper to give little fingers a more substantial place to grip.
Batch Prep School Lunches on Sunday Night- It’s possible to create a week’s worth of lunches in one night. A few extra minutes on a Sunday evening is all it takes to save tons of stress throughout the week.
Set a Backup Alarm- If you have nightmares about sleeping through your alarm, this hack is for you. Set a second analog alarm across the room from your bed. (This is a great option that looks great in any room!) If you have to stand to turn off your alarm, you’re less likely to turn it off and go back to sleep. This distanced alarm is a great hack for kids learning to manage their own alarms. Plus, it’s a great backup if your phone alarm fails.
Create a Drop Zone- A large tub is a great place to direct little ones to deposit their bookbags each day. They can toss bookbags, shoes, and jackets into a large drop zone for mom to sort later. Older children can make use of hooks or shelves in a mud room. This saves stressful searching for essentials in the morning before school.
Hack Your Masks- If your kids are attending a school with masks, this is a great way to help them keep up with their masks. These backpack cases make it easy to store masks in their backpacks. These cute mask lanyards make it easy for kids to keep up with masks when they’re eating or at recess.
Set A Daily Planner Alarm- Set a recurring alarm on your phone to check the daily plan. If you have an amazing planner but never check it each morning, it’s useless. This is a good way to train your mind to check in on the planner each morning and get a handle on any after school activities or appointments.
Freeze Pouch Drinks, Pouches, and Yogurts- Tossing anything in a pouch into the freezer is a classic hack that helps to keep meals cold. The liquid will thaw throughout and the chilly snack or drink will act as an ice pack.
Create a Car Snack Station- This divided basket is a great way to stash granola bars, nuts, and water bottles in the car for after school snack attacks. This is a convenient way to fuel up before busy extracurriculars and after school errands.
These back to school hacks will lessen the stress of this season. Let us know your favorite back to school hacks.
Photo by olia danilevich from Pexels
