13 DIY Ways to Get Organized for Back-to-School Season

September 6, 2023

Back-to-school season is both chaotic and a relief for parents. After a long summer of keeping the kids busy, getting back into a set school routine brings some order to your home. In a way, it forces you to stick to a schedule and stay on task, which is so important when trying to stay organized. However, it's easy to get overwhelmed and lose sight of basic household needs. These back-to-school organization ideas will help keep you afloat during the transition. Every project and tip is designed to get the school year off to a great start.

01. Mason Jar Pencil Holders

After you finish school supply shopping, you may notice an excess of pens, pencils, and markers scattered everywhere. Having a designated holder will help eliminate miscellaneous writing utensils from ending up all over the house. These crafty mason jar pencil holders are a fun way to mix adult farmhouse style with childhood whimsy.

02. Homework Caddy
This is an extremely inexpensive craft project that will get your kids into the idea of recycling. Gather some empty cartons, toilet paper rolls, and duct tape, and begin crafting your homework caddy.

Cereal, granola, and pasta boxes work great for this DIY. Make this caddy with your kids and encourage them to keep all their homework supplies in one place.

03. Command Center
It's so easy to make a family command center with nothing other than dry erase markers, frames, and a little creativity. Just replace the frame backing with an organization printable and start writing on the glass.

Having a wall serve as a command center is an excellent way to keep the family in the loop. This particular Ikea frame hack serves as a Two-Week To-Do Board to help the family quickly visualize the days ahead.

04. Chore Chart
It's easy to let chores slide during back-to-school season. Your main concern is getting the kids ready, making sure their homework is done, and finding a way to get them to and from that after-school activity.

Chore charts make it easy to visualize who gets what chore and whether or not it's been completed. These charts can be as simple as this magnetic baking sheet DIY or they can be complex and complete with built-in rewards systems.

05. Fridge Command Center
- The best place for a calendar and command center is somewhere the entire family can see it. Make use of the side of your fridge to keep school supplies and agendas in reach of the children.
  
  Not only does this fridge organization station have a calendar and some important school supplies, but it also has a school routine checklist for each child. Brilliant!
  
  06. Spot for Backpacks
- Don't let your kids get into the habit of throwing their backpacks all over the house when they get home from school. Having designated hooks in the entryway for each member of the family helps keep everything in place. This way, you won't have to scramble in the morning to find a missing backpack or its contents.
  
  If you can position the backpack hooks close to the homework station, that will also help keep school items from getting thrown all over the house.
  
  07. Printable Binder
- There are so many free printables that are designed for back-to-school organization. You'll find some for parents, teachers and even students. The best way to get your kids to have great organization skills is to give them all the tools to create positive habits.
  
  This student binder will help your child keep track of homework, school schedules, and after-school activities. Encourage them to record their progress daily.
  
  08. Time Management Clock
- This back-to-school DIY works best for younger children and will help them have better time management skills in the long run.
  
  All you have to do is purchase an inexpensive clock and make each hour between after school and bedtime a different color. Coordinate each color with a different activity. Bonus: this DIY will also help your children learn how to tell time.
  
  09. School Clothes Tags
  
  The more you can do to organize your week ahead of time, the less hectic school mornings are going to feel. Every Sunday, set out your child's wardrobe for the week and label them using these free printable tags.
  
  Eventually, you can have your child pick their outfits on Sunday night. Let them mindfully plan what clothes they need for the week's coming activities. Doing it ahead of time will make sure you're not rushing around finding uniforms at the last minute. This also helps prevent wardrobe meltdowns when your adolescent can't find anything to wear.
  
  10. School Supply Closet
  
  School items, like toys, have a way of taking over a house. This tends to happen when these items don't have a designated spot in the home. Closet space is usually at a minimum, but if you can spare one extra closet, consider transforming it into a school-only closet.
  
  Store uniforms, backpacks, extra school supplies...virtually anything you can think of that relates to school. That way, when your child is looking for something in the morning, you can simply direct them to the school closet.
  
  11. School Lunch Prep
  
  If you don't make time to pack a lunch for your child, you'll be spending a lot more than you need to on lunch money. You'll also have a little less control over what your child is going to eat.
  
  Prepping school lunches in advance will save you time in the morning. Get some clear plastic bins for the fridge and pantry and pre-package various lunch items. Label each bin accordingly. For instance, you might have a bin for snacks, fruits, veggies, and proteins. When morning rolls around, pick one or two items from each bin, throw them in a bag, and lunch is done.
  
  12. Homework Station Organizer
  
  This DIY hack is simple and clever. All you need to do is embellish a lazy susan, add some jars and then get organized. Using a rotating tray helps ensure that even the tiniest kids can reach all the supplies.
  
  13. School Paper Organizer
  
  This hack works great if you don't have a home office or filing cabinet. Pick up a dish drying rack at the Dollar Store and some file folders. Store things like permission slips, assignments, and all other school-related paperwork. Keep it by the door or in an area of the home with high traffic so nothing inside is forgotten.
  
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