The days are counting down until the first day of school, and so are your chances to get ready for the big day. To make your job easier (and faster, in the interest of time!), we’ve given you a full list of cleaning and organizing tasks that’ll make the first day—and weeks—of school a little smoother.
Organize your mudroom.
Your entryway or mudroom is the proverbial “Ground Zero” for all the backpacks and gear that come with the first day of school (and all the days after it), so it makes sense to start here. Purge out all of last year’s gear and clear the clutter for a clean start. If your mudroom needs a deep clean, get out the cleaning supplies (or bring in the professionals for an thorough job).
If you don’t already have an organized system in your entryway, get out your pencil and paper to design a custom organization system. Think about all the gear that comes in that area, and install storage solutions accordingly, such as hooks, cubbies, baskets, shelves, and buckets (if you want a rustic theme).
Prepare the laundry room.
We’re not sure exactly how this happens, but it’s really easy for a clean laundry room to turn into a disaster zone once school starts. Suddenly mounds of laundry and uniforms pile up—and every piece needs to be washed before a game, practice, school photographs, or a “special” day of school.
Prepare for the onslaught with an organized laundry system designed so what comes in, comes out—and make sure everything is clean as you go. Mop the floor, designate an area for the nastiest of clothes that need intensive spot cleaning, and clean down an area for easy sorting and folding.
Revamp your command center.
An organized command center can be a godsend for a busy family. Make sure your calendar and bulletin board are ready for school calendars, class notes, and practice schedules. Clean out last year’s papers and create new folders and places for the papers and electronic notices that are sure to come.
Clean the homework area.
Get your designated homework area ready for nights of math and social studies. Clean down the desk—or add it to your list of tasks for your cleaner—vacuum and clean the floor for a distraction-free area perfect for your student.
Inventory your school lunch stocks.
Get ready for the first day of school lunches by inventorying and stocking your pantry with snacks and foods perfect for stress-free lunch packing (and a smoother out the door in the morning). If you want to REALLY make sure your cupboards are ready for school lunch assembly, add cabinet cleaning to your cleaning list (or your home cleaner’s list).
