Getting Back to School Ready!

Back to School is here, and I am not ready for it! In fact, my kids start today, but I know lots of families have already started! 

I thought I'd share a few easy tips for getting back to school ready made easy!

1. Buy new backpacks & lunchboxes. We order these online every other year from Pottery Barn Kids or Pottery Barn Teen. I love that they hold up so well, so my kids don't need a new backpack every year!

2. Stock up on school supplies.  We go through leftovers from last year (my kids bring home what they didn't use, and we'll re-use those.) and see what you need. Don't forget to pick up a few supplies for the house too. Pencils, scissors, glue sticks, and a few markers or crayons 

3. Pre-make muffins. I spend the weekend before school starts baking lots of muffins and freezing them. They're easy to pull out of the freezer on busy mornings and will quickly defrost in the microwave. 

4. Set out outfits. The first day of school outfits are typically easy, because they're new. But after the first day, my kids pick out whatever they have. Gretchen is pretty self sufficient, but we try to narrow it down for Adalyn and set out several outfits for her week at the beginning of the week, so it's easier for her to choose when she's cranky in the mornings. 

5. Get your calendar ready. I've spent the past few days writing down everything I could in my planner so I'm ready for whatever comes our way. We have football games written out, appointments logged in, as well as gymnsatics meets. 

6. Cancel appointments. Did you accidentally schedule something for the first week of school? Cancel it In fact, I'm having all of my speech parents cancel speech if their appointment is on the first day of school. Teachers and staff have enough chaos as it is and tracking down your child to check them out the first week of school is going to be crazy. Plus kids come home tired and exhausted. Just cancel what's extra that week, and take the time to readjust. 

7. Clean out closets. Go through closets and toss out or give away anything that your kids have out grown or might have stains or holes in them. There is nothing worse than your kid coming down in a shirt and then they have to change because it has a stain or a hole and they didn't notice it, 

8. Stock up on snacks. I go to Costco the weekend before school starts to make sure we have plenty of options for snacks and lunches. I also made an order from Thrive Market and stocked up on a few things the girls wanted to try!

9. Fix as much lunch as you can ahead of time. Sunday afternoons, I lunch prep. I wash fruits/veggies, and portion them out in to little containers. You can do this with chips, snacks, popcorn, etc. I even pre-make sandwiches and throw them in the fridge. Then, when we are fixing lunches, it's literally a quick grab & put in. That being said. we always make lunches the night before! 

10. Give yourself grace. The week of a school starting again and getting back in to the routine. Give yourself, and your kids lots of grace!