It’s back to school season and everyone is eager to start the year off on the right foot. Back to school organization involves more than just the kids’ areas, it affects the entire home. From the moment you wake up in the morning and rush out the door to when your kids come home and do their homework, organization is key in your family home. If you’re trying to think of how to organize your home, here are some ideas that are gold-star worthy.

1. Organize the kitchen – aka “the heart of the home”

On school days your kitchen is the scene for hurried breakfasts, grab and go coffees and in the evening can turn into homework central before dinner. Depending on the age of your children organize sections of the refrigerator for school-aged children who pack their lunch.  Dedicate a pantry shelf for their after-school snacks in an area where children can reach them without asking for assistance.

2. Point of exit – Ready, set, go! 

The key to getting out of the house on time is to keep everything you need to fly out the door by the door. With everything in one spot, you can avoid running around the house when it’s time to go. Hang coats and backpacks on hooks and keep shoes (and clean socks!) below. Try to get in the habit of having your kids place belongings here at night so their morning routine is less stressful.

3. Tackle your kids’ closets

Start off this season by purging old clothes in their closets. Go through their closet with your kids, it will solve the “Mom what did you do with my favorite sweater?” yells in the morning and will help them keep up with their own belongings. Organize clothes by school functions, organizations, sports and other activities to ease the time in finding outfits to wear in the morning.

4. Streamline the bathroom

Keep mornings running smoothly with an organized bathroom. Store hair tools on the cabinet door, and go-to products on a turntable. When everything’s in it’s place, you can grab what you need in a flash and know when the toothpaste is running low.

5. Designate a command center

Create your own to-do list — with car keys and permission slips at the ready — to keep your morning hassle-free. A hanging file and dry erase board are all you need to get started. You can go a little further and add a family calendar, so everyone is on the same page of what’s on the agenda. 

This content is not the product of the National Association of REALTORS®, and may not reflect NAR's viewpoint or position on these topics and NAR does not verify the accuracy of the content.