3 Steps to Getting Your Home Organized for the School Year

Photo: Libbie Martin

Summer rebelliously hangs in the air, beckoning for one more month as parents dig out backpacks, lunch boxes and pencils and neatly catalog crayons, glue and scissors. The word “school” on the calendar signals the end of freedom and happy chaos, and the beginning of routine, structure and hopefully cleaner houses. 

The hard-fought battle for creating processes in children’s lives in order to make it to school on time requires a plethora of life skills, all of which become moot if you cannot prevent a single lost shoe, a forgotten sheet of homework or misplaced iPad. This painstaking responsibility creates in parents a new identity which becomes a weighty mantle of dread, donned with every school year. What started as cute little mistakes, becomes agony when a coffee-deprived adult has driven 45 minutes to work, only to receive a panicked request for a forgotten item “vital to their child’s existence.” 

Custom organization may not be the first solution many people choose, but it will be the last. When the clutter of totes, baskets and failed shoe racks originally perceived as solutions begin to collapse into a dismal pile of visual pollution, a wise person accepts reality.

Here are three spaces to start with. 

The Mudroom

Photo: Libbie Martin

First, a well planned mudroom can transform the morning mad dash into a miraculous timely arrival at school.

Photo: Libbie Martin

Consider these additions when designing a mudroom:

• Baskets, drawers or pull-out trays for mittens and hats 
• Hooks for keys, coats and backpacks
• Rods for extra coats and ski clothes
• Shelves or cabinets for shoes 
• Bench for putting on shoes
• Cabinets for sunscreen, bug spray and cleaning supplies
• Drawer with charging station for devices 
• Landing area for things to remember

An Organized Closet

Photo Libbie Martin

Secondly, custom children’s closets can be the secret weapon of super parents. Organizing seasonally appropriate clothes within reach and adding an upgrade like a valet rod to set out clothes the night before can be essential to smooth morning preparations. Teaching your children routines, and providing practical, useful organizational tools helps cut down on any last minute search and rescue meltdowns. 

Photo: Libbie Martin

Consider these additions when designing your child’s closet:

• Adjustable shelves and hanging rods
• Open storage bins and baskets
• Pull-out drawers
• Low hanging hooks
• Clear labels on bins, drawers and shelves, either in writing or pictures and symbols for younger kids
• Dedicated shoe racks or cubbies

Kids’ Workspace

Photo: Libbie Martin

Finally, dedicated workspaces for homework and school projects can unquestionably influence a student’s academic success. Although every family exists in a unique and dynamic environment, a well-trained designer will study the spaces and people to find ways to stimulate creativity, organization and motivation for the whole family.

Photo: Libbie Martin

Consider these additions when designing a kids’ workspace:

• Properly sized adjustable desk
• Ergonomically correct adjustable chair
• Screens positioned at eye level to prevent neck strain
• Ample lighting
• Organized storage including shelves, drawers, bins, and wall storage such as a pegboard or bulletin board
• Soft materials such as rugs and curtains to absorb sound and reduce distractions

Photo: Libbie Martin

Designing spaces to optimize organization in your home takes time, creativity and a bit of inspiration. Making the investment now can reduce daily stress and set your family up for a smoother, more manageable school year.

Spaces designed by Senior Designers Cheryl Metzger and Linda Bartels 

Elizabeth Allen is a Senior Designer at Closet Factory in Denver, Colorado, which has been creating completely personalized and unique storage solutions for clients for 31 years. View their profile or reach out for a consultation at 303-690-6901.

Content for this article provided by Closet Factory. Photos provided by Libbie Martin.