Taste of My Own Medicine: Top 10 Things to Get Ready for School
Here’s the truth: The first day of school has come and gone and I did nothing to prepare for it. In past years, I’ve taken my kids school-supply or shoe shopping before the first day. I've gotten them haircuts. I’ve been on the school websites and carefully marked out the holiday schedule on my personal calendar. I’ve teed up emails about carpooling to neighbors. I’ve created a Google calendar of all possible combinations of activities that three kids could possibly ever want to do after school. All while running my business and managing details for my own clients. This year? NONE OF THAT. And in truth, I’m paying for it.
So, this is the season for this professional organizer to do just that…get organized for the school year. And below I share my Top 10 Back to School Task Checklist - even after school has started.
1. Create a Google Calendar with kids' activities. Next, choose one activity per kid and cancel that it. You’ll thank yourself later.
2. Look into urbansitter.com for help with driving kids to said activities (or post a job description at your local college).
3. Add all critical school holidays and early-dismissal days to calendar.
4. Make donations to the school's annual fund and be done with it.
5. Look for neighbors and friends in the same activities to create carpools.
6. Schedule date nights with your significant other.
7. Schedule monthly “Supper Club” and invite friends to dinner.
8. Start a Photos and Funny Quotes Notebook in Evernote to track all the funny things that happen this year.
9. Clear off the white board or bulletin board in each kid's room to make room for the new school reference materials.
Clean out your Home Command Center, too.
10. Clean out the previous year’s kids' folders and school folders in your file cabinet.
What else is on your back to school checklist? Let us know!
