Back to School Home Hacks to Make Your Mornings Easier
I should preface this post by saying that I am not a mother, nor do I live with kids. So feel free to roll your eyes at my lack of experience, or perhaps overly-ambitious ideas for how to decorate for kids.
Butttt, while I am not a parent yet, I spend a lot of time with parents, and I take note of the day-to-day challenges they experience, especially come back to school time. This in no way qualifies me to dole out parenting advice (and in fact, even if I had ten kids, I still don’t know if that would necessarily make me an expert). So this is NOT childcare advice, it’s interiors advice. That, I am at least, somewhat qualified to administer.
So as someone who’s spent many years interviewing parents about their interiors choices when I worked with magazines, and as someone who spends too much time watching organisation hacks on TikTok, here are some ideas that might streamline a potentially chaotic period.
Create an arts and crafts cupboard
Image from Leah Faye Gaeddert.
Keep all your gizmos and gadgets, odds and ends (and even some old strings) in the one spot, making it easy for kids to find everything and keep your kitchen table clutter-free.
Plan Outfits for the Week Ahead
Image from Pinterest.
Streamline the morning routine by planning outfits for the week ahead and- once they’re old enough- allow your kids to get themselves dressed.
Image from Etsy.
Stock Up on Essentials
Image from Jodi Durgin.
You can never have enough pencils, hair bobbins or Ziplock bags.
Create a Dropzone for Schoolbags
Image from Setting For Four.
Keep your hallway floor neat and tidy with the magic of wall hooks.
Organise Lunchables
Image from Looks Like Happy.
Make packing a lunchbox easier by doing an inventory check on your snacks and dried foods.
Create a Command Centre
Image from Pottery Barn.
By using a white board, bulletin board, calendar, some hooks for keys and a space for mail, you can easily create a DIY command centre that will allow you to keep track of schedules and important dates. For more command centre ideas, check out my Pinterest board here.
Make a Celebratory Back-to-School Breakfast
Image from Emelbe Design.
A little extra, but cute.
Image from The Tarnished Jewel.
Organise Hair Accessories
Image from The Home Edit.
Make getting ready easier by keeping all hair accessories in the one spot.
Create a Lunchbox Drawer Kids Can Reach
Image from Neat Method.
As kids get older, they can help packing their own lunchbox (and then hopefully remember to bring it home before any bananas in it turn to mush).
Make a Chore List
Image from Tips From a Typical Mom.
The cuter it looks, the more likely they are to follow it.
Make a Homework Zone
Image from The Massey Spot.
If space allows, try making a little homework area for your little ones.
Imager from Monica Hibbs Home.
Use a Homework Trolley
Image from A Beautifully Wrecked Life.
Or if you’re tight on space, try using an inexpensive trolley to keep all of your kids homework supplies neat and tidy.
Frame Some Inspirational Quotes
Image from His Love Overcomes.
Because your kids need to live, laugh, love too, you know.
Main image from Emily Henderson.
For more seasonal family-friendly home ideas, check out my other interior design posts here. And keep an eye on my Instagram where I post creative ideas almost daily.
