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Don’t let the consistently sunny skies and hot weather fool you—summer is coming to an end, at least for children and adults starting school in the coming weeks. With a new school year comes new school supplies, new schedules and some new priorities. The COVID-19 pandemic is still causing some uncertainty within the education system, but these tips from Sandlin Homes can help prepare your family for just about any situation.  

Organize the entryway

No matter how much you prepare the night before or how early you wake up the kids, getting out of the house on time sometimes seems impossible during the school year. One way to make mornings easier on both you and your school-aged children is by having an organized entryway. 

First, decide what type of system would work best for your family. For a simple and inexpensive option, go with a few hooks on the wall and a hanging folder or catch-all for kids to place permission slips or school notes for parents. If you want a more aesthetically pleasing solution, consider investing in built-ins. Built-ins are great because they offer a truly separate space for each member of the family, but choose whatever type of system works best for you. 

You also need to determine the most suitable location. If your kids always arrive home from school through the garage, build the organization station either in your garage or just inside the home. Utility rooms, front entrances or a closet close to the door also works. 

This will be the ideal place for kids to store backpacks, instrument cases, sports equipment, school supplies and more. That way there’s no scrambling and searching for what they need in the morning before school—it also provides a designated place for masks and hand sanitizer. 

Prepare a schooling space

Even if your kids attend school in-person now, circumstances can always change. And if they never have to return to online, at-home schooling, it’s still important to give them a dedicated space to work on homework, tackle larger projects, study for tests or read for fun. 

A spare bedroom or game room is a great option if you have the space, but a corner of their bedroom will also work just fine. Provide a working surface for each child—desk for older kids and a drawing table (or similar) for the younger ones. Add storage options to hide what’s not in use and shelves or a cork board to display proud accomplishments. Lastly, while back-to-school shopping is typically to fill your child’s backpack, don’t forget to purchase a few pens, pencils, notebooks and other supplies for their at-home space. 

Stock the pantry with snacks

Another spot to organize before the start of the school year is the pantry. Whether you have a spacious walk-in pantry or a standard one, there’s a few things you can do to make your family’s day run smoother.  

First, put kid-friendly snacks in the same spot to make lunch-packing easier on dad, mom or the older kids. Having a few options all in close proximity will add some variety to meals and require less thought. Similarly, if your kids are home without adults around for a few hours after school, place filling snacks within reach and in the same spot every time. For snacks you don’t want kids indulging in, place those higher up or out of sight. 

Also take some time to throw out anything old or expired to declutter. If there’s items that are still good but your family probably won’t eat, donate them to a local food bank so another family can enjoy them this school year. 

Start the school year off right

An organized home makes handling a new school year so much easier on both parents and children. But if your home isn’t right for your family—wrong location, wrong size or wrong features—it can be hard to get motivated. If you’re looking to purchase a new home in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area, Sandlin Homes has plenty of family-friendly floor plans and communities to meet your needs. If you’re on a shorter timeline, check out our inventory of quick move-in homes across the metroplex. Contact us today to learn more!