Back to School 8.17.25 - Flipbook - Page 10
10 A Special Advertising Section of Baltimore Sun Media Group | Sunday, August 17, 2025
School-Ready Spaces: How to Organize Your Home
for a Smoother School Year
By Claire Duarte, Contributing Writer
T
he start of a new school year often
brings chaos: papers pile up, shoes go
missing, and backpacks seem to land
wherever there’s space. Mornings get
frantic, evenings feel rushed, and suddenly,
the house feels more like a train station than a
home. But with a little bit of planning and a few
smart systems, your home can become a support tool rather than a stressor in the back-toschool routine.
It’s all about creating flow.
Creating school-ready spaces doesn’t require a full home makeover or an expensive
organizing service. Even the smallest areas can
be transformed with some intention, a bit of
consistency and a few simple tools. The goal
is to make your home work with your routine,
not against it.
Start with Your Entry and Exit Points
One of the first places to examine is your
home’s entry point. Where does everything
land after school? And be honest – right now,
is it the floor? Creating a designated landing
zone can make a massive difference. Add a row
of wall hooks at kid height for backpacks and
jackets, a sturdy bin or shoe rack for footwear,
and a catchall basket or inbox for water bottles,
permission slips and take-home folders.
You can even take it one step further by
adding a small shelf for lunchboxes or a label
for each child’s items. When everything has a
place, kids are more likely to follow the routine,
and your mornings won’t start with a scavenger
hunt.
Designate a Homework Zone
The next area to focus on is where homework gets done. While not every child needs
a formal desk, they do need a consistent spot.
This could be the kitchen table, a corner of the
living room, or even a rolling cart that turns
any surface into a mobile homework station.
The key is that it’s predictable, comfortable and
stocked with essentials like sharpened pencils,
scissors, glue sticks, chargers, highlighters and
markers.
For larger families or smaller homes, a mobile setup can be a lifesaver. A rolling cart with
supplies divided by child, or a shared bin with
color-coded items, allows everyone to take
turns without fights over who gets the good
scissors.
Visual Supports Work Wonders
Visual reminders can make a world of difference, especially for younger kids or those
with ADHD, sensory processing sensitivities
or executive functioning challenges. Consider
using laminated checklists, dry-erase boards,
magnetic charts or even a printed daily routine
sheet to help outline the day. These tools offer a
sense of structure and independence, and they
reduce the number of reminders you have to
give. (Which is always a win.)
Try posting morning and evening checklists near the landing zone or taping them to
the fridge. Encourage kids to physically check
off each item. It helps build responsibility and a
sense of accomplishment.
Color-Code Everything
Color-coding is a smart, simple strategy
that can make daily life easier. Assign each
child a color – red, blue, green, purple – and
use it for everything: folders, lunchboxes, bins,
hooks, water bottles, even their toothbrush if
you want to go all in. This is especially helpful
in households with multiple children and creates a clear sense of ownership while simplifying sorting and cleanup.
Don’t Forget the Digital Side
We tend to focus so much on the physical
clutter that we forget about the digital overload.
A centralized calendar – whether a dry-erase
version on the wall, a printable schedule or a
synced calendar on everyone’s phone – can be
a game-changer. Include school events, sports
practices, picture day reminders, early dismissals and snack duty rotations. Even if your child
isn’t old enough to manage their own calendar
yet, seeing their name and schedule can help
build awareness and responsibility.
Why It Matters
According to child psychologists, well-organized environments help kids with time
management, task initiation and stress regulation. When children know what’s coming next
and where things belong, they feel more in control and less overwhelmed. Dr. Jenica Hallman,
a child development expert based in Maryland,
says that a predictable home routine can be especially helpful during the emotional and often
hectic back-to-school season.
Build Predictable Routines
Routines don’t just happen – they’re built
over time. Reinforce them with physical structure. A launch pad near the door, complete
with packed backpacks and lunches the night
before, can drastically reduce morning stress.
After school, a predictable path from snack to
homework to downtime gives kids a rhythm
they can rely on.
Stick to Your Budget
If budget is a concern, shop your home
before you shop the store. You’d be amazed at
what you can repurpose. Old tote bags become
bin organizers, cereal boxes cut on a slant make
perfect folder holders, and a bar cart from the
basement can become a mobile homework station. Function matters more than aesthetics,
though a little washi tape and a label maker can
work wonders.
Involve the Kids
Let your kids help build the system. When
they’re involved in labeling bins, setting up
charts or choosing their workspace, they’re
more likely to actually use it. Even small decisions – like picking a color for their hook or
decorating their checklist – can spark buy-in.
Empowering kids to take ownership is one of
the best ways to help them develop lifelong organization skills.
Progress Over Perfection
At the end of the day, the goal isn’t to have
a perfect home. It’s to have a functional one.
A home that works for you and your family.
When your home supports your routine and
reflects your rhythm, everyone moves through
the school year with a little more ease and a lot
less stress.
Photo: Adobe Stock
