Get Ready for Back-to-School

Only one month (give or take) until back-to-school! Here is an easy one-chore-a-day checklist to get your home, family and life organized for a smooth transition from lazy summer to hectic fall.

One Month Out

• Check in with kids on summer reading. If they are behind, help them calculate - and stick to - a pages-per-day reading rate.
• Prune kids' clothing. Pass along hand-me downs before people go out shopping and make notes on what your kids need, so you can avoid overspending.
• Organize your kids' homework stations; take inventory of supplies. Do it before downloading teachers' recommended supply lists. You may be surprised at how much you already have in stock.
• If your kids are watching TV or tell you they are bored, hand them a pile of scratch paper and set them to work sorting, testing, and sharpening pencils, markers, and pens.
• If feeling ambitious (and/or frugal), organize a clothing and sporting equipment swap with friends and neighbors; let kids 'shop' for things they like so your space does not become occupied with things that never get worn.
• Check to see if kids' physicals and vaccinations are up to date.
• Schedule doctor, dentist, eye, and other appointments for the coming 6-12 months - being early gives you a better chance of getting after-school, before-, or after-work time slots.
• Go through your unmatched sock pile (you know you have one!). If the mates have not turned up over the summer, they are never going to, so toss them.
• Do basic computer maintenance - organize and archive old files, defrag your hard drive, virus check, and remove spyware to maximize speed.
A couple of weeks out
• Get haircuts. No kid wants that just-cut look; beat the rush and do 2-3 weeks before first day of school.
• Inspect backpacks and lunch boxes. Zippers unstuck and in working order? No moldy food still hanging about last year? You are good to go.
• Try on and inspect sneakers, cleats, helmets and other sporting equipment.
• Make a date with each kid individually to shop for essentials. By focusing on one child at a time, you will shop more effectively and be less likely to overspend.
• Look online for important dates and make a schedule of sports and other activity signups.
• Clean and vacuum your car.
• Get your kids practicing math facts over breakfast and brushing up on basic skills (two great sites: http://www.khanacademy.org/ and http://www.ixl.com/)
• Purchase (or clean out) storage bins - one per child - to serve as catch alls for periodic backpack, folder, and binder purges.

A Few Days Out

• Make a wake-up and daily ablutions schedule for your family - especially if kids will be throwing last year's morning schedule off by changing schools.
• Set and discuss expectations for kids' household chores during the school year.
• Scrounge up a couple of weeks' worth of change and small bills (or load your kids' lunch accounts online).
• Stock up on snacks and lunch supplies.
• Cook and freeze a few favorite, healthy meals.
• Plan one last day at the beach or an amusement park outing - a last hurrah!
• Call MaidPro to schedule a thorough cleaning of your home, your refrigerator, and/or oven (to take place a few days after the kids are no longer around messing up your house all day!)

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