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Going back to school can be a stressful time for kids, and parents! Planning ahead reduces the amount of chaos and helps make a smooth transition from summer vacation to school. Your homework is to review these four subjects: Clothes, Entryway, School Supplies, and Medical Information. Subject #1: Clothes Before going clothes shopping, take stock of your child's existing closet. Some clothing needs to be tried on to determine if it stills fits, so pick out a favorite CD to keep spirits up and create a festive mood. Avoid the temptation to store outgrown clothing for several years, waiting to be handed down to younger siblings; fashions change within one or two years. Instead, give away used clothing to someone who can make good use of it right now. Donate clothes to a neighbor or to your favorite charity. Get an itemized receipt of what you donate as well as its value; then keep the receipt with your tax paperwork to facilitate listing it on your itemized deductions. Now that you have organized your child's closet, make a list of needed items for the school year. Review the circular ads and create individual store lists; this saves time and money by knowing exactly what you are going to purchase at each store. Make sure that your child eats before your outing, and bring along a snack so that low blood sugar does not interfere with the shopping excursion. One final tip on shopping: only shop for your child on this trip, and save your personal shopping for another day. Kids, as a whole, do not enjoy long shopping outings (at least, not with their parents!). Be efficient, and enjoy the reward of a well-behaved child, excited about his/her new clothes! Subject #2: Entryway/Mudroom For many people, the entryway is one of the most cluttered parts of their home. How does yours look? The good news is: Entryways and mudrooms are two of the easiest spaces to organize and make a powerful impact! Use vertical space to create a "launching pad" next to the door where you hang jackets, backpacks, sports equipment, and anything else that needs to be taken to school. Mount storage options, such as plastic crates, baskets, or shelves and hooks, to the wall. Be creative and create a system that works for your family. There are many storage ideas and product options available at The Container Store, Wal-Mart, Target, and Office Max. The key goal is for each child to have a designated space for storing school supplies and outerwear near the door. This reduces some of the clutter in your home, and provides a more efficient, organized way for your child to leave for school each day.
Subject #3: School Supplies You have your child's school supply list and purchased all the required items. Your child has put his/her name on all folders, notebooks, and pencils boxes. Now what? Remember the basic principle of organizing: Everything needs a home. School materials should be kept in one place in your home; a place that makes sense for your child's studying needs. If homework is completed in the living room, designate or create low shelf space to make it easy for your child to get out supplies and put them away without your assistance. Group like items together and label each container with words or photos (for younger children). When every item has a proper "home", organization is a snap, and easy to maintain. Teaching your child organizational skills today helps improve school performance and provides lifelong benefits. One final thought: Kids learn by what they see around them. If your spaces are cluttered, your children's areas are likely to match. Create your own organized work space at home while creating one for your child, and stay organized, together! Subject #4: Update Medical Records At the beginning of each school year, double check all of the emergency contact information that you have listed for your child and all members of your family. Remember: phone numbers change, as do medications and dosing requirements. Also, make sure to remind all of your emergency contacts about their role. That way, they are prepared and ready to assist if needed during the school year. When your child has his/her annual check-up, ask the physician for a copy of the shot records and current medications, as well as a standard child health form that lists any pertinent medical history, allergies, etc. Make several copies of these health forms and distribute them to the various coaches and club leaders for the activities that your child participates in throughout the year. This concludes our study guide for today - class dismissed! Š Organizing Magic, LLC - 2009
Jodi Granok is a professional organizer and speaker who is passionate about helping others reclaim their lives through the "magic" of organization. Jodi is the Owner of Organizing Magic, LLC, a professional organizing company in the metropolitan St. Louis, Missouri area. Through her presentations, newsletters, and workshops, Jodi's humor, energy, and common sense approach have motivated busy students and families to put her tips and tricks to work, in order to get organized and stay organized! Subscribe to her free newsletter today!
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