Clean Is Back In Session

Clean Is Back In Session

Ahhh, September is upon us. The swarm of tourists have left for the season, the weather is cooling a bit and children are returning to school. Life can return to normal, right?

Whether you have school-aged children, are an empty nester, or haven’t yet started a family of your own, there is something about “Back To School” that gets people excited to start a new chapter.  September is often chaotic, as work pressures seem to come fast and furious with just a few months remaining to achieve year-end goals, all the while trying to get our children on a school schedule.

Back to School Tips

Here are a few tips to keep your home running smoothly for the new school year.

• Practice, practice, practice. If you’ve had the luxury of not having to wake up to alarm every day, you might be out of your morning routine, and chances are, your children are too. Start having the family go to bed at a more reasonable time and set the alarms so everyone can acclimate to getting up when they have to be out the door.
• Plan ahead and be prepared.  No matter how old you are, one of the best ways to ease stress in the mornings is to do as much as you can the night before. From packing lunches, laying out the next day’s clothes, or even setting the coffee maker – can all help ease the morning stress. If your child is going to be going to a new bus stop, or walking to school for the first time, it can help ease their anxiety if you do a trial run a day or two before the first day.  Why do you think you see so many school buses on the roads in the mornings leading up to the first day of school?  They’re getting their practice in, too.
• Create a command center. Create a space by the door to ensure that the entire family can check this spot on their way out. Deck it out with an illustrated checklist (which doubles cute wall decor) to teach your younger ones how to stay on top of a schedule as you transition from summertime to school days. Post other important information here, such as the meals you’re planning to make for the week, or a master calendar for soccer practice times, dentist appointments, etc.
• Simplify the study station. Designate a space for homework and study time so that the kids can not only focus better, but stay organized with their at-home supplies. Fill up a shower caddy or organize a lazy Susan with pens, pencils, crayons, rulers, etc. to keep the space fully stocked and easily accessible for study time.
• Meal prep Mondays. Maintain those homemade lunches and meals by taking one day a week to prep as much as possible for the week ahead. This way, everything is made in bulk and ready to just grab and go!
• Get help when you need it!  In today’s world, there are so many resources available when you need an extra hand.  Pretty much every grocery store will offer shop ahead services, where you order and pay for your groceries online, and then simply drive up and have them loaded into your trunk.  (Or better yet, some will even deliver).  There are a number of meal prep programs out there, such as Blue Apron.  With the shopping and a lot of the prep work done, dinner can come together in a breeze.

Let Home Clean Heroes Help You!

And of course, don’t be afraid to call Home Clean Heroes if the clutter and dust is too much.  There are better things to do you with your precious free time than cleaning the house – like making memories with your families and friends.