If you are a mom like me, you are probably counting down the minutes until your little
loves are back to school. Summer has been fun, but I am ready to get the house back
in order and for us all to get back on a regular schedule. Here are my decluttering tips
for easing the transition:
1. Old school and craft supplies: Before you go out and buy all new items, go
through what you have and see if there is anything that survived last year and is
still usable and on this year’s list. For example, colored folders, pencil boxes,
ruler etc. don’t necessarily get “used up” in one year. If there is anything broken,
dried out, outgrown or unusable in some way, get rid of it now. Set up a
homework or activity station, so after school time can be organized and stress-
free.
2. Kids’ clothes and shoes: I try to keep up with things by noticing what looks a
little small and remove it during the next laundry cycle, but as we approach fall, it
is a good idea to dump out all your child’s clothes and check every size to make
sure there is nothing that slipped through the cracks. If there are items that are
particularly well-loved, you might want to remove those as well. My boys
frequently get stains and holes in their clothes, and back to school is a great time
for a clean slate. Make a list of anything they may be short on, so that you can
add that to your back-to-school shopping list.
3. Your clothes: Now that we are past the peak of summer, go through your own
clothes and see what you have not worn this season. You may not need to get
rid of these items, but it is good to make an inventory of what you actually wear,
so that you can intentionally make an effort to incorporate these items into an
outfit before they get stored away for next year. If you find anything you know
isn’t your style anymore, add it to a donate pile, and make some space in your
closet.
4. Expired Medications: Back to school often means the germy season is upon us.
Make sure that your medications, both child and adult, are not expired or empty.
When you need it, you want it to work well and as designed, and items past their
prime won’t be able to serve you as well. It is best not to dispose of expired
medication in your normal trash, but many police stations have a drop box to
properly dispose of these items.
5. Food: Over the summer, at least at my house, there are many more snacks and
meals consumed at home, so we stocked up. Unfortunately, little taste buds
change, and sometimes things purchased with the best intentions are just not
winners. Like with clothes and medications, making space for food that will be
packed for lunch/snack will ease the transition, and if you get rid of things that
truly will not be eaten in your home BEFORE they expire, you can donate them to a local food pantry and get them distributed to people who eat them instead of
them needlessly filling up space until they go bad and inevitably end up being
trashed.
6. Your car: While you may not store a lot in your car, the end of summer is a good
time to deep clean it. Remove everything from your car, and at the very least,
vacuum out the dirt, sand and snack crumbs that are signs of a summer of fun.
Here are a couple items that I have in my car that are great for speeding up
school drop off and keeping the car clean.
Backpack hooks: https://amzn.to/3SzLsIs
Car trash can: https://amzn.to/3LU7qCp
7. Sports/club equipment: With a new season comes new sports and clubs.
Make sure those cleats, shin guards, uniforms, helmets etc. still fit and are in
good working condition. Add anything you need to your list before the season
starts, and you will be saved from the last-minute scramble to have everything
you need before the first practice/meeting. You may also find that you have
items your family no longer needs and donating or passing them along now will
make sure that someone that can use it will be able to save money and get more
wear out of your hand-me-downs.
Are there any other areas that need a fall refresh in your house?
I would love to help you get your house in shape for back-to-school!
Comments