5 Ways to Make Back to School Less Stressful

This post is sponsored by Kleenex, Scott, Cottonelle and Viva but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

August is quickly flying by, and before we all know it, the first day of school will be upon us. As much as I hate the thought of wishing away what’s left of summer, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to sending Max and Ella back to school this year. It’s been pretty hectic around here these last few months, and I’ve found that our family does best with a regular routine and schedules to follow. So even though it’s a transition that can be tough at times, I’ve found with a few simple tricks, I’ve been able to make it a less stressful and more exciting time for all of us.

Here are some of the ways we make heading back to school less stressful:

1. Create Command Center

I’ve found over the last few years, that having a family command center is an essential for us. Creating a space where my kids can hang their backpacks and coats, and store their shoes helps us all stay more organized and makes busy mornings a little more manageable. I also like to hang a big dry erase calendar in this same area, and I use a different colored markers to write out everyone in the family’s activities/schedules. That way it’s in a spot where we can check it every morning and know what everyone has going on for the day!

2. Shop for School Supplies and New Clothes Online

As I kid, I always loved going shopping for back to school clothes and supplies, but at this point none of my kids have much interest in shopping for anything besides toys. To make things easier on all of us I try to do as much of our back to school shopping online. This way stuff is less picked over and I don’t need to brave any crowds with all of my kids in tow! As an added bonus, there always seems to be better deals and coupons online!

3. Stock Up On the Essentials

Before school starts I always like to make sure that our house is fully stocked with ALL of the essentials. With four kids, you can probably imagine that we go through a whole lot of paper towels, toilet paper, and once school is back in session, tissues. Thanks to Amazon and their Subscribe & Save program, we save up to $3 on our favorite brands like Kleenex, Viva, Cottonelle and Scott, and we never have to worry about running out. As an added bonus, I get to skip the stress of going to the store with my kids and can get these items delivered right to my doorstep!

4. Clean Out and Organize Those Closets and Dressers

This one is huge for us. Before school starts and we go out and purchase a bunch of new clothes, I always like to clean out and organize my kid’s dressers and closets. This is he perfect time to remove all of the stuff that no longer fits them, and make sure they are fully stocked on all of the stuff they need!

5. Start Setting Those Alarms a Few Days Before School Starts

This one might sound a little funny, but I promise you’ll thank me. You don’t want to wait until the first day of school to start setting an alarm and getting your kids back in the habit of getting up early. About a week before school starts I like to start getting my kids up at the times that they’ll be waking during the school year to get them back in the habit. I also like to start getting up a bit earlier myself. This allows me the time to get ready for the day and to enjoy my coffee before the craziness begins. No more sleeping in, it’s time to rise and shine!