How to organize your home for 'back to school'

It’s almost time for your kids to head back to school. While that means heading to the store to pick up new school supplies, it also signifies that it’s time to reorganize your home. A smart home design can help you and your kids get out the door faster, and may even make after-school homework time more productive. Here’s what needs to be organized and how to go about the process:

Start with the kitchen

The kitchen is no longer a space primarily dedicated to cooking meals – the heart of the home has become a social hub where you, your family members, and sometimes guests often gather. It’s where your kids eat breakfast in the morning and complete homework after dinner. Therefore, you should organize your kitchen design based on this lifestyle.
Rearrange the contents of your pantry: When your kids get home from school, it’s likely that they head straight to the kitchen for a snack. Create less of a mess and make these snack foods easily accessible in your pantry. Designate one or two shelves for after-school snacks only. This way, your kids will always know where to look and won’t have to rummage through your kitchen for something to eat.

Paint a chalkboard wall: Add a beautiful accent wall to your vintage kitchen design using chalkboard paint. On this surface, you can remind family members of event dates or jot down to-do lists, grocery items, etc.

Rethink your laundry room

Now that your kids are getting ready to go back to school, it’s likely you’re going to be spending more time in the laundry room – especially if your children take part in extracurricular sports. Soccer, basketball, baseball and football uniforms sure do get dirty quickly.

Add a sink: Consider installing a farmhouse sink in your laundry room. This spacious basin is the perfect spot to fight stains before tossing the clothes in your washing machine. You’ll need to select faucets to go along with your farmhouse sink. Brass faucets are great for a laundry room because they’re durable and easy to clean.

Next stop: entryway

Your home’s foyer is a drop zone for backpacks, keys, shoes and coats. If you don’t have a system in place to keep these items organized, your entryway will quickly become a mess. It’s important to have a clean foyer so you and your family can get in and out of the house in a timely manner.

Install hooks: Take advantage of wall space in your entryway by adding a few hooks to the wall. You can even label each hook with the name of different family members. This way, everyone has a designated area to hang up their coats, backpacks, bags, purses, etc.

Consider hidden storage: Add a bench to your entryway to give you and your family a place to sit down and take off your shoes. Opt for a bench that opens up to reveal storage – then you’ll have a spot to organize shoes and keep them out of sight.