Back to school, back to sanity! Decluttering tips for a smooth start to the school year

Yahoo

6 days ago

The start of the school year is your second chance at a New Year
The backpacks are zipped, the lunchboxes are packed, and for a brief, blissful moment, you can see your floor again. Back-to-school season is more than just supply lists and after-school pickups. For parents, it's a golden opportunity to reset the house, the routines, and your relationship with kid clutter.
As a professional organizer, I see it every year: families riding the wave of summer chaos straight into fall with zero time to course-correct. But here's the secret: the start of the school year is your second chance at a New Year.
If you're tired of tripping over last year's lunchboxes, outgrown soccer cleats, and mystery slime containers, here's your game plan.
1. Before you buy, declutter
Back-to-school shopping feels like a rite of passage, but it's also a trap. So many families stock up on new supplies before they check what's already hiding in junk drawers and backpacks.
Pull out every pencil, marker, glue stick, and folder you can find.
Make a "shop at home" bin.
Only after that do you go to the store and bring the list, not the guilt!
This isn't just about saving money. It's about breaking the acquisition cycle. Buying more stuff to organize your stuff is not the answer.
2. Create a "done with it" bin
Kids are sneaky clutter creators. Rocks from recess, half-colored worksheets, broken beaded creations, they end up everywhere! Give your child a designated 'done with it' bin or basket in their room or by the entryway.
Every week (Friday's a great rhythm), you do a 5-minute sweep: toss what's trash, save what's special, and reset for the week ahead.
This gives kids agency and teaches them how to recognize what's worth keeping.
3. Declutter without the drama
Getting kids to part with their stuff can feel like a hostage negotiation. But here's what works:
Give them choices: 'You can keep five art projects. Pick your favorites.'
Use time limits: 'We're doing a 15-minute toy edit, race you!'
Honor their input: Even if you disagree with what they want to keep, letting them decide builds their organizing muscle.
Remember: the goal is progress, not perfection. You're raising declutter-literate kids, not minimalist monks.
4. Create zones for sanity
Kids thrive on routine, and so do grown-ups. One of the best things you can do? Create clear, designated zones in your home:
Drop zone by the door (hooks, a tray, a backpack bin).
Homework zone that's stocked but clutter-free.
Clothing zone where uniforms, socks, and shoes live together.
Every item should have a home, because if it doesn't, it ends up on your kitchen counter. Again.
5. The post-bus clean sweep
The house is finally quiet. The kids are at school. You could scroll. Or nap. Or... hear me out... reclaim your space.
Take one hour and tackle what you couldn't get to all summer:
Purge the toy bin.
Edit the bookshelves.
Let go of the pool toys.
Think of it as your decluttering victory lap, because your home deserves to feel as fresh as your kids' new notebooks.
6. Don't organize alone
Back-to-school is overwhelming. The schedules. The activities. The carpools. If it all feels like too much, you're not failing, you're just human.
Call in help! Ask a friend to do a toy swap. Get your kids involved. Or hire a pro if that's an option. You don't need to carry the clutter alone.
Bottom line?
Back-to-school is your opportunity to teach life skills. How to make decisions, how to let go, and how to take care of your space.
A clutter-free home doesn't mean you've 'got it all together.' It means you've made space for what matters: peace, presence, and a little breathing room between drop-off and dinner.
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