Back to School Morning Routine Tips

It’s hard to believe school is starting for many this week and next.  Along with the hustle and bustle of back to school shopping is often the stress of getting back into the routine of things.  Most of our morning revolves around the routine of prep work.  While both my boys are early risers, I am not.  The more I can get done at night and on the weekend, the smoother and less stressful the mornings are.  An added bonus, the boys get extra time to hangout.  The afternoons are busy with homework, dinner, bath and bedtime there’s not much time left to chill.

Last year was our first full year back to school and I’m happy to report that we had only a few almost tardies; because of doctors appointments, and only 1 forgotten lunch; oops dad.  So, I’m sharing my back to school tips for a smooth and stress free morning.  Be out the door with these tested secrets for organizing and managing your back to school morning routine.

Outfit Prep

The week for us starts off by picking out outfits.  This works for schools with and without uniforms.  It started because big brother always got up before little brother.  It’s hard to pick out an outfit with the lights off, but even on the days they woke up together it was a battle of what’s appropriate and not.  (note: it’s not appropriate to wear dress pants, a button up shirt, seer sucker jacket, and tie on a heat advisory day. Kid’s got style!)  It soon became habit and saved so much time and stress.

On Sunday as you sort through the clean clothes, set out 5 shirts, 5 bottoms, underwear, and socks.  Pair them up and lay them out according to the days of the week.  I just stack them on his dresser in M-F order, but I’m loving the brightly colored toy storage bin below for organizing the school weeks outfits.  I order them according to the specials for the week because jeans on a PE day in summer is no fun.  Notice how we save even more time by not having to put away extra laundry. 😉

Food Prep

Next up on Sundays I take time to prep snacks, lunches, and as much as I can for dinners for the week.  During the summer my husband is home, so on the days I have a loaded work day he steps in and makes dinner.  During the school year a busy unplanned weekday might mean cereal for dinner or another night eating out.

Each week I organize out 5 days of snacks.  Making sure to pack another one for after school.  He’s usually ravished by the time dad and him head home. 

I love using plastic containers to prep snacks and lunches.  It makes it easy for seeing the contents, stacking for storage, and keeps food safe and intact in the pile of school lunch boxes.  My favorite are the simple take and toss containers.  They hold up really well, are cost effective, and even better super easy for kids to open and close.

Silicone muffin cups in the standard and mini size are my favorite for organizing containers.  They are the perfect portion and help keep food separated, while being able to pack one compact container.  I use them a lot to stack items together that might make the dry items stale.  This means I can still pack all his snacks on Sunday, knowing they’ll still be fresh on Friday.

When possible I pack his entire lunch the night before with a water bottle or two.  Or stack a pile of cold items in the fridge and dry items on the counter with the lunch box.  That way all he needs to do is grab it in the morning and stuff it in his backpack.

A crinkle cutter is my absolute favorite tool for cutting up cheese and fruit.  It makes eating so much more fun, and makes short work of prep.  A large crinkle cutter is perfect for pre-slicing apples and carrots.  Plus the little groves are great for holding onto dips, like peanut butter and ranch.  As you can see the collapsible silicone containers are my favorite!

A Food Saver is so handy for so many things.  I don’t have one yet, but it’s on my wishlist.  Right now it’s freezer bags.  My boys have a fairly hearty appetite in the morning.  During the summer cereal is fine, but I find things like oatmeal, pancakes, yogurt, and muffins stick with them longer.  While making fresh pancakes during the week is not on the schedule, I do batch make them weekly and freeze.  I try to keep a variety of wholesome baked goods stocked in the freezer all the time.  Pair this with some fruit and a side of greek yogurt for a quick and filling breakfast.

Organized

I love myself a good calendar and organizational strategy.  To keep things running smoothly I use a calendar to mark important dates and keep track of the weekly menu.  It’s right on the fridge, so I can check for any special events and appointments each day.  It’s also a great reminder to set out anything I might need for dinner that night.  Getting the crock pot ready or defrosting a freezer meal for example.  The Food Saver is perfect for dinner prep too.

I also keep a magnetic clip right next to the calendar with any important papers or reminders.  The specials calendar stayed up there all last year and made picking out outfits so much easier.

Lastly, I like to have a designated spot for his backpack and jackets.  Right now it’s a spot by the kitchen table, but I’d love to have the room to put a shelf with hooks.  This avoids running out the door without the backpack, or spending 10 minutes hunting it down in the most random of places.

Now that you know my secrets here are just a few of my favorite products for staying organized and helping to start the day off right.  Checkout Wayfair.com for even more great ideas and products for a successful Back to School and Back to Campus this year!