3 ways to simplify “back to school” season

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For the first time since having David, I don’t need any childcare for the kids! They are both in preschool at the same exact time during the week, which means my work hours will be in that window of time. I’m sure there will be an adjustment period for all of us during this season, but I’m so grateful to have found a school that I know the boys will be safe in and have fun at!

Going back to school doesn’t really cause a huge schedule disruption like it would for older kids, but there are some simple ways to make the process smoother and more enjoyable!

Here are 3 ways to simplify back to school:

ONE. Getting more Amazon Dash buttons. I love those little buttons so much! You can read all about them in the blog post that I linked to, but I can assure you that after months of consistent use, they are totally worth it

TWO. Trying out a meal delivery service like Blue Apron or Hello Fresh. Not only do I find these very fun, but it takes some thinking off your plate which is ALWAYS a welcomed notion in my book. While I’ve tried both of these services a handful of times each, I can’t justify being a regular subscriber. It averages out to be about $11/meal, and our weeks are so irregular that I think I would find myself pushing off deliveries more often than not!

THREE. Putting into practice the method of “helping tomorrow you out”. My friend Allyson shared this thought with me years and years ago and I’ve never forgotten it. She was explaining that her friend does this in order to set herself up for success the next day. So the day or night before, take stock of what you could do RIGHT in that minute, or at the very least before you go to bed, in order to help yourself out for the next day. Prepare lunch, pour milk or juice cups, throw a snack in your purse. LOCATE all the shoes that need to go onto feet the next day, and perhaps start a load of laundry. Anything you can do to help “tomorrow you” out will surely make you feel like you’ve tackled the day with a bit more readiness.

Are there any routines you set into place in the fall that help simplify your life? Share them in the comments below! 

And since we’re talking back-to-school, here are some of my favorite backpacks – for grown-ups!

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Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog says · 09.05.17

I don’t have kids, but Blue Apron or other recipe programs would get me on track, or at least help with it. I’m always bustling around with barely enough time. I can’t imagine how you do it with kids, you’re amazing for sure!

Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com

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Stephanie says · 09.05.17

I don’t have kids but as an educator (school counselor) meal prep and sunday prep are my life. On Sundays, I take some time to straighten up my house and prep as many lunches/dinners/snacks as possible so that I can just grab and go in the morning and not have to deal with a lot of extra things.

Plus, I love the thought of leaving a clean home on Monday morning.

http://aneducationindomestication.com

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Christi Beth Fisher says · 09.05.17

Keeping children in a bedtime routine will help keep everyone calm knowing what will happen and what is expected!

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Brady W. says · 09.05.17

My kids are in kindergarten and first grade and as we entered into school age, I found our biggest struggle to getting out the door was finding what to wear and shoes that go with it. This year, I put together about 20 outfits for each kid and put them in a drawer. Now, the night before, I just pull out an outfit, put the shoes/socks with it, any bows/accessories and set them in the area we get dressed in. Such a simple thing, but SUCH a time saver! Since I have so many outfits put together, the kids still get to “pick” which one they wear (which they love having control of) but we don’t have to spend time trying to find matching pieces, accessories, etc. We also go through their school lunch menus a month at a time to figure out which days they want to take lunch and which days they want to buy lunch. That way, I know several days ahead of time when I need to pack lunchboxes or not.

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Lindsay says · 09.05.17

Yes, love the “helping tomorrow you out”. I set out a snack cup, water cup, my vitamins, and a cup to put my cold coffee in. I also appreciate the kitchen counters being clean and any dishes being done so it’s something I make a point to do before going to bed.

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Kim says · 09.05.17

Amazon dash is a LIFESAVER!

Kim

http://trendkeeper.me – Booties to buy NOW!

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HANNAH says · 09.05.17

Your boys are adorable! No kids here, but I follow these rules in general. Setting up for a successful day/week ahead is my fav. This works well for me: Packing lunches, gym bags, looking over planner (dinner menu planning is a must for me) and setting out morning meds all are super helpful. Also, I throw on a load of laundry to wash while Im gone, so when I get home I just throw in the dryer. 1 load of laundry a day helps keep the piles under control 🙂

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Lindsey says · 09.05.17

I always help “Future Me” out. I have everything ready to go the next morning, and have a routine that I don’t put off so I can enjoy the evening. The moment I come home from work/picking up my daughter, I always clean bottles from the day, prep bottles for the next day and pack my lunch for work. These three things are done right when I get home and I am always prepared for the next day!

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Katie @ Live Half Full says · 09.05.17

The “tomorrow you” concept is something I live by every day! Making things a routine makes things easier- we do everything we can the night before to make mornings easy. I lay out my son’s clothes, prep anything he needs for school, lay out my clothes, pack my lunch and bags and even set up the coffee machine on a timer ready to go! Whatever it takes to make the morning easy, I’m all about it and it seems to take less time at night.

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Tracy says · 09.05.17

Something I did last weekend, after grocery shopping, was get some things prepared and in the freezer. I crumbed and flash froze two meals’ worth of chicken tenderloins, and I put chicken drumsticks into the sauce in which they needed to be cooked. I have been thanking myself for the past two weeks! I want to say this is something I do all the time, but it isn’t. Yet. I want it to be though.

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Bethany from CuteCapsuleLife says · 09.05.17

I especially love #3! Today is so much easier and less stressful when I think ahead !

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Sarah B says · 09.05.17

So true! I prep my baby’s bottles right when I get home from work, pack my lunch with leftovers after dinner, and lay out my clothes and wash pump parts before I go to bed. I’m recently back to work after baby #1 and these little steps have helped so much!

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Allyson says · 09.05.17

You’re making Michal proud 🙂

And I’m doing my darndest to help Tomorrow Me…sometimes it’s Me in the Next 15 Minutes. Especially with naptime. Miss you friend!

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SS says · 09.05.17

I live in Australia. One of the things that is fantastic about all Australian schools is that all students wear a compulsory school uniform (all the way through to 12th grade). The uniforms are comfortable and wash and wear. This is fantastic for parents and students as many stresses are removed when schools have a compulsory uniform. Is it still common practice for schools in the US to not require students to wear a uniform?

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Jessica C. says · 09.06.17

Where I live in Texas it’s very normal. It’s our first year here with the uniforms and we love it! It has made life much easier and less stressful with a ten year old girl and it saved us so much on back to school. I have to spot iron, but I do it all on Sundays most of the time so they are all grab and go!

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SS says · 09.06.17

Jessica, thanks for replying. I love learning about/ finding out how other countries do things. 😊

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HJM says · 09.06.17

I’m confused, you say that meal services are a great way to simplify during this back to school season, but then you say that they aren’t really something that works for you?

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Kate says · 09.06.17

I wouldn’t use it long term, but for a brief season it helps a lot

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Rachel Butler says · 12.07.17

Just wondering with your busy work and home schedule, if you use a paper planner? I know you’re a fan of Emily Ley so I’m curious if you find her planner or another planner, helpful? Maybe an iPhone app that helps?

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academic writing says · 09.23.18

I really liked the third tip. Prepare everything for tomorrow. And I thought, what happens if you miss only one day? It turns out, the whole next day will be “paralyzed”, because you are not prepared for it. But nevertheless, of course, this is a great habit, and I also wanted to do so. In fact, this makes it possible to be more organized, more organized. A discipline is always very important. More important than anyone can think. Very often I have to do what I really do not want to do. And without discipline, nothing can be done. Thank you for the article, very interesting!

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Amanda says · 10.05.18

What product do you use in you boys’ hair? I feel like it doesn’t matter what I put in my son’s hair, 5 minutes into playing it is bedhead!

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Bethany Higgins says · 12.21.18

Maybe you can find what you are looking for on this site https://www.bestproducts.com/parenting/baby/g107/natural-baby-washes-shampoos/

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