This post is sponsored by Clorox Disinfecting Wipes. All opinions are our own and as always, we only
work with brands we love.
As the summer quickly comes to an end, many parents are either getting ready for back-to-school or are
already in the midst of it. For us, it’s been three weeks since school started and we’re so glad we took the
time to prepare for it in advance this year. It definitely helped our family make the transition more
smoothly. So, in back-to-school spirit, we’re sharing our journey plus our top 10 helpful tips to ensure your
new school year kicks off to a great start too!
While school supplies and new clothes might very well be at the top of most parents’ to-do lists, the very
first thing on our list was to go through our kids’ closets.
Tip #1
Go Through Your Kids’ Closets & Freshen Up
This is important, as most kids tend to outgrow their clothes during summer. This means you’ll have
plenty of room to add in their new clothes. It’s also the perfect time to clean their drawers, handles and
even closet doors. When it comes to cleaning, our go-to is Clorox Disinfecting Wipes. We use these to
wipe everything down and freshen up before we add their clothes back into the drawers.
Tip #2
Create A Clutter-Free Workstation
Once we cleaned out their closets, we then started to focus on the areas where our kids do their school,
artwork and creative play. For us, it's the kitchen and playroom. It made sense to create these clutter-free
workstations that easily store their art supplies, crafts and school materials.
Lucky for us, we have the perfect area under our kitchen island and in their playroom to store a
workstation. The best part? It's easy for our little ones to pull things out of these cabinets and place them
on top of the counters, as well as put everything back away. And I’m loving how Clorox Disinfecting
Wipes help me clean, disinfect and refresh these workstations quickly and easily. Clean spaces can help
to springboard kids’ creativity, so I’m all about tackling messes and setting the stage for their next project!
Tip #3
Create School Year’s Resolutions
We kicked things off in our home by having a conversation with our oldest daughter Mia (now a third
grader – gulp!) about creating School Year’s resolutions in order to have a great school year. The
conversation actually turned into a quick and fun activity. And I’m loving that the resolutions we came up
with together will help serve as a reminder to stay focused and motivated throughout the school year.
Work With Your Kids to Set Their School Year’s Resolutions
- Talk to your children about what they’d like to accomplish before the new school year starts.
- Hand them a pencil and notebook or ask them if they’re not able to write it out quite yet.
- Guide them in choosing 3 resolutions that are actually attainable, so they won’t become frustrated
and/or overwhelmed. Keep in mind that it’s also never too late to modify resolutions so long as
they help motivate and achieve your kiddos’ goals. - Help them map out exactly what items they will need to achieve each resolution.
Tip #4
Back to School Shopping
Once we cleaned house and created resolutions, we went back-to-school shopping. We let Mia pick out
some school supplies, outfits and that cute backpack she’s been asking for.
Tip #5
Have the Kids Create a DIY Garland
This year, we had the girls create a DIY apple garland using paper stock, tissue paper, glue, markers and
paint. The girls made a mess making it, but they had a blast creating that mess. I love how the banner
serves as a reminder of all the fun that’s coming their way this new school year. Plus, it was super easy to
wipe down the entire mess using Clorox Disinfecting Wipes! They made my table spotless and set the
kids up for their next creative (and possibly messy!) masterpiece. 
Tip #6
Focus On Creating A Daily Routine
If you’re anything like us, your summer days include staying up later than usual and not really having a
set routine. This meant it was especially important to get the kids and us parents ready to go back to a
routine a couple weeks before school started. At the top of our list? Going to bed earlier and adding more
reading time.
Tip #7
Organize Weekly School Outfits
This is a big one for us. If we don’t prepare outfits for the week ahead of time, we’re left scrambling every
single morning. More so because our girls are picky when it comes to choosing what they want to wear.
Anyone else relate? The key is to pick out every single outfit for the week over the previous weekend and
hang them up so that they can just pull out and go, go, go!
Tip #8
Lunch Box Prep
Prepare as much as you can the night before going back to school. Slicing veggies the night before or
even buying pre-sliced fruits and vegetables are game changers. I highly recommend placing them in
snack bags so that they are ready for you to just grab and go.
Tip #9
Spend Quality Time Together
Starting a new school year is always a bit nerve wracking over here. Make sure to spend one-
on-one time with your kids and reassure them it’s going to be a great school year!
Tip #10
Take a Back-to-School Photo the Day Before
Even though we worked hard to ensure our back-to-school journey was a smooth one this year,
you never know if you forgot to do something or are left scrambling the morning of. I highly
recommend grabbing your camera and taking a photo when everyone is relaxed and willing to
take it.
Bonus Tip:
A Clean Space Can Help Spark Creativity In Children
It’s true, and it’s the reason why we try to keep our kiddos’ playroom as clean and free of clutter as
possible.
And just in time for the back-to-school season, you can enter for a chance to win $5K toward your
own Ultimate Clean Space Makeover, sponsored by Clorox. But hurry – September 14! You’ll also
receive a $0.75 coupon for Clorox Disinfecting Wipes just for participating!
