Back to School-Part 2 Systems and routines to help you this school year
A new school year can bring excitement for you and your child as they begin a new grade level or a new milestone. As we roll into another school I wanted to give you some tools to help you stay organized. From homework and extra-curricular schedules to deadlines and events, there is a lot to keep up with. These tools will help you whether it's your child's first year in school or their last year in high school.
It's also important to set up routines that will help everyone- from getting out the door in the morning to completing homework in the evening. The information below will help you get routines in place to avoid daily stress.
DAILEY ROUTINES
THE NIGHT BEFORE
- Pack your lunch with non-perishables (have your child do this as you are preparing dinner).
- Have perishable food prepared and ready to grab from the fridge in the morning.
- Choose clothes and shoes for the next day.
- Set bags in a pick up zone near the door.
- Start the bedtime routine and have your kids go to bed at the same time each night (no screen time before bedtime).
- Set the alarm (it's never too early to have them wake-up to an alarm)
THE MORNING OF
- Wake up at the same time each morning
- Get dressed
- Eat a good breakfast
- Grab food from fridge and add to lunchbag
When you follow the nighttime routine mornings are less stressful and getting out the door on time is easier.
AFTER SCHOOL
Depending on your family's situation, whether they go home right after school or go to daycare, the after school routine could look different.
Extra-curricular schedules also play a part in your evening routine but you know your child's needs and most likely there will be homework and dinner to take care of.
Make it a habit to ask your child if there is anything that was brought home for you to look at. If the teacher sends home a daily folder be sure to look through it each day. Also, check email or communication apps on a regular basis for information being sent home from the school or your child's teacher.
HOMEWORK
- Have a quiet place and tools for your child to complete homework.
- While waiting for one child at practice, your other children can do their homework.
- Carry a bag of school supplies in your vehicle. Include pencils, erasers, pencil sharpener, crayons, markers, paper, ruler, scissors and glue sticks.
CALENDAR
Using a calendar will help you keep track of all of the activities your child has along with appointments for the family. Looking at the calendar on Sunday avoids surprises and allows you to plan out your week. Use a whiteboard and place it where everyone can see it so all family members know what is coming up.
INCOMING PAPER
Throughout the year, there will be papers your child brings from school. Some will be work you want to keep as memorabilia. Other paperwork will be important information you might need to refer to throughout the school year and then there will be paper that requires immediate action. A proven way to keep up with all of it and being able to find it when you need it is to sort it into three containers- FILE, REFERENCE or TAKE ACTION. This will help you avoid placing it in a random stack on the counter never to find it when you are looking for it.
The FILE container is for papers that you want to keep long-term. These will be filed in the proper place for looking at later!
Papers that you want to REFERENCE might include details on an upcoming meeting, schedules, school activities and teacher/class information.
TAKE ACTION are items that you need to take care of very soon or right now. This can include paying for pictures, ordering the school t-shirt, fundraisers, and permission slips.
ON A DIFFERENT NOTE
If you have a senior in high school there will be more to keep up with as they prepare to transition to their next phase. This could be college, trade school or the military. Another way to keep up with this type of paperwork is to use a binder with dividers. College bound and trade school students will have financial aid/FAFSA, scholarship applications, acceptance letters, letters of recommendations and transcripts to keep up with along with usernames and passwords. Something else to consider is filing paperwork that will allow you as the parent granting you permission to view records and make decisions on their behalf if the situation ever arises. Once your child turns 18 years old they are considered an adult and you are no longer allowed to look at their records without their permission. This is an important conversation to have with your senior.
WISHING YOU A GREAT SCHOOL YEAR.
IF STAYING ORGANIZED IS A STRUGGLE I CAN HELP YOU SET UP SYSTEMS THAT WORK FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. JUST CLICK THE PINK BUTTON BELOW AND I WILL CONTACT YOU.
Clutter, Clutter Go Away!
Did you know that decluttering is the first step before organizing? This is when you go through your items to decide what is still serving you, what you still actually need and use. When we keep everything we begin to feel like we are suffocating in our own home. I truly believe that we can feel less stressed when we live a clutter-free life. I hope the following helps you begin to feel empowered to begin declutterting your home so it feels less heavy.
When we are constantly bringing items into our home, but never taking items out, the clutter begins to accumulate. We end up with multiples, keeping things we no longer use or wear believing that one day we may need it. That day probably never comes because we are using the newest thing and we forget about the old stuff.
Tip #1- PURGE MULTIPLES If you have recently bought clothes for the summer season then pull out the clothes from previous summers that you haven't worn or don't fit you anymore. The same goes for new shoes, towels, kitchen utensils, blankets etc. Remember that you are going to head for the new stuff.
As you begin to declutter, I highly suggest that you do not move these items into a garage or room to be donated later. They will now become clutter in their new space and forgotten about. Place all of your donations in your vehicle and take them to the donation center on your next trip. Goodwill stays open later than other places I have used.
Antoher form of clutter is the stuff that we put off until another day such as paper clutter. We end up with stacks of paper that we do not know what to do with and then we start doing the paper shuffle, moving them from one place to another. Here are some ways that I keep paper from piling up.
I have a box for paper items I want to reference. These items might include a tracking receipt, a seasonal pamphlet, sales flyer or a coupon. These are papers that will eventually be expired or no longer needed but that I can refer to until then. After that I get to throw them away.
Another basket I have is for short-term documents. These are things that we might be currently working on that we will continue to look at until a project is complete. It can include estimates, travel information, insurance documentation, or information for a particluar project. These will eventually be discarded or filed for long-term keeping.
Children's artwork is one that I see often in a client's home. My favorite way to organize this is in a file box. Take a plastic file box with hanging folders labeled by preschool age and then school year. Decide which items are the most meaningful without including duplicates and file those in the appropriate folder. (Hand prints do not change much from month to month!) If it begins to get too thick then consider going through the folder again to see if there is something you want to purge. As your child gets older there will be less items coming from school so the folders for the higher grades might not have as much in them.
Tip #2 Use containers to immediately sort paper coming into your home. This keeps the stacks away and provides a specific place for the paper to be homed. Below are some categories that work well in most homes.
REFERENCE (See picture at the top), CHILDREN'S ARTWORK, MEMORABILIA, CURRENT PROJECTS, LONG-TERM (filing box or cabinet), ACTION (must be taken care of soon).
As you begin to declutter, I highly suggest that you do not move these items into a garage or room to be donated later. They will now become clutter in their new space and forgotten about. Place all of your donations in your vehicle and take them to the donation center on your next trip. Goodwill stays open later than other places I have used.
Another type of clutter I see frequently is backpacks and purses placed or thrown in areas that they don't belong. A landing zone or mudroom is a great place to keep these items. Hooks, bins and shelves can be hung on a wall that is near your main entry point. Think about never having to look for your keys on the way out the door or forgetting your sunglasses again. Everything you need when you leave the house will be in one place!
Tip # 3- Create a landing zone to place things when you walk in the door that you will need when you leave the house again.
If decuttering your home feels overwhelming I am here to help you. Click the link below to contact me and we will begin the decluttering process. No more stress and no more overweight spaces.
I'm ready to transform my space!
Celina Salazar
Home Decluttering and Organizing
Hurricane Season Is Here
June marks the beginning of hurricane season and if you live near the Gulf Coast you know that it's important to be prepared. We never know whether or not Mother Nature will decide to send one our way. In 2025 we were fortunate to not have any huuicanes in the Houston area. However, 2024 was a different story as you can see in the photo above. Hurricane Beryl, a Category 4, wreaked havoc leaving millions without electricity for days and causing major damage to homes.
Our hope is that this year we will be safe from hurricanes and any type of tropical storms, but we should always be prepared.
There are things that we can do now to avoid the mad dash to stores and gas stations.
The following is a list of items that can be prepared ahead of time and stored until the end of hurricane season.
Food and Water
- Gallons of water - one gallon per person per day for 3-7 days (I personally prefer jugs over bottles that can be used up for a road trip or an outing on a hot summer day).
- Non-perishable food that your family normally eats (you don't want to be left with food that won't get eaten after the season ends) for 3-7 days
- Manual can opener
- Food for babies
- Food for pets
- Paper goods and plastic utensils
Household Items
- Batteries for flashlights and lanterns
- Charcoal and lighter fluid and/or full propane tank
- Gas in the chainsaw
- Tarps
- Work gloves
- Generator with gas at the ready
- Charged power pack
- Cooler/Ice Chest
- Cash on hand (no power means no working ATM or cash registers)
Other Essentials
- Two weeks of medication
- Diapers
- Home and auto insurance paperwork
- Toilet paper
- Soap
- Gas container that are filled
Keep in mind there might be some items that your family might need that are not listed here.
If you are new to the Houston area please do not panic! We have been through many storms and have survived. Houstonians AND Texans are known for helping one another during catostrophic times. If there is something developing stay weather informed and in a safe place.
If you happen to be on the road during heavy rains remember our motto, TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN. Never attempt to drive through high water especially in areas you are not familiar with.
Wishing you a safe and quiet hurricane season.
Celina Salazar
If you missed last month's blog, you can read it here. Don't head to the airport without reading this!
Does Flying Stress You Out?
Let me help you turn chaos into peace.
Does Flying Stress You Out?
Flying can be a bit stressful, but if you plan and pack accordingly, you will have a smoother experience. Use the following tips start to your vacation on the right track.
Most major airlines allow two carry-on pieces- one suitcase that will be stored in the overhead compartment and one bag that should fit underneath the seat in front of you. In this this bag consider carrying the following items so you can easily access them from your seat:
- Neck pillow and light jacket
- Electronic chargers, headphones and aux cable
- Snacks (food from home is allowed through security as long as there is no liquid)
- Sanitizer wipes or baby wipes
- Reading material
- Empty water bottle (Fill once you go through security)
- Small crossbody purse (purses may count as an unallowed third item)
- Medication (sometimes you will be asked to check your carry-on suitcase at the gate and you might not have time to pull out your meds.)
- Change of clothes
SECURITY LINES can be long during this time of year. Be sure to give yourself enough time to get to the airport, park, check-in any large luggage to avoid missing your flight. PACK YOUR PATIENCE!
- As you go through security have your government issued ID (driver's license or passport) and boarding pass ready to present.
- Be prepared to take out large electronics to place in a bin. All carry-on bags also need to be placed inside a bin.
- Removing shoes is no longer a requirement unless specifically asked to.
Once you make it through security you have made it through the most stressful step!
MORE TIPS:
- Make sure all of your bags are tagged with your name,phone number and email address.
- Use an umbrella stroller for your child (this will be checked-in at the gate and returned to you as you exit the plane).
- Before deplaning, make sure you have all of your belongings as they will not let you back on the plane.
- Check the weather at your destination before you begin packing
- Take a credit card
- Leave valuable jewelry at home
- Take anything off your key chain that would be confiscated at security such as multitools.
- Do not pack full size toiletries in your carry-on luggage
SAFE TRAVELS TO YOU!
On another note, if you have been putting off contacting me to get a space organized in your home, summer is a great time to get started. Let's keep the summer vacation vibes going by having that peace in your home. Click the button below to get started.
Celina Salazar
Home Decluttering and Organizing
Let me help you turn chaos into peace.
Peaceful Spaces Home Organization
Conroe, TX