16 of the Best Back-to-School Hacks Every Parent will be Thankful for

Preparing for back-to-school is chaos, between buying school supplies and new wardrobes. Make your life a little easier with these quick back-to-school hacks that’ll help you save time and money all school year long!

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1. Let the kids plan their own lunches… with a little help.

Headed to the grocery store? Make a “menu” of lunch options. Then have your kids write which items they’d like in their lunch boxes that week (pepperoni and string cheese vs. cheese/turkey roll-ups vs. tuna and cheese, etc.). Time saver? Yes, thanks!

This cute weekly school lunch menu plan is available to print FREE via OrganizingHomeLife.com.

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2. Create a bin for school shoes (and save even more time).

Skip the “lost shoe scramble” when the bus is approaching! Have kids toss their shoes into the school shoe bin each afternoon and retrieve them before they head out every morning. Fast and simple!

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3. Tough time finding art supplies at homework time? Check the door!

Pick up a clear plastic shoe organizer and hang it over your door. Then pack it with your most-used homework supplies so they’re always ready. Glue sticks? Got ’em! Crayons? Right here!

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4. Use a beverage bottle instead of ice packs – it’s already in the lunchbox!

Skip bulky ice packs! Instead, fill your child’s regular drink bottle 1/3 full using their regular drink the night before school (juice, milk, etc). Freeze it overnight – then in the morning, fill it the rest of the way. By lunchtime, they’ll have a nice, cold drink!

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5. Carve out a reading nook in your house.

Kids who are distracted easily may not be able to read without interruption. So when you place big pillows or a soft pouf chair in a specific area, they’ll equate that reading nook with enjoying their favorite books, whether it’s Harry Potter or Dork Diaries!

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6. Leave reminders on the mirror so kids don’t forget.

If your kids need a few quick reminders in the a.m., jot them onto the mirror with a dry erase marker. They’ll plan out their days while brushing their teeth!

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7. Pre-slice an apple or orange, and keep it fresh with rubber bands.

Cut up your child’s fruit and then put it back into formation, secured with an ever-present rubber band! This helps prevent fruit from browning.

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8. Hang hooks to fight backpack clutter.

Hang metal hooks in the entryway or homework area to get backpacks off of the floor. It’s neater, and your kids won’t misplace them. We installed these oil bronzed hooks. They’re high quality and can hold lots of weight since backpacks can get heavy – especially for older kids!

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9. Keep outfits organized with soda-tab hanger extenders.

Do you have a kiddo who spends WAY too much time getting dressed in the morning (or who pairs stripes with polka dots – especially on picture day)? Slide a soda tab over a hanger to put outfits together on the same hanger. More clothes neatly stored means less space required and less guesswork!

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10. Create a sock bin instead of matching socks.

Buy multiple sets of the same socks and keep them separated in a basket. You’ll never hear “I can’t find a matching pair” again!

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11. Wrangle computer cables with binder clips.

Take those binder clips out of the junk drawer and use them to organize the cables on the computer desk. You’ll never have trouble finding the printer cable again!

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12. Use candy and drink packaging as lunchtime condiment containers.

Kids don’t want to eat lunch without their favorite ketchup, mustard, or mayo? Send lunchbox condiments in single-serving containers like empty Tic Tac or MiO packaging!

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13. Create high-protein grab-and-go bags each Sunday to save time.

Create sandwich bags filled with nuts, seeds, raisins, and other energy-packed ingredients at the beginning of the week. Hand them out on days when kids are running late for the bus. No time for cereal? No problem!

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14. Don’t bog their backpacks down with water weight.

Does your child like to take a water bottle to school but complains about the heavy backpack? Have them hang an empty bottle from their backpack, and they can fill it at school. Hydration without the heavy lifting!

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15. Eliminate boredom in quiet moments with audiobooks.

For older students who are short on time but have a lot of reading to accomplish, download required books in their audio version and have them listen at the bus stop (and anywhere else). They’ll master the classics in no time!

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16. Turn your vinyl cutting machine into the ultimate back to school label maker!

Personalizing and labeling school supplies, lunch boxes, and water bottles is a cinch using my Cricut cutting machine to make both iron-on vinyl and permanent vinyl labels! Check out all the reasons why I love my Cricut.

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