Hard to imagine that we are already half way through August. I keep saying that it should be June as I'm not ready in the least to see the summer months end. 

It is becoming a time and fast where we really need to begin to focus on making routine and structure part of our daily life again. School is around the corner and time to start to think about a plan and take some action. 

Getting in the "groove" of routine can be challenging at first. If I leave things until the morning to start getting organized I find I'm not nearly as effective as if I took a few minutes at the end of my day to put things in order and prepare for the next day.

Things to start to think about is getting the kids back on track. Earlier wake up times are coming so it is important to start now. Plan on getting to bed just a little earlier, wake a little earlier. 

Begin getting in the habit of making lunches in the evening. One of the best things I find is to create a grab and go snack basket full of healthy pre-portioned snacks. Use snack bags and fill them with individual items such as carrot sticks, celery sticks, grapes, cut cheese or raisins. Place the portioned bags all in an open container where you can grab and go your selections as you make your lunch each day.

Once you begin to do this at the start of your week you will be so glad you did. Making lunches will never be so easy! 

Now it is time to realize you will be inundated with school papers. It is a great idea to create a system for back to school paper. Where are you going to put all those papers when they come in and how are you going to deal with them? You may have art work, Classroom lists, and various important papers.

Have a binder for each child or a file box where each child has their own colored files. It really is up to you what is going to work for you. I find a binder can be beautiful, organized, divided into sections by category. One important think to realize is if your not one to spend the extra minute or two to hole punch the paper and place it in the binder under the correct category this system may not be for you.  

Using a drop in file box may be your answer if your a drop and go kinda person. If your files are set up according to subject as the papers come in you can essentially drop them in the appropriate folder. This system does save time, can be just as organized and just as efficient.  I recommend different colors of folders or tabs for each child.

They key thing in any kind of organizing project and especially paper is that paper needs to be processed. We can't simply file it away in a pile, box, binder, folder or what ever method you choose and have it take care of itself. We just need to get it done!