The countdown begins - get organized for back to school!

The start of school comes around the same time every year, but it is always a rush to get organized for the start of classes come September. Especially for students heading into a new grade or starting university on their own, preparing for the start of classes can be a stressful and chaotic time. However, by starting early and developing a routine that fits your schedule and study habits, the countdown for September doesn’t have to be so daunting!

Shop smart

Before a shopping trip is even planned, it’s important to take stock of the school supplies, clothes, shoes, and other items you already own. Moving up to a new grade or going to university doesn’t mean that a whole new wardrobe or brand-new supplies are required. The same pencils, pens, jeans, and tops used the year before will work perfectly for the new school year. Replacements may be needed for clothing that doesn’t fit or needs repairs, or any supplies that are depleted or need replacing. Make sure to do a thorough inventory and keep a list of items that need to be purchased. While it may seem tempting to buy a stash of supplies or extras, try to avoid doing this. Extra supplies will end up taking up unnecessary space and create clutter, especially because a lot of these extra supplies may not even be needed throughout the year. It’s better to keep track throughout the year of what you use and replace it only when needed.

Create a filing system

Homework, tests, assignments, report cards, permission slips, course outlines – a lot of paper is involved in going to school, and these loose pages often end up lost before the first week is even over. To prevent this from happening, implement a system or routine of dealing with paper as it comes in. Folders or trays can be allotted for paper that needs to be kept, paper that needs to be dealt with right away, and any other category that pertains to your school work. Train yourself to deal with paper as soon as you bring it home. First, determine if you really need to keep it. If it’s a course outline that you have access to online or won’t need to use, place it in the recycling bin. However, if it’s an assignment sheet or permission slip, make sure it’s place in a tray that you know means it must be dealt with or saved for a later date. This will help you keep track of any important documents you bring home, and prevent large piles of clutter from accumulating around your home! Consider implementing a similar system for your email to deal with any messages from teachers or professors.

Designate a study space

To keep organized year-round, establish one space for studying, completing homework, and storing your school items. Whether it’s an entire office or just a desk in the corner of a room in your home, having a designated space for school can help you stay focused. This space should be kept clean and organized – on a weekly basis, go through any papers, books or supplies that have started to clutter and make sure that it is kept clean and clear for you to study. Having a designated space to do work can help you stay on track of homework and assignments because you will always have a place to complete them. No more cleaning off tables last minute, shoving off piles of paper and assorted books, or getting distracted from a cluttered space! A dedicated space means that no unnecessary items or clutter can distract you from the task ahead, and will help keep your mind clear and focused on the task ahead.

Don’t start everything all at once

The start of the school year is often the start of extra-curricular activities like sports, music lessons, volunteering, and part-time jobs. However, starting a busy schedule right from the start can be very stressful, especially for students that are transitioning to higher grade levels, or a new school. The first month of school should be a time dedicated to becoming familiar with a new schedule and routine outside of any extra activities. This way, students can better understand what their homework load is, what their sleep schedule will be like, and how much time they can dedicate to outside activities in the evenings and on the weekends. Remember, it’s important to leave time in your week to relax! For students, September should be about establishing a routine and growing comfortable in a new environment. Try and wait a few weeks before introducing more activities into the daily schedule.

Pack for Organization - Moving in after marriage!

Once you've actually packed, another large task begins: unpacking them into your new home.  This is made easier when you organize your belongings before you pack them, but it is still a complex task for you and your new partner to undertake! Below, we’ve got some tips to help make the process smoother:

-       Coordinate schedules

If you’re moving in together, it stands to reason you should unpack your new home together. Getting married, unpacking your belongings, and moving them can take up a lot of time, but make sure you have enough time set aside to dedicate yourselves to the task of unpacking. Typically, at least one or two days are needed to set up the main items in your most used living spaces, like the kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom. However, it is common to take up to a week or more depending on how many items you have, how long it takes to move them to your new home, and how much free time you have. Make sure that you are both able to take time together to plan what rooms should be unpacked first, and where you’re going to place your items. This can be flexible, as furniture may need to be arranged as you get acquainted with your new space. However, it’s important to plan what rooms you will unpack first, and where you will put your belongings before you start opening boxes.

-       Tackle one room at a time

An empty house full of boxes can be overwhelming – but remember that they don’t need to be unpacked all at once! Pick one room, and stick to it. Your most used rooms should be the ones unpacked first, like the kitchen and bedroom. Remember that moving and unpacking is a process and will take time – don’t feel like you must have everything done at once! Unpack your items the right way from the start. Moving from one room to another can leave you feeling stressed, and leave your house in a half-moved state. Focusing on one room will allow you and your partner to properly unpack, organize, and arrange the items you have in each room.

-       Don’t unpack all boxes at once

Just like the rooms in your house, don’t unpack all the boxes in each room all at once! Open one box at a time and determine what you have packed, and where it can go in your new space. If your other items are still packed away and not cluttered on the floor, you will be able to visualize your space better and determine where everything should be placed. Placing furniture, appliances, electronics, and other larger items is easier if you don’t have small clutter in the way. Focus your attention on one box at a time to make sure that everything is put in its place. Moving is a process that should be handled one step at a time, so don’t make it more overwhelming than it needs to be!

-       Leave nothing packed!

Moving doesn’t happen overnight, but that doesn’t mean it should last forever. Often, people can get tired out from moving and end up leaving boxes still packed in the basement or other storage area, and eventually, they are forgotten. Avoid letting this happen to you and make sure that every box is unpacked within the first two weeks of you moving. By following a moving plan as mentioned above, you can make sure that time is set aside for every room and every box in your house. This should help keep you on track. Moving is like organizing – once something is used or brought into your home, it should be immediately put into its “home” or designated space as soon as it is not in use. Once a box is brought into a room, the items inside should be unpacked and put where they are supposed to go. No one wants to live with their belongings still packed away, so plan your move and stick to it!

-       Ask for help if you need it

Life is always busy and stressful, and sometimes, unpacking all their belongings is too big of a task for people to handle on their own. If you both can’t get enough time off work, or are physically unable to complete your move, always know that we can be there to help! At Calm Order, we offer our clients an “Unpacked to Organize” service that takes care of everything – whether you need one space, a single room, or an entire house unpacked. We focus on the big picture details and pay attention to the finer ones to make sure your house is set up the way you want it, with clothes stored in your new closet, beds made and ready to be slept in, and food waiting in your pantry. Moving can be time consuming and stressful, so don’t be afraid to ask for help!

Pack for Organization – Post Wedding Move

After all the planning that goes into your wedding day, another major plan can slip through the cracks: merging two homes into one. When you move in with your significant other, it can be difficult to decide what items to keep and where to put them, especially when you have duplicate items. This post has suggestions on what you can do to prepare both of your belongings BEFORE the move – to make organizing easier when you unpack in your new home!

-       Take inventory of your belongings

When two people move in together, it’s very likely that there will be duplicate items. This is also a good opportunity to go through all your items and donate or throw out items that aren’t needed or won’t fit in your new space. Sort both of your items into different piles for items that need to be packed, items that need to be donated, and items that need to be thrown out. For larger furniture pieces and appliances, you can also consider selling them through an online platform or garage sale. It’s important to work together when sorting through items. Be practical, and if you are unsure about items, consider how often they are currently used, and how often they will be used in your new home.

-       Plan your new space

It’s also important to consider your new space and where everything will go. This step can also help you further declutter the items you have – depending on how large your space is, you may not have room for your combined belongings. Start by organizing your belongings by room, like kitchen appliances, dishware, condiments, and food, or bedroom furniture, linens, decorations, and clothing. Make sure to measure the size of each room, and the size of larger pieces of furniture and appliances, to ensure they will fit in the new space.

-         Prepare to move

Before you move, you will need to pack up your belongings. To do this in an organized way, make sure to keep similar items sorted together (like kitchen items, bedroom items, and bathroom items), and pack these items into clearly marked boxes depending on what room they are for. You can further organize each box by what kind of items they are – for example, sort all utensils and/or dishware for the kitchen into one box, and all shoes for the bedroom closet into another. Try using clear boxes so you can both easily determine what items are in each box.

-       Moving day

Overnight kits are essential for any move – make sure that items like toiletries, pajamas, a clean set of clothes, a pair of shoes, any medications, phone chargers, and electronics, are packed into a bag or box and kept with you the day of the move. Go over both of your schedules and determine if you will both be there, or if someone will be primarily in charge of overseeing the moving process. Plan for when the boxes will be picked up, moved, and dropped off. The most important part of this process is to make sure that both of you are on the same page and a part of each stage throughout the move.

Moving two different homes into one can be daunting, but it can be done. Make a plan and work together to create a space that you can both call home.