7 Zones to Support Your Back-to-School Routine

It’s almost time to send our children back to school, and while you may have purchased everything you need, it’s possible that you still don’t feel prepared. After all, the back-to-school rush can become a major source of stress (and mess!) between making lunches, laying out clothes, finishing homework and getting a halfway nutritious dinner made all while balancing afternoon activities!

To help simplify your routines and minimize the back-to-school stress, we recommend incorporating zones throughout the home to save yourself time and energy.

ZONES ARE AREAS IN THE HOME WHERE SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES HAPPEN

#1 Drop Zone

A drop zone is an area in your home dedicated to serving as a “catch-all” for your family’s everyday items. Be mindful: without proper systems and solutions in place, this zone can QUICKLY become chaotic.

Often located when you first enter your home through your garage or front door, this is where you’ll want to keep backpacks, shoes, seasonal items (coats, gloves, etc.) and any extracurricular items (sports equipment) that are used daily. We recently worked alongside Mark Ashby Interior Design to create this stunning drop zone in the Dapper Dwelling!

You’ll want to include hooks for hanging backpacks and other bags, as well as baskets to corral shoes and seasonal clothing items. Labeling your baskets and bins will help keep your children accountable for getting ready and putting things away!

Read this post to see how we created a drop zone to fit one client’s specific needs!

#2 Command Zone

A command zone is a central location for important information that is accessible for the whole family.

You’ll want to include a system to keep track of papers coming and going, a pen and pad for quick reminders (like grabbing cupcakes for a class party!), and a spot to drop your keys.

Where you place your command zone is up to you! The command zone pictured above made most sense in this family’s pantry. Mom wanted one zone for papers and daily needed items, as well as essential oils and medicine/first aid.

#3 Lunch Prep Zone

Make lunch prep quick and simple by having all the right tools you need right at your fingertips!

Our Austin and Charleston organizing teams love pairing Ziploc bags with sharpies for snacks in a drawer and keeping water bottles and lunch containers easily accessible. This is also a great zone to enlist the help of your kids, too!

Creating micro-categories with the help of iDesign bins and acrylic bin inserts from The Home Edit will ensure your zone is sustainable, while labeling drawers will keep everyone on the same page.

#4 Snack Zone

A thoughtfully designed snack zone will help instill a sense of responsibility in your children, while helping them establish healthy eating habits.

Consider putting your snack zone within arm’s reach (generally the lower two shelves of your pantry) or in a kitchen drawer.

The pull-out drawers in the Lovely Lakeside pantry were designed to feel like a farmer’s market, allowing for snacks to be placed strategically so all the kids could keep things tidy while finding a bite to eat.

See why The Wandering Meadows project won “Graceful Spaces’ Top Pantry”! Click here to take the tour!

The FREE Pantry Design Guide is here!

The Graceful Spaces team came together and compiled all of our best tips, product recommendations, and inspiration for YOU!

If you’ve been wanting to get organized but don’t know where to start, this is for you. If all the product options overwhelm you, this is for you. If you aren’t sure what goes where and how to zone out your pantry, this is for you!

Looking for more zone-planning tips for your kitchen or pantry? Be sure to check out our Ultimate Guide to professional organization in your kitchen and pantry!

#5 Medicine & First Aid Zone

Be ready for anything the day or season throws at you! Whether it’s in a cabinet, drawer, or in a rolling utility cart, having a designated space for first aid and medicines will eliminate the running around trying to find a Band-Aid moments we all experience during the school year!

We like to group medications by symptom, such as “Stomach”, “Pain” and “Allergy”. For easy access, keep daily vitamins and prescriptions on a turntable.

see how our ceo does it! click here to tour Christina’s gorgeous new home in charleston, sc.

#6 Get Ready Zone

Help make getting ready first thing in the morning more bearable! This is where you might need to take a few minutes to really think about your family’s morning routines…and your kids’ personalities:) If you have a little one that struggles to get up and out of the door in the morning, consider creating a “get ready drawer” in your kitchen. Place hair brushes, hair ties, even toothbrushes and toothpaste in here to keep things as simple as possible in the morning.

Have a drop zone by your backdoor? Consider placing your kids’ shoes and accessories needed for school in that zone vs. in the closet. Again, it’s all about simplifying the morning routine as much as possible!

Additionally, creating strategic zones in your child’s closet can help to streamline their morning routine when getting dressed. Labeled bins and drawers increase visualization so that they can quickly and easily find the item that they need.

#7 Art & Homework Zone

Set them up for a successful year! This is a zone we highly recommend getting right. Micro-categorizing is vital in this space because without it, you’re dealing with chaos and categories bleeding together in no time.

If you’re tight on space and a desk is not an option, an art cart is a great way to corral art supplies, school work and more while enabling your kids to create and complete homework from just about any room.

See how the Graceful Spaces team created systems and solutions for Fashion & Lifestyle Influencer Nasreen Shahi’s three kids! click here to take the tour!

Ready to get organized, but not sure you have the time to implement?

We're here to help! Every client at Graceful Spaces Organizing works with us to create a custom plan for their home that pairs function and their unique passions and personality. We feel that enjoying your space should be a simple pleasure. Click below to schedule a complimentary consultation with either our Austin or Charleston organizing teams today!