organization tips

Top Tips for Back To School Prep: The Ultimate Guide

August 17, 2017 by Danielle

We are half way into the summer already and my kids are excited about starting a new school year soon. I’m starting early to make sure that not only are the kids prepared but that I’m prepared as well! And luckily by starting a little early, I have time to get everything organized and ready for a smooth transition from summer to school.

Top Tips for Back To School Prep

Before the school year starts, prepare your bins, canisters, folders and more with these tips for back to school organization with sight words.
Meet the teacher before the school year starts, if possible. Since my daugther is going to a new preschool, we have a meeting scheduled to meet her new teacher before school begins.
First day of school pictures can be fun, but you may be putting your child’s safety at risk. Read about the back-to-school picture no-nos before snapping those pictures.
Preschoolers with first day jitters will love reading these encouraging books about the first day of preschool.
Check out these 10 Tips for Starting Kindergarten if your little one is making the transition from short preschool days to the longer days for kindergarteners.
Does your child require vaccinations before starting school? Help them cope with these five tips.
Make a back to school bucket list to remind you to review important things with your child, such as a safety plan, how to make friends, and refreshers on concepts learned in the previous year.
Do you normally have trouble getting into a good routine? You’re not alone! Here are 10 tried and true back to school routine tips.
Bedtime routines can be particularly difficult for children who are attending school for the first time this year.
It’s easy to get out of practice with reading and writing, but these free resources can get your child back into the swing of things before school starts.
If your children will be walking to or from school, now’s the time to nail down the safest, quickest route.
Start some fun back to school traditions this year. Start thinking about which ones you’ll implement now.
Your children will have less time for chores now, but that doesn’t mean they should forgo them altogether. Here are some before and after school chore charts to help your kids nail down a good routine.
Prepare a homework station with pencils, paper, crayons, highlighters and anything else your child needs to focus on homework.
Start a cute back to school countdown to get your kids excited about the upcoming school year.

Finally, don’t forget to label all the things! Whether your kid is going into preschool (like my youngest) or heading off to college, it’s always helpful to have a pack of personalized labels on hand. Right now Oliver’s Labels is excited to introduce their new Shopkins™ line of labels now available in their Special Edition design category.

The official launch of this new line is on Tuesday, August 22nd as part of their annual Back-to-School 15% off sitewide sale (excluding gift cards), however, this week only our readers get to enjoy an exclusive offer just for you!

Use promo code ACraftySpoonful before checkout to SAVE 20% on Shopkins™ design themes! Offer valid Aug. 15th – 22nd.

You’ll love the bright and fun labels available! There are so many great features and options such as:

Don’t lose another jacket to the lost and found bin! Fun new designs encourage your kids to label all of their items so they don’t lose anything when it’s taken out of the home. Have a Shopkins™ fan at home? Let Cheeky Chocolate, Kooky Cookie, D’lish Donut, Strawberry Kiss, and Apple Blossom help keep your child’s belongings out of the lost-and-found bin.
Found-It Lost & Found Code: Found-it™ is Oliver’s Labels FREE online lost and found system. When you choose to add Found-it™ to your labels, we print them with your very own unique I.D. If your item is reported found, we send you a notification email right away. Oliver’s Labels acts as an intermediary between you and the person who has found your item.
They have a school package! Everything you need for back to school all in one place! The School Package features: 20 x Original Labels, 30 x Mini Labels, 6 x Shoe Labels, 1 x Large Bag Tag, 3 x Mini Bag Tags, and 35 x Stick-eez™ Clothing Labels.

How do you prepare your kids for heading back to school?

If your child is starting Preschool or Kindergarten, check out these great ways to prep before you begin!

(just click on the photo)

10 Tips To Teach Children The Basics of Organization

January 6, 2017 by Danielle

These 10 tips to teach children the basics of organization can help get your kids to start picking up after themselves and stop leaving messes all over the house.

Teaching your child how to organize can be comparable to brushing your teeth while eating Oreos. As much as parents like to do things themselves, there comes a point where children must learn to do things on their own. And now is about the time that my kids need to start picking up after themselves and learning how to keep their areas organized.

After two weeks home with the kids and little messes made in every.single.room of the house over the holiday break, I was done. And at one point I’m pretty sure I grabbed a big black trash bag and threatened to pick up everything I see on the ground and give it away. Mama was over it. And the kids picked up on that.

Our house is set up so that our children can let their inner creativity shine. BUT at 6 and 7 years old I think they’re old enough to start learning how to start organizing their things. Putting stuff away once they are done using them so that they’re not in every corner of our home. Or so that they don’t end up in a pile on their bed or bedroom floor.

Starting with the basics is one way to help your child learn how to organize. And that’s exactly where we’re starting.

10 Tips To Teach Children The Basics of Organization

#1. Simplicity

Teach your child that organization doesn’t need to be complicated. Organization should be used as a tool to make everything simpler.

#2. It Takes Time

One thing a child should know about organization is that it takes time. Even the most basic forms of organization will take some time.

#3. Limits

Your child should know that to be successful in organization there has to be limits put on things. You can’t collect every single paper you bring home from preschool.

#4. Donations

It’s amazing how much one person can collect overtime. Teaching your child the basics about donations will help them learn about organization. They should know that when a person has extra of something, it’s okay to donate to someone else less fortunate.

#5. Bring one in Take one Out

One rule a child should know about organization is the value of doing it “as you go.” If you buy something new and bring it home, then the rule is that something else has to leave. Learning to let go of items can be a hard lesson.

#6. Everything Has a Home

I think one of the most valuable lessons a child can learn in organizing is that everything has a home. You don’t need to leave everything out on the floor, simply put it away. When everything has a home the basics of organization seem pretty simple.

#7. Teamwork

Teach your child that it’s okay to ask for help when they need it. Sometimes organizing can be incredibly overwhelming. Teaching your child to ask for help is a tip they’ll need to carry with them for a long time.

#8. Know Their Limits

A child should be taught the basics of organization, but there is no need to be incredibly pushy about it. There should be a happy medium between proper organization and overzealous organization.

Your child doesn’t need to spend every waking moment organizing their room. Have your child set a 15 minute timer for their organizing time. When that time is over, they get to take a break.

#9. Prioritize

Organizing can be overwhelming because sometimes there’s too much to do and not enough time. Teach your child how to prioritize one task over another. For example—The floor needs cleaned up before you can sweep.

#10. Get Creative

There are no rules to organizing. One family’s idea of organizing is different than another. Teach your child the basics behind organizing and they should be good to go. Also teach them that getting creative with the resources is a smart move. For example—You don’t need to go out and buy organizing items, you can use what you have at home. Use a milk crate for a toy box and etc.

Try to refrain from getting frustrated or yelling when you’re teaching your child about organizing. Children should grow up to love this sort of exercise, not grow to hate it.