Hi friends!
We just got back from a beautiful week away with my family, sneaking in one last quick hurrah before the new shcool year starts! I love this annual trip, and I am so thankful for the memories we make!
With the start of school upon us, I wanted to share some helpful design ideas and organizational tips for getting back into the groove of a new school year. Even if you don’t have children in your home, there is something unique about this time of year that can bring a smile to our faces and energize us to get organized for a new routine! Today’s Tuesday’s Treasure will share ideas mostly geared toward keeping our kiddos organized for the school year routine, but certainly, we can all take a few hints and tips that translate into any home! Enjoy!
MUDROOMS & ENTRYWAYS
One really cool idea for your entryway or mudroom are is to convert a closet into a mudroom or entryway station. I love this idea for two main reasons. NO. 1 – because for many of us, we have limited amount of real estate to designate for this purpose, so using a closet means we don’t have to find a new place. We really only need to rethink the way it is used! NO. 2 – using a closet means we have the option of having closed in storage. This is HUGE for many of us because we know that entryways and mudrooms often house a lot of clutter, so just keep the doors in place OR as is shown in these examples, install a barn door to create visual interest and save on space! If you don’t find a barn door that will match what you need or are looking for, FunCycled can do that for you! Check out our Custom Built Barn Doors.
Hall Trees – Another option to consider is adding a hall tree to an empty wall area inside your entrance. Whether at the front or back of your home, whether a big or small area, there are several options and varieties of hall trees. Check out these two great options. When considering what to purchase, be sure to think through hooks for small bags, scarves, etc. as well as a place for shoes and shelving which can be used to hold baskets for tucked away storage or even display a special tchotchke!
STORAGE SOLUTIONS
The key ingredient to keeping things organized is to have the right storage solutions. A variety and sizes of baskets is a great plan, and I have pulled together some picks that serve a variety of purposes.
Baskets
Freestanding Shoe Storage
Baskets are just one part of the organization and don’t account for one of the biggest culprits of clutter (not to mention a major tripping hazard!) For this reason, I would also suggest considering your shoe storage. As seen above, this is something often “built into” the hall tree, but the number of shoes that can be accommodated is somewhat limited with this. I like the options below. Both are compact and fit easily into an entryway!
With either of these shoe storage solutions, you could put a calendar or bulletin board above to house reminders or important paperwork for school or even for work!
I also saw this cool idea for the shoe storage. In the image to the right, you will see how one mom used a drawer to hold binders and notebooks for her kiddos to have at the ready to grab for school! Such a great idea, right?! I love thinking outside the box : )
Wall Hooks
A quick note on wall hooks. Most of them are not designed to hold a full backpack. So if you intend to have your kiddos put their backpacks on a designated hook, make sure the backpack is NOT full. I strongly recommend you use cubbies or oversized baskets for backpacks and let the hooks hold coats, scarves, and lighter weight items! Here are some hook options that are clean and streamlined and allow the colorful coats do all of the talking!
Finding Their Names
There are many options for signage, but I like the simplicity of custom metal names to help designate zones and let’s your child find their name and keep all of their stuff together! Look at this nice option, totally customizable on Amazon.
WORK ZONES
Okay so when considering work zones for kids, the KEY to this is organization! It is a must – everything has a place and everything in its place (thank you, Benjamin Franklin, for coining this important mantra!) In keeping with the idea of unused or hidden spaces, converting a closet into desk and work space for kids is a great option! Check out this inspiration photo below.
Of course sparing a closet for this may not be possible in your home, so here are some other ideas for capturing unused areas and turning them into a work zone.
- NO 1 – A small or narrow landing area
- NO 2 – A small corner or alcove area
- NO 3 – An unclaimed wall that only serves as a pass through for traffic
If you have this kind of unclaimed space and want to convert it to a work area, check out these floating desk options. Floating desks are functional and they help preserve floor space which is a critical factor when considering small space work zones. And because of their smaller scale, they can work side by side if you want a “line” of desk areas.
Desktop and Wall Storage
This is always an important component. When purchasing and planning, keep in mind accessibility. The options below are great because they are compact but can hold a lot of things and can function in one designated section even if it is an area that has to be shared with others!
Lighting
Wall sconces are the way to go for adding lighting to a work area. Here are some good options to consider. Keep these things in mind when planning and purchasing:
- Compact
- Direct lighting
- Whether you can hard wire or need something that has to plug into the wall
- Make sure the “on/off” functionality is easily accessible (I like the pull chain on light option 3!)
KIDS ARTWORK
Well, it likely goes without saying that our kids can generate an overabundance of artwork throughout the school year. Keeping up with it, organizing it, and evaluating what can be displayed is altogether overwhelming! While there are a few good solutions, I want to share the solution I found to be super user friendly, fast, and streamlined for my kid’s artwork!
Artkive– this is a great option for “saving” your children’s artwork throughout the school year without having to actually save it! Simply snap some pics, upload and select from Mosaic Artwork or an Art Book. I love that it is not overcomplicated. Below is an example of the Mosaic Artwork and the Art Book.
Well, I know we looked at a lot today and this blog post is certainly not a comprehensive review of back to school organization, but I do think having a few ideas to inspire and encourage is important as we look to another school year season! As you embark on a new season and routine, remember to have grace for yourself and for your family because even the best of organizers may have a moment or two of disorganization! Have a great year!
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Happy FunCycling Friends,
Sarah ;)
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