It’s that time again! The countdown has begun for back to school and already the (mild) panic has set in. Where did I put Kieran’s plimsolls? What door does he go into now he is a year three? Have I labelled his uniform? As much as he is looking forward to getting back into school, seeing his new teacher and getting back together with friends he hasn’t seen over the summer I can’t get too excited yet as I still don’t feel organised and ready to ship him off once more.
School runs don’t bother me and I’m a whizz at making packed lunched the night before however at this time of year I like to have a checklist help me make sure that I have everything I need and am organised enough to send him back into a new school year with everything he wants and needs. This checklist may be helpful to you too.
Back to School 2013
Lunches: Will we opt for school dinners or packed lunches this term?
We do have an incredibly cool Sistema lunch box with loads of little pots that open which just happens to fit into his Skylanders lunch bag… packed lunch it is, we can change to hot dinners once the very cold weather kicks in if he likes. Are both his lunch bag and box labelled?
Sports: Do we have everything we need?
September is classed as the August term so we still need both indoor and outdoor sport kits. Have I got jogging bottoms, tshirts, shorts, fleece/jumper, spare socks, plimsolls and trainers? And where is his Gym bag? Is everything labelled?
School Bag: Where is his book bag? Is it labelled?
Water Bottle: Have I got a new water bottle?
Is it labelled?
School Coat: Where did I put his thicker autumn school coat?
Does it still fit? Could it do with a refresh in the washer? Is it labelled?
Hair: Does it need cutting before school? It was done not too long ago to be honest? His hair is probably the only thing that doesn’t need labelling.
That covers everything I really need to have organised / have to find or buy. The common question as we go into our new year is “Is it labelled?”. Between September 2013 and end of term (July) 2013 Kieran lost or misplaced:
- One lunch box,
- One book bag
- Two water bottles,
- Two school jumpers (Arggh!)
- A pair of plimsolls
- A school coat (which later turned up in lost property – diving in that clothing bin was delightful).
This year I will be prepared and have vowed to become the labelling queen! I have dug out those lovely sew-in name tapes for gym and sports kit and WILL (probably) sit down one night and personalise all of his clothing with it and for the rest of his easy-to-leave-behind belongings there is Tinyme.
Tinyme boast a fabulous range of personalised labelling and sticker options which at the moment have a free postage and packaging option and which are of course much cooler than using my big white stickers and putting sellotape over the top to keep them on. These Tinyme label value packs look ideal!
I might even treat myself to some of their iron on labels and save my fingers from the torment that is me with a needle and thread (I’m not a natural when it comes to sewing). With my order on the way I feel confident that with these and my trusty checklist that I will be as ready as Kieran is for back to school when September 3rd arrives.
Does anyone have a checklist for preparing yourself for your child being old enough to go into Juniors and year three?
My question for all of you lovely readers today is: what is your top back to school organisational tip?
*This post has been written in collaboration with the mentioned business yet is true to my own thoughts, feelings and experiences.
