This post is sponsored by Kleenex, Scott, Cottonelle and Viva but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.
It’s that time of year again… are you looking forward to your kids being entertained all day, or are you terrified of getting back into the swing of that morning routine? Either way, the back-to-school season can be hard work. Don’t let it get the better of you, make the most of the deals online and get the family unit in shape for a smooth transition.
While Elsie has been obsessing over finding the perfect backpack, us Moms get stuck with the practical stuff. There is more to think about than the just pens and pencils, and the new routine throws up all kinds of chaos. I’m sharing a few ideas to get organized and mom-boss those first few weeks.
5 Ways to Beat Back to School Mom Chaos
Get Up Early
Who else has enjoyed a summer lie in? Admittedly, as a Mom of three, a lie-in doesn’t mean quite what it did ten years ago, but I’ll take it. There have been days this summer I have slept until a whooping 7am. Considering Elsie is dropped off at 7.30am and school is a 20min drive, goodbye lie-in.
This week I’m getting all three in gear for the day a little bit earlier. Ease yourself into it because when you’re coordinating a family in the morning you need practice.
Stock the House
You’re going to be focused on the mechanics of lunches and getting small people out of the house on time. The last thing you need to worry about is running out of home essentials. Do a big shop for the practical stuff like shampoo, kitty litter, and toilet paper.
Shop smart… Back-to-school deals stretch further than pens and pencils. You can save on bulky essentials at Amazon and everything will come straight to the door, take a load off Mama! There are savings of up to $3 on Kleenex, Scott, Cottonelle, and Viva for their back to school promotion on Amazon.
You can save even more money and sanity by signing up for Amazon Subscribe & Save. TP to your doorstep every month, it really is the mom-boss way to shop for essentials! We’ve always liked the value you get with Scott TP and this time I’ve upgraded to their Comfort Plus… what can I say, I’m feeling rather fancy pants.
Prep the Car
I am a relatively tidy person, apart from my car. Most of the time it is a shameful biohazard of a skip on wheels. My heart literally stopped once when a friend asked for a ride somewhere… my car is my dirty little secret. That’s until the minivan door slides open to reveal carnage in the car line. Not this year!
I am proud to say I have totally cleaned my car in preparation for next week. The Twins car seats are spotless and there is not a stale chicken nugget in sight. Elsie can leave the car without climbing over a mountain of junk mail. I even have tissues and wet wipes at the ready for any unforeseen forgotten milk box explosions… yep that happened and it wasn’t pretty. We drove with the windows down for some time.
Prepare for Germs
You know it’s going to happen… your pride and joy are going to bring home something hideous from school. However much we talk to them about washing their hands, covering their mouth and using a tissue instead of their sleeve, the back-to-school cold season is inevitable.
The Twins have started daycare and between them and Elsie at school, there is going to be a lot going around. A change of clothes and a good hand wash when you get home will help limit the spread of germs.
We’ve also stocked up with Kleenex anti-viral tissues which have a moisture-activated middle layer that kills 99.9% of cold and flu viruses. Kleenex is always our go-to for tissues and the chance of reducing the spread of germs through the house is pretty awesome. Kleenex tissues are also on promotion at Amazon for back-to-school essentials!
Shoes
One word… shoes. Everyone’s strategy will be different but if you’re going to limit back to school mom chaos you need a plan. How much time do you lose looking for shoes when you have three kids? Too much. Every. Single. Day.
Get shoes off as soon as they come in the door and train those kiddos to put them in the same place every day. It really shouldn’t be that difficult, should it? If only, ha!
We start on Monday, yep only a few days away. I’m in denial at the moment but am feeling pretty prepared with my Amazon shopping and clean car. I’m not trying to brag but I even remembered to buy new socks… like a boss. I wish you all the luck in the World with your very own back to school mom chaos. Wear it proudly, you’ve earned it.
