Minimalist Homework Station

After last year I bet we are all pros at finding space for homework. 

I honestly kind of slacked and just made whatever work. I’m feeling better about this year (so far) and this task is quick but helpful. 

Real talk though, I imagine it won’t be used much. I expect the high schoolers would rather work in their rooms and the other 2 will probably have time for homework while we are at after school activities, which there are  no shortages of.  Oh well, I’ll prep it just in case. 

Before 🥴

I’ve emptied this drawer in our kitchen out, wiped it clean and stocked it with homework necessities. 

Pencils 

Colored pencils 

Work books (just in case they want to do something) 

Ruler 

I also have pencil sharpener that is in there but was missing when I took the picture of course 😆

Considered hiding  a snack or treat in here for whoever does homework first ☺️

Where do your kids do homework? The kitchen island seems to be the spot here. 

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Back to School Decorations

I’ve loved decorating for back to school, just for a few weeks. It’s a nice change from our normal things in July and I am not ready to jump to Fall things until September. Apparently I didn’t realize how much I liked it, looks like I got rid of everything we had.

So this year, it’s all pretty basic. I will slowly be adding things when I see stuff that works here and that I love. I try to have consumables be a big part of it, for multiple reasons…

1.  Storage  There is no storing 🙌🏻

2.  Cost   Most are pretty inexpensive

3.  Cost 2.0  I’m going to buy them anyway 

4.  Aesthetic  Sometimes they just make things perfect. 

Some examples 

Pencils 

Dried apples

Fresh apples 

Alphabet cookies 

Crayons 

Colored Pencils 

Pink Erasers 

Some of our stuff from other years.. I have regrets about letting some of it go 

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Back To School ~ Friday Treats

Along the same lines of prepping freezer meals, 1 month at a time. I’m deciding now what Friday Treats we will have to help me watch for fun seasonal treats or ingredients on sale. 

Some of our Favorite Friday Treats for September 

 S’more Bark/Campfire Bars 

Apple Nachos 

Apple/zucchini/ banana bread 

Caramel Apple hand pies  

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Kids Clothes- Managed -Back To School

This is such a struggle for me. Every year it gets a little easier as the kids get pickier and have specific things they want.  The clothes! So much clothes! 

I grew up getting pretty much a whole wardrobe before school started and we kind of continued that.  As the kids have gotten older and I have become a fan of minimalism, that’s faded.  Don’t get me wrong, they still get a few things because it’s fun and there is usually some need between growth and damage.  

Before I even consider looking for clothes, I try and go through everything they have. Stuff they don’t love and I don’t love, goes. Stained, ripped or too small? It allll goes!  I don’t want to keep stuff in their drawers they are just going to skip over every day. 

Then I grab the bin of hand me downs/sale finds for the next size, whatever size they are growing into. Grab things from it that are weather appropriate and put things back in their drawers. 

We keep stuff that is more than 1 year out in the Laundry Room, and stuff likely to be needed soon is in the closet top shelf. I need to label these someway that isn't permanent. I'll add that to my Fall Deep Cleaning/Organizing. 

I like making a note of things they need, socks and underwear are almost always a guarantee, in my checklist app. I also add sizes for tops and bottoms because it can be easy to mix up with 4. It’s broken down by kiddo. I do this because sometimes I’ll find an unexpected deal while I am out and don’t want to grab the wrong size or socks for the wrong kid. 

And because our younger 2 are especially rough on clothes, I keep the new stuff in their backpack put up until the day before school. 

I don’t try to manage the teens clothes anymore, outside of making sure they aren’t keeping things they won’t be able to wear in public 🤪

For the younger 2, I have a rough list of what I like to keep for them. It looks about like this

7 underwear

7 socks 

3 pair jeans 

3 pair of other pants (joggers etc) 

7 T shirts

3-5 hoodies

3-6 pair of athletic shorts (older one needs a pair everyday for sports) 

1-2 pair casual shorts 

Church clothes 

3 pair pajamas 

1 jacket

1 heavier coat 

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