As I’m doing the ‘end of school year’ dance, I figured now was a perfect time to share a few of my End of School Year Tips that make my life a bunch easier. I call them my ‘thanks past Joules’ tips… because once September hits and the kiddo goes back to school, I’m sending my past self all the hugs and kisses.
Tip 1: Wash the Backpack and Lunchbox
Very, very, very important. Grab your kids backpack and the lunchbox that they’ve used all year, empty them out completely and then throw them in the laundry with a few towels. I don’t know why, but the backpack just picks up a funky, stinky school smell, so the sooner you get that cleaned the less time you spend with it fermenting in your house. As for the lunchbox, even if there is a plastic interior, if the outside is any sort of canvas you can throw it in the laundry.
Once they go through a normal washing load, just let them air dry and they’re ready to go for next year!
Tip 2: Wash the PE clothes
This could almost be a subsection of the first tip, but I’m sure I’m not the only parent who has found old, stinky PE clothes shoved into a bag at the bottom of the kids backpack. Even if they didn’t wear them ONCE during the year (so glad I paid for them…) they still get that school funk. Throw them in the wash ASAP and save yourself the retching of finding them after 2 more months.
Tip 3: Do a School Supplies Review/Purge
My kid brought home two backpacks full of school supplies and crap that was in his locker. Put it all in a pile on the table. Then, have your kid go through everything and separate it into trash and keep piles. Then, you go through it and re-separate it into trash and keep piles.
I’m typically able to reclaim at least a few binders that are in good shape, some folders, scissors, pencil sharpeners, and an assortment of pens, pencils and markers. Those go into the ‘use next year’ pile that gets put away in the closet until August. Then, the stuff that is okay but not trash, gets absorbed into the house stuff (like mostly used post it notes and notebooks that still have a little life left in them). Anything broken, empty or gross goes into the trashcan or recycle bin.
BONUS POINT OPTION: As you’re sorting through the school supplies, make a list of items that can’t be reused for school next year. Keep this list in your phone. Over the summer as you are out and about and see things on sale, buy the things on your list. Or, if you’re an Amazon shopper, stick each item on a ‘wish list’ and then check to see if any pricing dropped for the Amazon Prime Day sales — this year’s sales run from July 8 – 11th (here’s a post about how I use their sales to my advantage here).
Happy Summer!