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Back-to-school season can quickly turn into a whirlwind of schedules, permission forms, homework and forgotten essentials. Family command centres are a popular home-organization trend, and the timing couldn’t be better as the new school year approaches. Create one in an entryway, kitchen or other central spot using a wall calendar, mail organizer, hooks, baskets or a small desk area to give everyone a designated place for calendars, important papers, daily reminders and school supplies. These smart organizers and planning tools can help keep the whole family on track as routines shift into back-to-school mode. Read on for organization gems from Skylight, Lwenki, and more.
Use a family calendar
The Skylight Calendar is a digital family command centre that keeps everyone’s schedules organized in one place, with colour-coded profiles, calendar syncing and daily, weekly and monthly views. Its intuitive touchscreen also doubles as a task manager, chore chart and meal planner, making it a versatile tool for keeping busy households on track. At $449 for the 15-inch model, it’s a bigger investment than a traditional wall calendar, but its multifunctional design and ability to bring the whole family’s schedules and routines together can make the price worthwhile for households that will use its features regularly.
Create a family filing station
It’s time to clear the scattered paper on your desk for good. This five-tier wall organizer keeps important documents, folders and envelopes neatly sorted and easy to find. Assign one tier to each child to keep permission forms, homework and school papers organized, while its vertical design frees up valuable desk space for a more streamlined command centre.
Create a catch-all by the door
On-the-go essentials like keys, dog leashes, coats and more will always stay exactly where they’re supposed to be with this handy organizer. Beautifully rustic and functional, it makes a great addition to any busy family entryway.
Tuck away important papers
Permission slips, report cards and notebooks can easily create an unorganized mess. it’s time to tuck it all away into this 3-tier letter tray organizer. Its open mesh design keeps everything sorted and within easy reach while helping your workspace stay clutter-free.
Keep all your devices powered up with a charging station
As a parent, you need your family’s devices ready to go each morning. Place this charging dock alongside your family calendar, school-paper organizer and supply bins to give phones, watches and AirPods a designated spot to power up overnight—so everything is ready for the busy school day ahead.
Keep bins, baskets and personal items clearly labelled
Water bottles, lunch containers, sweaters, pencil cases–if it’s headed to school, chances are it should have your child’s name on it. This compact Bluetooth label maker prints crisp, ink-free labels straight from your phone, with hundreds of templates, fonts and icons to choose from. It’s a quick way to keep school essentials organized and out of the lost-and-found.
Hang up the grab-and-go essentials
Jumbled piles of outerwear and accessories can quickly make an entryway feel chaotic—especially when your everyday coat is buried in the family closet. Use these heavy-duty adhesive hooks to create designated spots for backpacks, coats, hats and other everyday essentials, keeping everything easy to grab on busy mornings.
Utilize your wall space
If you love a physical space to plan out your to-do lists, hang up photos and keep important memos in view, you’ll love this cork board and magnetic whiteboard combo that combines the best of both worlds. Use it to keep track of school schedules, lunch ideas, permission slips and family reminders all in one place. The 24-by-18-inch board can be mounted vertically or horizontally and comes with dry-erase markers, magnets and pushpins for easy organization.
Keep books organized with a playful bookshelf
A new school year means a new TBR list. This cute and kid-friendly bookshelf features four deep, easy-to-reach sleeves that hold up to 35 books, keeping little ones’ favourite reads neatly organized. It makes a great addition to a bedroom, nursery, playroom or reading nook.
Keep to-do lists in one easy-to-see spot
Keep your desk organized with this glass dry-erase whiteboard, which doubles as a keyboard stand and storage organizer with three compartments for pens, markers and other school essentials. Say goodbye to sticky notes—the smooth tempered-glass surface is perfect for jotting down homework deadlines, school reminders, permission slips and daily to-do lists.
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