Brightly Green: Three Tips to Green Clean & Organize Back to School

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Three Tips to Green Clean & Organize Back to School

Hopefully you have been able to get your summer de-cluttering finished, and are winding down on other summer projects. With your children starting a new school year, it is the perfect time to establish new organization routines that teach responsibility for life skills. If your children's organizational skills waned over the summer months, now is the time to get those habits back on track.

One area that seems to be a struggle for many moms I know of is in the area of keeping kids backpacks and school papers from becoming misplaced or even lost. Teaching your children how to be organized and care for their belongings are responsibility skills that will go a long way!

The following are some easy responsibility chores your kids can do to keep their school supplies organized as well as cleaned naturally:

1.) Make a strategic "landing spot" for backpacks, jackets, shoes, sports equipment, etc.

A routine "landing spot" for these items helps reduce the time wasted hunting for them. Be sure your expectations are clean when setting up this new routine. Remind your children to return their homework to the backpack's "landing spot" so school morning prep goes without a hitch. It has been said that habits take about a month for them to become routine, so exercise patience. A reward system is helpful incentive when forming good habits you want to see in your children.

2.) Keep the school paper piles under control.

Similar to having a landing spot for backpacks etc., a systematic place for school papers to go is essential in managing an organized home environment. I have on my refrigerator a heavy duty magnetic clip for each of my children. Any important document goes on their respective clips. If you prefer having a cleared refrigerator, you may want a separate board to post important documents. Maria Ramsland, a professional organizer, in her book, Simplify Your Life recommend a file system with folders for each child's work and school notices.

3.) Create afterschool routines.

Teach your children how to hand wash their lunchboxes and reusable lunch containers. Making the habit of personally washing their won lunchboxes right after school will also cut down on added time spent cleaning the boxes later in the evening or morning, when old food is crusted on. Baby Harmony Pure & Free Dish & Bottle Wash works will safely green clean any lunchbox surface. Even your first grader can learn to wash his/her own lunch box!

Another good habit your children can do themselves is to clean counters and tables when finished with their after school snacks. Children can easily and safely use Brightly Green Multi-Purpose Cleaner, or Brightly Green Dish Wash on tables and countertops.

Cleaning with Brightly Green's 100% all natural, non-toxic, green household products make them the perfect "teaching tools" for "home-work!"

Small, routine, after school responsibilities are good practices gearing children for adulthood! When the whole family pitches in, the weight of responsibility doesn't fall on one person's shoulders, namely mom, giving her more time for other important tasks.