It’s almost that time of year! Kids are heading back to school and parents everywhere are silently (and not so silently) cheering!

But getting back into the swing of things is no easy feat. Back to school means packing lunches and backpacks as well as getting through the dreaded morning routine—not to mention keeping your sanity during the rushed evening mealtimes. Throw in soccer practice and piano lessons, and chaos ensues.

This year, I’m determined to keep myself organized and sane with a few helpful parenting hacks I’ve picked up along the way. Hopefully, these 5 tips will help make the transition back to school a little bit easier for both you and the kiddos!

1. Easy Peasy Breakfast

They say it’s the most important meal of the day but yet for most families, breakfast is often the one we have the least amount of time for.

Creating simple breakfasts that take minutes to prepare is key. I pre-make smoothie packs so I can just dump the contents into the blender with some milk, ice and yogurt…and voila – a smoothie in seconds. Pouring out cereal into individual Tupperware containers make just adding milk a breeze.

Also try batch baking and freezing pancakes and breakfast muffins, making it easy to pull out and re-heat on the fly.

2. Organize Clothes & Accessories for the Week

There’s nothing like the frustration a parent feels when a child slows down the fast-moving morning train by spending precious minutes deciding what to wear!

Planning your child’s outfits for the week in advance can keep things running smoothly. I recommend doing this on the weekend when you can spend time including your little one in the “selection process.”

Include all the outfit components – tops, bottoms, underwear, socks and accessories and organize them by labeling hangers, reusable bags or using a nifty home organizer.

Don’t forget to look at the weather for the week to co-ordinate each day’s outfit with forecasts!

3. Designate a Family Command Centre

It may seem like I’m channeling your inner drill sergeant – but a family command centre is the most amazing thing you can do to organize family life.

From school calendars to permission slips to household bills, having a single designated space in your home to keep paperwork together and easy to find can save you heaps of time.

Include a backpack drop off zone to make loading and unloading convenient and hassle-free. This will also help make pre-packing easier.

4. Elevate your Snack Game by creating a Kid-Friendly Snack Drawer

It never fails – kids get “hangry” after school. I combat this rage of emotion by elevating my snack game and keeping my inventory stocked.

Consider creating an easy to access after school Snack Drawer or Snack Bin.  This “Snack Station” encourages kids to be more independent by giving them a go-to place to find all of their pre-portioned, parent approved, and ready-to-eat snack choices!

It also avoids the endless snack negotiations that often happen pre-dinner. If it’s in the snack bin, it’s fair game!

5. Meal Prep Goes A Long Way

Dinner time. It can be the most daunting time of the day. Kids are tired, parents are exhausted and everyone just wants to relax. Meal Plan. These two words will save the day. Knowing what you’re having for dinner the night before will help you survive the pre-dinner rush!

Prepping a few meals at the start of the week will keep things organized.  Between chopping up some veggies to batch cooking a chili or pasta sauce –  the benefits will reveal themselves as the busy week progresses.

Whether you’re ready or not, back to school creeps up quickly and getting back into the routine of things is key. Hopefully, these tips will help keep the back to school transition smooth and successful for both you and your kiddos!