Back to School Laundry List
The start of the new school year is just around the corner. As the leaves begin to change, and your kids start talking about their new teachers and worrying about the latest trends, you’ll find yourself with an overwhelming amount of preparation and laundry. Kids learn the importance of completing homework assignments in kindergarten, but another key factor aiding in success is self presentation. From a young age, it is crucial that kids know to put their best foot forward. As grade schoolers, this doesn’t mean donning a three-piece suit and heading to school, but it can be as simple as a clean polo and a nice pair of jeans. Here’s a quick list to help you focus during this busy time. Getting your kids to school is no easy feat, so we want to help you by making that list of things you’ll probably be saying soon.
- Are the backpacks clean? Backpacks get used for a multitude of activities, from a sleepover at Grandma’s to a summer soccer bag, chances are, when the school bells start to ring again, it’s probably a good idea to give it a good wash. Mountain Warehouse offers some simple advice. Most importantly, make sure the bag is empty. Then wash on a cold and with a gentle detergent. Allow to air dry! No heat sources! This is definitely something to check off your to do list before the night before your kid goes to school.
- Did you iron the uniforms? Uniforms are a blessing during the actual school year, your children don’t have to worry about what to wear, but still look nice! However, getting the uniforms ready can sometimes feel like an unnecessary hassle. However, come mid-November when you’ve stayed up all night “helping” your fourth grader construct a model of Ancient Greece only to be told at 2 am that you’re really supposed to be rebuilding Ancient Rome, you’re going to be grateful for that uniform. It’s always nice to take an inventory of which uniform pieces your kid can recycle from last year, and which pieces you’ll need to purchase. Additionally, ironing everything and hanging it up at least a week in advance can really save you from a last minute laundry struggle.
- You need another polo?? Where do I find those? Regardless of how great the brand, or how many times you wash them, it can be really hard to recycle your kids’ polos and oxford shirts from previous school years. Considering they probably start to smell over time, and that the cuffs might be greying thanks to rubbing over all those math problems, you should expect to replace these school attire staples at least every year. Old Navy is a great one stop shop for kids of all ages and sizes. They also have amazing sales. Another tried and true resource is Land’s End. They tend to be a little bit more expensive, but they are also offer high quality products that might last a bit longer.
- You lost your sweatshirt again?? A lot of school’s lost and found areas tend to begin to look like a small town general store by Week 4 or so. Your kid will probably misplace an item or two. The best way to prevent this is to label everything. Sharpies will suffice for some items, but when it comes to sweatshirts, soccer jerseys, and even tennis shoes, you want something durable that will help. An iron-on label can do the trick, or if you want to really invest, you can have your family initial embroidered discreetly on your more valuable items such as coats or even backpacks.
- Why do your feet smell?? Some kids will need more than one pair of socks each day-there’s all day during school, and then sometimes a different kind of sock is needed for sports after school, or maybe they need tights for dance. Whatever your child’s hosiery needs, it is a good idea to stock up before school starts. Foot hygiene is important and most school aged kids don’t really worry about that. Rather than risk your child wearing the same pair of socks to school all week, or going sockless and ruining the backs of their heels and the new pair of shoes you bought them, we suggest having a basket full of the right socks. Socks are easy to lose too, so it might behoove you well to make sure each student has at least 15-20 pairs. Amazon is a great resource for multi packs of socks. Annd they’re easy to reorder too, thanks to Amazon’s system.
Chances are, your district doesn’t start for a few weeks, but we wanted to share this earlier so that you can have plenty of time to get started. And if you feel like you’re the only parent running from your child’s bedroom to the laundry room to the pantry to the car and then to the basement, you’re not. New beginnings are stressful no matter how many times you’ve completed this process, so hopefully this list helps out and you find time for a relaxing coffee or tea so that you can take the cutest back to school photos ever.
