Summer vacations are almost upon us – yay! Our kids are returning from college or maybe boarding school and expecting us to store futons, lamps, bean bag chairs and the treasured, moth-eaten moose head – yikes!
We turned to our favorite ‘organizational wizard’, Puddie Sword, for tips on how to support this seasonal migration of ‘stuff’ with a modicum of grace and a minimum of hassle. Here are her tips:
Unpack everything in one location and sort out items into five categories:
1. To be repaired
Have repairs done within the first week home and move items to one of the last two categories.
2. To be replaced
Linen often falls into this category; same strategy as #1.
3. To be tossed
4. To be washed and stored
Use labeled, plastic bins. These often include ‘college kitchen’, bedding, room decorations, special ‘school clothing’, school books & supplies. We prefer clear bins so the contents are obvious.
5. To be used over the summer
Clothing, computer and sports equipment
The goal is to have everything except the student’s clothes packed, labeled and stored in ONE location and ready to put in the car the day she returns to school. If for any reason this isn’t possible, make a list of where everything is located and post the list inside her closet door. It minimizes departure stress and should your student be heading back to school without parental help, immeasurably increases the chances of success.
It goes without saying that first prize is for your child to complete all of the steps herself – good luck!
Storage containers and removable labels at the A-store.
