5 Tasks To Do At The End Of The School Year
It’s that time of year again already! Your kids seem to be going on a school excursion almost every other day. Since when have you had that much activity and fun in your life.
The textas or markers have run out, the book bag has holes in it and they have outgrown their school shirts. Too bad! You know your kids clothes don’t fit but oh well, it can wait till next year.
Yes, it’s the end of school year!
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Well here are 5 end of school organizing ideas to make this time of year a lot less stressful for you.
1. Recycle School Work & Books
You may be tempted to hang onto your kids’ artwork and work books from the school year, or alternatively ignore the growing pile of papers and scrapbooks etc.
I encourage you not to give in to the “I’ll think about it in a few months time” feeling! Instead, get on to it early and simply recycle most of it.
After all, most of that paperwork is evidence of your child practicing their learning during the year. They really did do some work at school. Well, at least a lot of cutting and pasting!
So yes, recycle, recycle, recycle!! And STRAIGHT AWAY if possible!
But what about taking photos of every single drawing or craft project first?
Consider your hubby coming in and taking photos of every single meal you had cooked during the past year. Not likely!
Personally, I chose not to take photos of my kids’ work because I feel it just becomes digital clutter.
I also don’t allow my kids to sort through everything. It’s too easy for them to give more value to the work than it actually has.
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What I do instead…
I have a brief look through their workbooks at the end of school year to see how they have progressed. Especially in the early years of learning, kids can go from barely scrawling their name to writing clear sentences in one year. I love seeing that development!
I will also ask the kids if there is a couple of things they felt they put a lot of effort into or did really well and want to keep. Usually this applies to my 11 year old daughter who’s at an age where she’s now completing projects and assignments.
Last year I was keeping portfolios, and storing them in a large storage box, along with their other school work for each kid. However I found the amount of school work was increasing way too quick and I didn’t have the space to store the boxes.
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So now I’m no longer keeping the teacher’s portfolios of the kids’ work. Instead I put aside a couple of pieces of work, which was done exceptionally well or shows something unique about that child’s personality at that age. EG. a funny story they may have written.
And that’s it!
Summary:
- Recycle most of the kids’ schoolwork that comes home.
- Don’t let your kids sort through it all if they don’t have the maturity to keep only the best.
- Forget making digital copies of everything.
- Apply the container concept and choose a few pieces of work to keep.
2. Empty Out & Clean School Bags
This is the fun part of the end of school year (or not), discovering what treasures are at the bottom of the school bags.
Kids can do this themselves!
- Rubbish in the bin.
- All papers/ art work/ long forgotten school newsletters to Mum.
- Food containers and drink bottles in the sink.
- Bag in the laundry.
Take note of whether lunch boxes, drink bottles etc. need replacing and put it on the shopping list.
Bags in the laundry to be wiped clean or washed depending on how many “treasures” are discovered.
Everything gets a good clean, packed away and is then ready for the new school year.
Update: We somehow missed this the last school holidays. On the first day back, one child (who shall remain nameless) took a lunch box out of his school bag with leftover food that had been sitting there with weeks. It happens!
3. Order School Books & Stationary Online
Does your kids’ school have online stationary and book list orders?
If so, I encourage you to get in early with the kids’ stationary orders. Enjoy the convenience of having someone else run around looking for that exact size pencil you need and have it all delivered to your door step just before school starts back.
I have found it is a lot easier to order the school stationary and books at the end of school year. In contrast, to doing it at the beginning of the new school year. I request their stationary to be delivered about a week before school goes back so there is time to label everything.
Don’t forget to check whether you can cross a few things off the order list because the kids have brought home items they didn’t use or are still good for next year. Highlighters still work? Yep, you can use them again!
Update: We go through the book lists at the end of the school year and cross off anything the kids already have and can reuse. Then we go shopping at a local office supply store in the first week of the summer break. It is not busy, and it generally costs less than the online orders. Plus, they will price match too!
4. Put Reminders On Your Calendar
It is a good idea to add any tasks you will need to complete closer to the new school year as a reminder on your physical or online calendar.
For example;
- Haircuts
- Buying school shoes (I can always count on the boys’ feet growing during the summer school holidays).
- Buying school uniform, plus dates the uniform shop is open.
- The dates for when school starts back.
5. Update Your Budget To Include Next Year’s School Expenses
Make sure that there will be money put aside for fees and/or school activities that will need paying in the first term of school. This will help you have a more accurate view of what will be available for holiday spending.
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Now take a deep breathe, pat yourself on the shoulder and congratulate yourself for making it to the end of another school year!
Of course, celebrate with your kids as well!
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