3 Tips to Make Your Home Back-to-School Ready

A $0.50 composition book at Staples can only mean one thing – it’s back-to-school season! With some Florida students attending school in person and others returning with online instruction from home, the start of the 2020-2021 school year will look different than in years past due to uncertainties from the coronavirus pandemic. Use these A+ tips for preparing your new home for the start of a new school year:

Clean and Restock Your Pantry

Did you recently open your pantry to find you had boxes of unopened snacks that were crammed in the back and are now expired? Before you begin stocking up your pantry, take time to clean out old and expired items and add some storage containers to make finding what you do have even easier. A messy pantry can really slow you down when you are trying to juggle packing lunches, feeding early breakfasts and preparing dinner during the school week. Designate a spot in the pantry that is filled with healthy snacks for your kids to easily access for breakfasts, lunches or quick after-school snacks. Pick a spot that is not in your way when you are cooking or washing dishes. Large walk-in pantries with plenty of shelving for storage are a common included feature in many of our Jacksonville homes. If your child is attending school in person, the start of the school year is also a great time to stock up on reusable baggies, lunch bags and storage containers.

Create a Study Space

As more students living in Northeast Florida continue online learning at home, it has become increasingly important to set up a quiet, organized place to learn. From spacious bedrooms with room for a desk to loft spaces with the perfect study nook, Riverside Homes’ thoughtfully designed floor plans offer many options to choose from for the perfect study space. Many Riverside homes for sale, like the Monroe plan in SilverLeaf even include the highly desired home office for a dedicated working space.

Regardless of the study zone you chose, clear off any clutter that has piled up over the summer and organize school supplies so they are readily accessible. Present your child with the opportunity to help decide how their things are organized to give them a sense of control and responsibility. Don’t forget to test the internet connection of your study space because let’s face it, no child wants to be the only one that freezes on a video call!

Get Your Laundry Room Sorted

With school in session, your laundry room will see more use. You will notice that just when you think you have made a dent in your laundry; the hamper starts to fill its way up again with towels, school clothes and sports uniforms. Organize your laundry room with dirty laundry baskets labeled into darks, lights, colors and an emergency basket for clothes that need immediate attention. Make laundry a family chore by asking everyone to pitch in and throw their clothes in the appropriate basket. Then place clean items in designated baskets that each child can take back to their room and properly put away. In addition to great laundry rooms, many homes built by Jacksonville home builder Riverside Homes feature a mudroom. Ideally located next to the laundry room and garage entry, mudrooms keep everything you need to fly out the door right next to the door so you can avoid a frantic search around the house when it’s time to go. Wall hooks are great for hanging jackets, purses and backpacks with ease, benches serve as a great seat for taking off shoes, and cubbies with bins/baskets can store sports equipment, pet toys, shoes, and umbrellas.

With a little prep and organization of your pantry, study zone and laundry, the shift from a summer of fun to back-to-school mode will be much easier on your family. If you are considering a move this fall to a new home that better suites your family’s lifestyle and needs, please view our quick move-in homes or call us at (904) 530-4720 to discuss new home construction in Fleming Island, Jacksonville, Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island, Ponte Vedra, St. Johns, St. Augustine and Wildlight.