August is here, and that means school will start before you know it! In most families, the start of school means days get a lot busier – for the kids and for the adults! If your home is well organized, it will be a lot easier for you to manage the chaos and actually take the time to enjoy going back to school. Today, our real estate agents are excited to share some helpful home organization tips for the month of August.

• Put Personal Cubbies in the Kitchen
  Does your kitchen tend to be the spot where everything, from schoolwork to junk mail, gets dumped? Look for a small shelving unit, and place it in a corner or along a wall. Then, give each person a basket with their name on the front. Line the baskets up in the shelving unit to create cubbies.
  
  This way, everyone can still "dump" their paperwork and small items when they come in the door, but they'll be neat and tidy. And you won't have to look through a pile of other family members' things to find your own.
  
  
• Get Rid of Extras in the Bathroom
  When everyone is getting ready to head out the door, the bathroom can become a busy place. Everyone will be able to groom themselves a lot faster if they're not having to sort through extra products to find what they need. So, this August, go through the bathroom and throw away any cosmetics, toiletries, or hygiene items you no longer use. Most homes have plenty!
  
  If you have kids or teens who use different hygiene products from the rest of the family, consider putting those products in a separate drawer. This will help everyone move faster in the bathroom. 
  
  
• Make the Junk Drawer an Essentials Drawer
  Take a few minutes to clean out your junk drawer. Get rid of anything that's actually junk or that you are unlikely to use. Then, organize what's left.
  
  The final step is to identify the essentials you need to add to your used-to-be-junk drawer. Are you missing tape? A stapler? Scissors? Having all of these things on hand will really pay off when you're rushing out the door in the morning.
  
  
• Give Everyone a Coat Hook
  It will be a few more months before everyone starts wearing coats, but now is the time to prepare. Make sure you have as many coat hooks as you have family members. Then, label each coat hook with someone's name. This will stop you from having to un-pile coats from on top of your own when you get ready in the morning.
  
  If you have space, you could also give everyone a little shelf or a second hook next to their coat. This space could be used for things like hats, gloves, and umbrellas.
  
  
• Create a Cleaning Caddy
  Do you feel like the cleaning products you need are always in a different room? Make yourself a cleaning caddy with all of the essentials. This way, you can grab the whole caddy and take it with you from room to room as you clean. This will save you time on busy school nights!
  
  Some essentials to put in your cleaning caddy include a soft cloth, all-purpose cleaner, window cleaner, sanitizing spray, a few sponges, and some paper towels. An old toothbrush for scrubbing comes in handy, too.

If you put some of these organization tips into action this August, you'll be more than ready for school to start. Don't forget to contact us if you're looking for a new home this fall. We'll be happy to help.