Organised mums reveal how they’ve breezed through back-to-school panic with labelling and lunchbox prep

FINALLY, our little ones are getting ready to return to their classrooms for the new school year and they’re excited to catch up with friends and teachers at school. 

But as the back-to-school chaos begins, mums and dads are frantically finding ways to cope – and luckily some have come up with a few clever ways to make the prep easier.

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A group of mums have shared their back to school organisation tipsCredit: Roxane Martindale

The back-to-school panic is real. No matter how organised parents get, the end of the summer holidays always tends to leave them rushing around checking they’ve got everything. 

You start off with the best intentions – uniforms sorted the night before, lunch boxes packed and ready to go, sports kits packed in bags ready for after school activities.

But all too quickly things can slip. Don’t worry as these mums have breezed their back-to-school prep and ditched the last minute panicking with their clever tricks. 

Katie Taylor, 30, from Cradley Heath, makes sure her eight-year-old son Oliver is fully organised with his school uniform. 

The senior sales assistant created a back-to-school uniform cubby using drawer units from B&M that she picked up for £25. 

She also labelled her son’s water bottle and lunch box to make the back-to-school process in September as simple as possible. 

The mum shared her creation on Facebook, writing: “I brought 2 four drawer units from B&M for £25.

“I took the lids off both and added two drawers from the one onto the other and then added the lid to create a six drawer stack as the 5/6 drawers are extortionate prices!

“Ready to be filled with a fresh school uniform, pants and socks everyday for his return to school next week.

“His shoes and PE trainers will go in the bottom drawer (label has been ordered). 

“Now I just need to wash, dry and iron everything on a weekend and place it all on Sunday night and I’m done for the week ahead. 

“It helped massively, we still use it now! One of the best things I’ve done for school prep.”


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The mum said it has made her back-to-school organising a ‘breeze’ and it helps her son Oliver as he is able to just go to his drawer and pick out his uniform each day. 

During covid, his school chose to send the children in their P.E kits so Katie simply puts his P.E kit in that day’s draw and it’s all ready to go.

She said: “It makes school mornings so much easier and his shoes and trainers just fit in the bottom drawer.

“I label EVERYTHING. So I’ve got Oliver’s lunch box and water bottle already brought and pre labelled for year 5 in September.

“I always make Oliver’s packed lunch the night before too and keep it in the fridge to keep it cool and fresh. That way he doesn’t get sticky, sweaty sandwiches the next day!”

Elsewhere, fellow mum Roxane Martindale, 29, from Stone in Staffordshire, also has lots of nifty tricks that make her back-to-school process a breeze.

The online fitness coach, who is mum to Madison, eight, and Jenson, two, also created a school uniform cubby for her daughter.   

She used to put Madison’s school clothes out every night in a pile in her room, but she was sure that there must be an easier way. 

Roxane said: “Madison got to the age where she became interested in dressing herself so to encourage this, I would put it all out for her the night before. 

“I then got thinking it would be easier if I could arrange the whole week on a Sunday so then it’s all done.

“I had the plastic drawers in my room for paperwork and thought these would be brilliant for her. 

“I pop the days on, ask her in the morning what day it is and get her to find the correct day.”

The mum-of-two said her daughter was ‘made up’ with the school uniform cubby she felt like she was getting her own independence.

“I label EVERYTHING. So I’ve got Oliver’s lunch box and water bottle already brought and pre labelled for year 5 in September.

Roxane also makes sure there is some choice too – so she puts a few options – like skirts, dresses and trousers – in her daily drawers.  

The mum admits it made her life and back-to-school prep so much easier. All she has to do is take a bit of time out on a Sunday to prepare it! 

She added: “It made my life so much easier, just by taking time out on Sunday to arrange it and I no longer spend school mornings searching for a tie or the odd shoe. 

“The only thing I have to worry about now in the morning is getting her to put her shoes on in time!

“When her brother came along, he got to the age where he started exploring and would empty the drawers so we have now added shelves into her wardrobe, got some stick-on labels from eBay and we still carry on with it.

“It’s a massive time saver in the morning for the school and nursery rush.” 

Roxane also does the same for her son’s nursery outfits and has been using this clever process for over five years. 

She can’t recommend it enough as she believes it helps children feel independent but also takes away the morning stress from busy mums. 

She also has a shoe cupboard in her hall where she puts everything the kids need the night before. 

She prepares fruit for snack time, lunch boxes and drinks as it only takes a few minutes. 

The mum said: “It creates a nice routine in the morning, one where I don’t have to run around like a headless chicken. 

“By doing this, I can sit and enjoy breakfast with my daughter and son before they leave as I know everything is ready for them.

“Aldi is very good as the prices are great. I bought five shirts and five trousers so we have one for every day and can fill the drawers.”

Meanwhile, fellow mum Christine Wass, 34, from Peterborough, also uses lots of nifty tricks to make her back-to-school process run as smoothly as possible.

The PA to a headteacher was looking for something to get organised for the week ahead as both she and her husband work Monday to Friday.

She admitted they have to be ‘on it’ in the mornings for the school chaos. So to make life easier, she also created labelled drawers for her son’s daily school uniform. 

Aldi is very good as the prices are great. I bought five shirts and five trousers so we have one for every day and can fill the drawers

Christine, who is mum to five-year-old Zachary, said: “My son loves getting out his uniform for the day and as it’s all there for him, it promotes that independence. 

“He likes to put what he needs in it for the week ahead at the weekends.” 

Christine also personalised her son’s school bag and lunch box – as that way it doesn’t go missing or get misplaced – plus it ditched the last-minute back-to-school panic. 

She also recommends parents look at buying a ‘bookbag buddy’ – as they are perfect for some school bags that don’t have handles. 

She added: “If like my child’s bookbag, the official one doesn’t have a handle, the bookbag buggy is ideal.” 

Meanwhile mum Juamana Dickson also did similar with a back-to-school wardrobe plan. 

She decided to give it a try as her kids have clubs Monday to Friday so everything needs to be organised.

She wrote on Facebook: “I saw this and thought I would give it a try, we have clubs Monday to Friday so everything she needs is the correct drawer including underwear! 

“Hopefully no more stress every morning, just grab and go. She decorated the drawers herself.

“I hope it works as she won’t need to ask ‘what day is it mum, what club have I got?’ as she will now see, the day above will be empty.” 

And mum Ashlee Priestman has been super busy ironing labels onto her kids’ school uniform ready for the back-to-school chaos in September. 

She bought the labels from Poga Graphics and said it’s the perfect way to ensure your little ones’ uniform does not get muddled up with their classmates after P.E lessons or after school activities. 

Katie labelled her son’s water bottle and lunch box to make the back-to-school process as simple as possible

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Katie labelled her son’s water bottle and lunch box to make the back-to-school process as simple as possibleCredit: Katie Taylor
Mum Christine also labels her son's lunchbox as this helps to ensure it never gets lost

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Mum Christine also labels her son’s lunchbox as this helps to ensure it never gets lostCredit: Chrissy Wass
Roxane organises her daughter's clothes the week ahead to save time in the morning

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Roxane organises her daughter’s clothes the week ahead to save time in the morningCredit: Roxane Martindale
Ashlee swears by labelling her son's school uniform so that it never gets lost

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Ashlee swears by labelling her son’s school uniform so that it never gets lostCredit: ashlee priestman
Roxane pictured with her two young children

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Roxane pictured with her two young childrenCredit: Roxane Martindale

For more parenting stories, this neighbour’s savage note criticises mum’s parenting skills and demands she stop using the car to get the kids to sleep.

And this is the exact nap schedule to guarantee your kid sleeps through the night.

Plus this mum shared the clever way she speeds up lunch prep on busy mornings – and it’s a life-saver for back-to-school.

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