Rue La La

5 Ways to Stress Less This Back-to-School Season

Set your coffeepot to “auto-brew” and arrange the neighborhood carpool! Class is back in session. But before you’re inundated by homework and chaperone requests, check out these five genius ways to handle back to school… and still keep your cool.

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1. Turn meal-prep time into family time.

Make this the year that dinner stops being a chore. Let Sun Basket’s Family Plan do the heavy lifting with fresh, nutritious ingredients and step-by-step cooking instructions delivered to your door. And bring on the extra kitchen helpers – Sun Basket’s recipes are designed for kids to lend a hand.

2. Make grab-and-go lunches.

Keep a basket in your cupboard for recess fuel, like chips, raisins, and granola bars. And designate a drawer in your fridge for fruits, veggies, and yogurts. Come morning, just whip up a sandwich (or box up leftovers) and throw in a couple snacks. Voila! Lunch prep in half the time.

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3. Simplify getting dressed.

We’ve been told to lay out our clothes the night before for, well, ever. Why not take it a step further with vertical hanging closet organizers? Fold an outfit for each day of the week, put one in each compartment, and feel free to hit snooze in the morning.

4. Avoid the paper pileup.

Tame the never-ending flurry of permission slips and homework by giving each kid their own magnetic fridge clip. Anything that needs to be returned to school goes on the clip the night before. You’ll never have to dig through their backpacks again.

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5. Keep track of everyone.

How to manage crazy-hectic schedules? Hang a chalkboard with a dedicated column for each family member. Every week, add your little ones’ itineraries. Now you know where everyone is (and when you can squeeze in family dinner).

By Sophie Dodd, Staff Writer