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If your mornings are chaotic, follow these get-organized tips to ensure out-the-door ease.
* Make mornings flow smoothly by getting everything ready the night
before: Have school bags packed and placed by the door and tomorrow's outfits laid out. Pack the non-perishable parts of the lunches, so you can simply pop in a sandwich in the morning. Set the breakfast table.
* Create a checklist of kids' to-do's (make bed, comb hair, brush teeth, etc.), and post it on the fridge or bathroom mirror. Likewise, create an "out-the-door" list of items they need to take to school, and post it on or near the exit door. You might include things like homework, lunch, snacks, library books, instruments, and gym shoes. (Some neat, ready-made checklists called Get Your Gear are available from www.simplyordered.com.)
* Organize your kids' arrival: Declare a proper destination for backpacks and school bags in the entryway, install hooks at a kid-friendly height, and have your children put bags there as they arrive home.
* Teach kids to empty out their backpacks right away after school. Immediately bring homework to their designated study spot, place papers that need parental review in a designated basket or tray, and put lunch containers in the kitchen. Encourage them to place coats, shoes, and hats in a designated spot to avoid frantic morning searches.
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