Wait, school’s starting up? Actually, it’s not coming for a few more weeks. But if living in Colorado has taught us anything, it’s that preparation is key to survival, and that includes preparing for the back-to-school madness.

So whether you’re getting the kiddos ready for elementary school or preparing a young adult for college, we have a few suggestions to help with the organization (and controlled-chaos) involved.

 

Dorm Room Décor

College isn’t just education, Mom! It’s a lifestyle. Duh. That’s why your incoming freshman or returning upperclassman needs to have the dorm décor du jour. We found the 12 “must have” items for every dorm room, as well as 20 ridiculously awesome dorm room essentials you can find on Amazon. To help preserve your sanity and your ongoing parent-child relationship, we’ve included 20 hacks and tips to help facilitate the big college move-in day.

Back-to-School Clothes Shopping

That walk down the locker-lined hallway isn’t just a reasonable route to get to class. It’s a bonafide fashion runway, making or breaking a student’s social standing (in every teenager’s mind). Make sure your angst-ridden fashionista is wearing the latest and greatest trends with this handy guide. And try not to be shocked that denim overalls are making a comeback. Every generation of teens has that one outfit or style they regret seeing in photos when they’re older.

 

Homework Assistance

There truly is an app for everything – even for helping kids with their homework. If sitting down and helping your teen figure out their complicated algebra problems makes your head hurt, direct them to PhotoMath, where they can scan a math problem and get assistance on how to solve it. If your kid has trouble staying on top of various assignments and deadlines, have them download the My Homework app, which helps them track assignments and sends them due date reminders.

Lunch Solutions

Remember when you were a kid? Homemade lunches were so easy. Two pieces of Wonder Bread, a salty slice of lunch meat, cheese, and mustard or mayo. Throw in a bag of chips and a Hostess treat – done!

Well, no longer. Lunches have evolved, just like everything else, and today’s school meals and snacks are about food allergies, preferences, and presentation. So we’ve done the research and found these sandwich-free (and peanut-free) lunch ideas . And don’t get us started on these banana sushi snack ideas – this treat isn’t just for students! For busy parents, here are 30 quick and easy school lunches to pack for your kids.

We hope these suggestions help de-stress your back-to-school prep this August. And as always, check our Pinterest board for organization ideas and suggestions to help the kids get in the back-to-school rhythm.