We start getting ready for back to school about a week before the first day of school. Every year brings new challenges, with schedule changes and routine adjustments. The carefree vibe of summer means we need a transition time to ease back into the regimen of the school year. 

I try to be organized for the first day of school not because it comes naturally — trust me, it doesn't — but because children are better imitators than they are listeners. I have found that when I am organized, my children follow suit and pick up on ways to stay organized by simply watching me. After years of practice, I think I've got some tips that may help your own school year get off to a good start. If your kids are about to begin a new year, start your engines; it's go time. If they've already begun, there's a lot you can still do.