How One Interior Design Mama Jumps Back into the School Year
You may be inconsolable that summer’s coming to an end, and the season of family vacations and sleep-away camps is over. Or perhaps you’re one of those parents who can’t get your kids back onto that school bus fast enough, and is excited to get your household back on a steady routine. Either way, every parent out there can use some fresh tips for making the transition back to school as painless as possible. So we asked New Zealand native and Marin, California-based interior designer Bridget Cooper — who has kids starting the 4th, 6th, and 10th grades this year — to share her hacks for jumping back into the school year.
Avoid School Lunch Explosions
“I find food gets squished in a lot of the lunch boxes out there. Then I end up with a banana explosion all through the bag when my kids get home. So now I use these dishwasher-safe Bento Boxes. They’re sturdy enough for school lunches, and are great for outings like picnics too.”
“I find food gets squished in a lot of the lunch boxes out there. Then I end up with a banana explosion all through the bag when my kids get home. So now I use these dishwasher-safe Bento Boxes. They’re sturdy enough for school lunches, and are great for outings like picnics too.”
Create a Colorful Study Space
To make her kids’ homework space more bright and fun, Cooper bought this inexpensive desk and painted it in high-gloss Studio Green paint from Farrow & Ball.
Learn to Love Labels
“In the past, I’ve constantly had to rifle through the lost property bin at school for my kids’ sweaters and such. But this year I got really great custom iron-on labels from minted so they can look for misplaced items themselves.”
Make Good Hygiene a Habit
“Getting everyone’s hygiene in check by encouraging their own morning routines is one of my goals for this year. For my son, that means TEETH, DEODORANT, FACE, HAIR PRODUCT. Thankfully, I found this face moisturizer with SPF 30 that miraculously neither he or my other kids think smells funky.”
Healthy Snack Prep
Cooper’s son plays basketball, and always come home from school starving. So she stashes prepped packets of pre-cut bananas, chia seeds, and this plant-based chocolate protein powder specifically designed for kids in the freezer. When he comes home ravenous, it’s easy for him to blend the contents of the packets with milk for a satisfying, healthy smoothie.
Make Weeknights Easier
“My husband and I both work, so family dinners can get hectic during the week. I get meal kits from Good Eggs delivered so we’re stocked with yummy mid-week dinners everyone can prepare.”
Take Note
“My son likes to leave me loads of notes for things like bringing his basketball gear to practice, fixing the iPad, and buying his favorite snacks. These Memo Balls are great for his him to jot those reminders down, and all my kids use them for studying. I also like to tuck these sweet notes into their lunch boxes.”
Get Ahead of Rainy Season
It’s easy to wait until the first rainy morning to realize that your kid has outgrown the raincoat that was roomy on them last year. Cooper stays ahead of the game by outfitting her kids with rain gear before all the cute options are sold out: she’s got these rain boots and jackets ready to go for the first sign of showers.
