5 things to clean and organise before the end of the school holidays – this back-to-school reset will set you (and your home) up for success come September

September always seems like the start of a new chapter. Most of us are back from holiday, heading back to school and work, and rooting around the back of the wardrobe for long-lost jumpers as the weather starts to change. So why not start this new chapter off right?

While you may already have plans to declutter before the kids go back to school or give the bedrooms a deep clean before everyone’s too tired to think straight, this time of year is still incredibly busy. Because of this, I asked the professionals which areas of your home you should prioritise for a quick, efficient post-holiday reset.

Ideally, you should tackle all five of these areas before September, but you’ll still notice a difference if you only have time to tick a few off the list. And I guarantee that future you will thank you for it!

1. Unpack quickly (and properly!)

I always recommend that people declutter their homes before going on holiday to reduce the mess waiting for them when they fly home, but that doesn’t account for the holiday clutter they bring back. So, the first step to a neat and tidy home come September is unpacking both quickly and efficiently.

Jo Helsby, Professional Organiser and Owner of Perfect Order, explains, ‘The period after a holiday often creates a second wave of clutter. Suitcases are left half-unpacked, clean and dirty clothes become mixed together and new purchases have no proper home. As a professional organiser, I would unpack completely rather than taking out only the things you need first.’

This isn’t a fun job, but one that you’ll be glad you did when everything is tidied away. It might be worth using boxes like these Strata Curve 4 x 10L Plastic Storage Boxes with Lid (was £12, now £9 at Argos) to store any holiday-specific items you know you won’t use until your next holiday so they don’t clutter up your everyday living space. Pop your suitcases back in the loft, too.

2. Clean and organise your hallway

September can be a very stressful month, with work and school pressure piling up. But when you complete your September reset (ideally just before September), you can ensure that your home is a calm, chaos-free zone that helps you relax and unwind after a long day. This starts as soon as you open the door.

Keeping on top of cleaning your hallway shouldn’t be difficult, but the hard flooring in these entryways can take a beating with muddy, dirty shoes, which is where the best vacuum mops can help. Proper shoe storage is also essential for reducing shoe clutter and keeping the floors as tidy and organised as possible.

Kate Dufton, Professional Organiser and Declutterer at Ace Your Space, also has a top tip for parents. She says, ‘One of the most effective ways to turn your entrance way into a calm and organised space is to create a row of hooks that are low enough for your children to reach. Add a low bench or storage unit with baskets underneath, giving them somewhere to sit and put their shoes on, and a dedicated place to put their bag.’

3. Take stock of school items

If you have kids, you’ll know that the back-to-school rush is very real. Getting ahead of the game can help to calm the chaos and keep your home organised, and that’s why Jo advises parents to ‘gather all uniforms, shoes, bags and activity kits into one place’ before the school routine begins.

‘Check what still fits and make a clear list of what is missing before buying anything,’ she adds. ‘This prevents duplicate purchases and avoids discovering the night before school that something has been outgrown or left at the other parent’s house.’ Labels like these 60 Washable Stick-on Clothing Name Labels (£13.95 at Amazon) can also help you keep track of everything.

If you have some spare time, it’s well worth organising the wardrobes in your children’s rooms, too. Try to keep school uniforms separate from everyday, non-school clothes, and you could do this using a dedicated wardrobe organiser like this Fabric Hanging Organiser (£6 at Dunelm).

4. Reset the kitchen

You should be cleaning your kitchen regularly anyway, but a clean, tidy cooking and prep space is even more important in the run-up to September. There are a few tasks you should tick off the list here, from cleaning water bottles and lunch boxes to organising your kitchen cupboards.

Ellie Brown, Interior Designer at the interiors brand Oak&More, says that doing this now can save a lot of time during busy school mornings. She says, ‘Give the kitchen a pre-term refresh by clearing out expired food from the fridge, organising breakfast essentials, like oats and cereals so that it’s easy to just grab and go, and create an easy-to-access area for lunchboxes, water bottles and snacks.’

Just make sure you declutter your fridge and cupboards before you start resetting them, so you’re throwing out (or donating) anything you definitely won’t be eating come September. With more space to work with, it’ll be easier to keep it organised in the long run.

5. Set up a ‘command centre’

Ideal Home’s Senior Digital Editor, Jenny, recently set up a family command centre in her home, and she can’t rave about it enough - especially now the new school year is on the horizon. And if you want to give your home a back-to-school reset, it’s well worth adding one.

Kate agrees, saying, ‘Mornings with children can be stressful. One of my favourite systems to set up in a client’s home is a command centre to reduce morning friction. A command centre is a dedicated space that contains everything you need to run the house, from important paperwork to school schedules.’

She adds, ‘I always recommend including drawers or shelves so you can create a ‘morning drawer or shelf’ for easy access to everything you need to head out in the morning. I use drawer organisers or containers to create a dedicated space for each person. This means everyone knows where their belongings are and, importantly, can start taking responsibility for them.’

Will you be giving your home a September reset?