Stress-free Back to School Prep with Very

*This is a collaborative post

While it may feel like a lifetime away, the school holidays tend to absolutely fly by. Before you know it, the September term will arrive with a vengeance, leaving you feeling frazzled, frenzied and unprepared. Although I hate to admit it, it really does pay to be organised, making those first early back-to-school mornings in September just that little bit less painful.

The good news is, you don’t have to spend hours traipsing around the shops to be prepared, and you can get all your back-to-school essentials in one place with Very. Here are my tried-and-tested tips to help take the stress out of the new school term.

1. Check their school bag NOW….

Yes right now. Trust me, your future self will certainly thank you for removing that end-of-term lunchbox before it starts to grow fur.

Check for holes or frays your child may have caused by kicking their school bag against their trainers or throwing it on the floor in the rush to get to the snack cupboard the second they get back home.

If they’re transitioning between juniors and secondary, do not assume they’ll be happy with the same bag again – rookie mistake. That once-cool backpack they adored at the start of September will have them reeling in disgust by summer, instead favouring a black rucksack or tote bag to blend in seamlessly with their peers.

Let them choose their own kids backpack if possible – there’s a fab selection at Very. While on-trend plus points are of course crucial, you should also consider practicality – including the number of compartments, padded straps for comfort or water bottle holders – especially if they’re walking to school.

2. Get the uniform organised

It pays to be prepared with school uniform. Whether you pick pinafores or skirts, shorts or trousers, focus on choices that your child will be most comfortable in.

Here are my tips;

• Involve your child by showing them a choice of designs and letting them decide which they prefer. Getting their buy in is half the battle.
• Encourage independence –  For younger children or children with sensory needs, polo shirts are a great alternative to crisp white shirts. I love Very’s multipacks, which offer great value for money. The subtle details on the collar keep them looking smart, but they’re much easier for kids to dress themselves.
• You don’t need all branded picks – Whilst you may want to get one cardigan or jumper with the school badge for photo day, for the rest of the term it is perfectly fine to wear high-quality, affordable unbranded designs.
• Focus on the fabrics – If you’re short on time or simply want to avoid reaching for the iron, look out for products with crease-resistant fabrics. Some items even offer Teflon and antibacterial coatings to keep them fresh all day long, whilst water repellent fabrics can also protect them from sudden downpours – which of course always start the second it hits 3 pm.
• You can NEVER have too many pairs of white socks. Eaten by the washing machine, lost under the bed? To be honest it still a bit of a bit of a mystery to me, but they go missing almost as quickly as hair bobbles.

3. Pick their school shoes

While your kids’ school shoes may appear to still fit, you can guarantee your kids will be complaining about scrunched-up toes by September.

Finding school shoes that fit and get your child’s approval can be challenging. Be warned: despite being perfectly happy wearing the same pair of old Crocs every day during summer, your child will suddenly become an expert shoe critic, with strong opinions on shoes that are too shiny or too round.

Whether they opt for Mary Janes, ballet shoes or thick-soled trainer-like shoes, let them choose the style if possible; they’ll be less likely to ‘resist’ getting their shoes on each morning.

We’ve tried several brands over the years. Lelli Kelly were a big hit with the girls in infants and erly juniors, while Start-Rite saw us through most of juniors with my eldest.

If you want to avoid scratches and scuffs by day two of term, check the specs carefully. We chose these Clarks school shoes with a soft foam footbed, adjustable riptape strap, lightweight and flexible rubber sole and Microban odour control lining to prevent stinky feet. They even come in a choice of widths and half sizes.

4. Label absolutely everything

I’ve never understood how children can lose a single trainer or pair of trousers, but trust me, they seem to find a way. You know that expensive new coat that was meant to see them through till Spring? There’s a very good chance it’ll end up on the lost property rail by the end of the first week.

Labelling clothes, PE kits, lunch boxes, water bottles and pencil cases takes just a few minutes, but at least there’s a fighting chance it’ll find its way back to them if they leave it somewhere they shouldn’t.

5. Start nudging bedtimes (gently!)

If bedtime has drifted over the holidays and your kids have been sleeping in till 10am, don’t worry—you’re not alone.

A few days before school starts, begin moving bedtime back by 15 to 30 minutes each night. It’s a much kinder approach than expecting them to go from midnight movie marathons to asleep by 8pm overnight.

The same goes for mornings. A couple of practice wake-ups can make that first Monday feel a little less brutal.

Remember… no matter how organised you are, someone will still forget their PE kit. And while you’re ticking jobs off the list, it might be worth asking if there’s a summer project lurking in the bottom of their school bag…..

What tips do you have to make the back to school transition run smoothly?