It's that exhilarating time of year when schools are about to break up and the summer holidays are just around the corner. Kids are buzzing while parents are equally buzzing and bracing themselves. As a mum, I can’t wait for chilled mornings, fun in the sun, and our family holiday. As a small business owner, I'm preparing for the near-impossible task of juggling work and family life without the usual school-day structure.

As the academic year comes to a close, many families find themselves swept up in sports days, summer fairs, end-of-year performances, awards ceremonies, teacher gifts, and the countdown to the summer holidays. Then, almost without warning, summer break has begun.

At this time of the year, there's another ritual worth considering: taking a moment to close one chapter before the next begins. I'm talking about tackling a very specific type of build-up: school clutter.
Over the course of a school year, our homes accumulate evidence of busy family life. Think artwork and craft projects, school letters, certificates, reading records, forgotten water bottles, used folders, obsolete school books, outgrown uniforms and shoes, half-used notebooks, past party invitations, and countless little reminders of the school year.

Before these items become part of next year's clutter, now is the perfect time to pause, reflect, and decide what deserves a place in your family's story and what can be passed on or recycled before the next school year begins.

I've compiled five simple steps for tackling school-related clutter. Not only will they help get your home summer-ready, but they'll also make it easier to start September with a clean slate. Summer can be manic, so you can already start collecting and editing in the weeks leading up to the last day of school.


Step 1: Gather the trail of school stuff

You might be surprised how much accumulates over the course of a school year and all the sneaky places you’ll find it hiding. Start by collecting all school-related items from areas such as school bags, kitchen counters, notice boards, under the stairs, hallway storage, the utility room, wardrobes, and any homework areas including desks and bedrooms. Remember to include a sweep of your car, especially the footwells.


Step 2: Separate into categories

Grouping items into categories allows you to see everything together, and this in turn makes it easier to decide your next step: keep or release. This approach also allows you to break a larger project into manageable chunks and make it easier to start and stop as needed. You can use boxes, foldable crates, or envelopes to contain categories while working. Categories might include paperwork, arts and crafts, backpacks, lunch supplies, clothing, and so on. Some categories will be subdivided into small groups. For example, paperwork might be separated into school notices, awards, projects, reports, notebooks, invites, and artwork. Clothing might include uniforms, shoes, hats, coats, PE kit, and so on.


Step 3: Revise category by category

Once you’ve separated items into categories and sub-categories, you can begin working through them one at a time. This not only allows you to make better-informed decisions; it also creates a more sustainable workflow. When you tackle everything at once, you’re almost guaranteed to end up overwhelmed, distracted, and possibly creating a bigger mess than when you started. Once things are separated into groups, start editing functional categories such as food storage and stationery, then work your way up to more meaningful groups such as school projects and artwork. Dive in with some easy wins: anything that is broken, redundant, duplicates, or otherwise easily considered unnecessary. Let go of the excess and make space (physical and mental) for next school year.

When you move to sentimental items, take time to reflect and celebrate all of the year’s achievements (even if you don’t decide to keep everything). Depending on your child’s age and character, this could be an opportunity to talk about the school year and get their input on what is representative or notable to keep. Scanning or photographing school work and art is a great way to preserve the memory without keeping the item.

Pro Tip: Make sure your decluttered items leave the house so that you can enjoy the space you’ve worked so hard to create. Check locally for organisations and schools that resell uniforms. If you have a surplus of notebooks and school supplies, charity shops and local schools can be excellent places to donate.


Step 4: Prepare for next year

Take note of your supplies, and consider what can be used for next year and what needs replacing over the summer. Make a list of what’s needed so that it’s not a mad dash right before school starts. Many stores offer back-to-school discounts on supplies and uniforms, which seem to start as soon as the summer holidays begin.


Step 5: Store school-related items and create homes for summer gear

Once you’ve decluttered the end-of-year categories, store next year’s school kit apart from the summer gear. For keepsakes, you can create a year-specific memory box or file, while other things like uniforms, PE kit, school shoes, and notebooks can be stored away ready for next year. A sturdy box or bag can serve you well to store these items under the stairs, in the back of the wardrobe, high on a shelf, or under a bed.

The space you create will give you room to breathe while freeing up valuable storage space for summer items such as beach towels, sunscreen, hats, flip flops, and camp daybags. As with any new or seasonal items, it’s helpful to create logical ‘homes’ for each category. This will prevent the build-up of ‘homeless’ items while also streamlining packing and unpacking bags at the end of a day trip or holiday.


Final thoughts

Few chapters in life come with such a clear ending and a fresh start waiting just around the corner. Before the final bell rings, take the opportunity to celebrate the memories and milestones of the past year, release what is no longer needed, and create a little more space, both physically and mentally, for the summer ahead. Future you is very grateful!

Cher Casey, PhD, is the founder of The Mindful Organiser, and a York-based professional organiser, decluttering expert, and public speaker. She helps people tackle clutter, simplify their space, and create homes that support their well-being and their daily lives. Cher takes a holistic and compassionate approach to decluttering and organising. With a background in research and education, she blends psychology and practicality to help people move from overwhelm to clarity. Find out more on her website, instagram, or facebook.