THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR

No, I'm not talking about Christmas (although I have started my holiday shopping..more on that later), but it's almost as exciting..it's BACK TO SCHOOL time!!!  While I'm sure it was lovely having the little ones home for the last few months whining, complaining, crying about boredom, and generally making a mess of everything, won't it be nice to have them head back to school?  Most kids get a little depressed when summer winds down, so why not make going back to school a little more exciting?  All retailers seemed to jump the gun on back to school sales early this summer and now many have huge discounts, including Target where I found these cool metal storage bins for $5/each.  To keep your entry way clean and organized AND make it fun for the kids, try this little trick:
TRICKS AND TREATS:
While most of your back to school shopping will involve the little ones, why not sneak in a few surprises like crossword puzzles, fun books, hip pencil covers, fancy lunch boxes, etc. (even start a tradition of doing it so they get exciting about the end of summer).  Purchase metal containers dedicated to each child with a photo or name on the front of each, then pack them full of fun surprises (think summer Christmas stocking).  Throughout the school year if they manage to keep the entry area neat and clean with book bags, shoes and other school items maybe the School Ferry visits once a month and leaves something fun in their storage container.  Back to school can be tough on kids of any age, so why not make it fun and exciting??