After a summer full of fun get-togethers and memories made, the calendar comes back around to August and that means that the start of the kid’s school year is right around the corner! While you are gathering up the items on the supply list, and shopping for cute sneakers and outfits, it’s also a good idea to complete a back-to-school checklist around your house as well. 

This academic school year in particular will be interesting! Many school districts across the country are exploring the safest options for student instruction, from traditional attendance at the school building to virtual distance learning, or a mix of both formats.  You might have even decided that homeschooling your children is your favorite option. No matter what type of learning is taking place, it pays to be prepared! Here are some valuable tips to get your home back-to-school ready. 

Get Your Mudroom Ready!A mudroom is such a valuable room in the home. It’s the perfect landing spot for your active learners when they get home from school or extracurricular activities. It’s also the first line of defense for the rest of your home from whatever is being brought inside! A great practice is to have a specific drop-off place in mind for backpacks, cubbies or shoe shelves for footwear, hooks for jackets, and storage containers for sports equipment. With no shortage of mud, dirt, grass, gravel, and slush being brought indoors, having an easy-to-clean surface like Hearthwood water resistant wood floors becomes a life-saver. Simply use the Swiffer® Wet Jet™ Wood wet cleaning system to keep your mudroom as tidy and stylish as the rest of the home!

Back to School learning with Hearthwood

Create a Learning SpaceWhether your child will be doing a significant amount of learning from home, or just needs a space to complete homework assignments, creating a designated learning area is a great practice for active homes. From an organizational standpoint, learning spaces will hopefully minimize papers, pencils, markers, and craft supplies from drifting around the house and onto couches! It helps tremendously to have suitable flooring that can handle dropped items, scuffs from chairs and furniture, as well as accidental spills from snacks or juice. Hearthwood water resistant wood flooring allows you to have the style you love, and the premium Aluminum Oxide Polyurethane finish protection you need to withstand scratches, abrasive surface offenders, and the everyday wear and tear from your adorable scholars. Plus, the WetWorx™ Splatter and Spill Guard that coats all six sides of each Hearthwood engineered hardwood plank prevents moisture absorption 250% more than competitive real hardwood flooring. 

Use a Family CalendarIt’s safe to say that we are all dealing with extra considerations these days, and a family calendar that everyone follows will help keep the household on track. Consider using a dry/erase style calendar board and writing each family member’s activities in a different colored marker. In addition to school deadlines and after-school activities, you can list chores on the calendar as well. If your child is old enough to use a Swiffer, they can help maintain your Hearthwood engineered wood flooring! The natural household groove that the school year creates can help your family fall into a regular cleaning routine as well.. 

Add Extra ProtectionStylish area rugs that are machine washable and stain resistant are extremely valuable when creating kid-friendly spaces. Add colorful rugs in your mudroom, use them to help frame learning areas, and place one anywhere else you need added protection (and a pop of color!) for your floors. In the event of an untimely nick or scratch to your real hardwood floors, it’s wise to keep a pair of Hearthwood Touch-Up Pens that coordinates with your flooring style on hand! These valuable pens can even be used to disguise damage to wooden furniture of the same shade.  

Child paints on the floor

For even more back-to-school inspiration, make sure to visit our Homeschool Room Ideas Pinterest board to fine-tune your approach. Give yourself and your little learners extra grace this year as everyone is coming up with new strategies at home right now. Tag us in your social media pictures with back-to-school activity on Hearthwood engineered hardwood flooring. We would love to feature your prized pupils on our channels!