We’re approaching the time where parents will be shopping for school supplies, planning new routines, and soaking up the last few weeks of vacation. If there’s one piece of general, end-of-summer-break advice from all of us at Mister Fix-It, it’s to not forget prepping your home.
Just a few simple home maintenance tasks can really make your mornings less stressful on school days, keep your home organized, and even help prevent unexpected repairs during one of the busiest times of the year.
Here are ten ways to get your home back-to-school ready.
1. Create an Organized Entryway
Your entryway becomes command central once school starts. Backpacks, lunchboxes, shoes, and jackets quickly pile up without a designated space. Add wall hooks for backpacks, a shoe rack or storage bench, a small basket for hats and gloves, and even a family message board or calendar.
If you need shelving installed or custom storage solutions, Mister Fix-It can help ensure everything is securely mounted and built to last.
2. Repair Sticky Doors
It can be so frustrating when you’re rushing around in the morning, and then a door won’t open or shut without your body slamming into it. Doors can shift with changing temperatures, especially with the high St. Louis-area summer humidity. Adjusting hinges, repairing frames, or replacing worn hardware can help everything operate more smoothly.
3. Patch Nail Holes and Touch Up Paint
Before school starts, take a walk through your home and repair small cosmetic damage. Fill nail holes, repair dents in drywall, touch up scuffed walls, and maybe even refresh high-traffic areas with a new coat of paint. All of this can really help your home feel cleaner and more organized.
4. Set Up a Homework Station
Whether it’s a dedicated office or a quiet corner of the dining room, every student benefits from a comfortable place to study. A functional homework area should have good lighting, easily accessible outlets, shelving for books and supplies, and a study desk and chair. Installing floating shelves or mounting organizers to the wall can maximize even a small space!
5. Check Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
A new school year is a great reminder to test your home’s safety devices. Test every alarm and replace batteries if needed. This only takes a few minutes, but it provides peace of mind!
6. Repair Loose Handrails and Stair Treads
As children hurry up and down the stairs before and after school, safety becomes even more important. Check your stairs for loose railings, wobbly steps, damaged trim, and worn flooring. We don’t want any slips or falls!
7. Organize Closets Before They Fill Up Again
Summer activities often leave closets cluttered with sports equipment, beach gear, and vacation items. Before the new school year starts, donate outgrown clothing, install additional shelving if needed, add storage bins, replace broken rods or shelves, and reorganize items in a way that makes getting ready and doing laundry easier on everyone. Simple closet organization can make your family’s busy mornings much easier.
8. Make Sure Exterior Lighting Works
As the days gradually become shorter, students may be leaving or arriving home when it’s darker outside. Make sure porch lights work properly, walkways are well lit, motion lights activate correctly, and any burned-out bulbs are replaced.
9. Inspect Windows and Screens
Take advantage of the remaining warm weather by making sure your windows are in good condition. Check for torn screens, windows that won’t stay open, broken locks, and damaged weatherstripping. Everything will look and feel neater and fresher.
10. Tackle Small Repairs Before They Become Bigger Problems
The school year brings busy schedules, extracurricular activities, and less free time for home projects. Before life gets hectic, take care of any lingering repairs you’ve been putting off. Loose cabinet hardware, dripping faucets, cracked caulk around sinks and tubs, damaged trim, squeaky doors, and fence or deck repairs may be annoying tasks, but they don’t take long to fix. Not to mention, handling these projects now can help prevent larger, expensive repairs down the road. Call Mister Fix-It and we’ll take care of everything on your to-do list.
Let Mister Fix-It Help You Start the School Year Stress-Free
Getting your home ready for back-to-school season can be exciting! Whether you need drywall repairs, painting, carpentry, door adjustments, shelving installation, deck repairs, routine maintenance from our local partners at UPKEEP, or just some help checking off your growing to-do list, Mister Fix-It is here to help.
Our experienced team serves homeowners throughout the St. Louis, St. Charles, and St. Peters areas with reliable, high-quality home repairs that help your home stay safe, functional, and ready for whatever the school year brings.
If you’d rather spend the last days of summer making memories with your family instead of tackling home repairs, contact Mister Fix-It for a free estimate. We’ll take care of your to-do list so you can focus on the exciting season ahead.
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