Genius back to school hacks

Promotional Feature with Tesco

From clever lunch boxes to school uniform washing ideas, mum-of-two Ting Dalton has got the cleverest hacks covered. Here are her tips for making back to school as hassle-free as possible...

It's over half way through the summer holidays and, if like me, you're already making a mental note of all the things you need to get organised before the new term starts then you'll no doubt be hoping that by some miracle, everything will be prepared and you can wave off your child in a haze of dappled sunlight, as they happily skip into class...

The reality in our household will not be like this. There will be raised voices, possible mine above all others. There will be panic. There will also be frantic searching for items which I swore blind that I saw only a minute previously. We'll possibly be late.

I so want to avoid this scenario and have made it my mission to be more on the ball. Thankfully, there are some Genius Back To School Hacks which will surely make the start of the new school year a little easier - because with a newborn baby thrown into the mix, I really do need all the help I can get! Perhaps you do, too?

Ditch the sewing kit

I can't sew, and those fiddly name tags rile me something rotten. Plus those iron-on labels always come off. Luckily, with Tesco's range of uniforms, they already have labels attached, so all you have to do is write on them and presto, all done!

Choose stain-repellent clothes

Why white polo shirts are a good colour for children to wear at school is beyond me. My son has several over the year which are relatively new, and still fit him. But they're a wishy washy grey, and full of stains which I have tried to shift from soaking in bleach to using stain removers in a hot wash. I've tried everything and nothing seems to work.

However, I have been told that Tesco's new uniforms have a special stain-repellent finish so that liquids such as orange juice will just run off the fabric without soaking in. Not only that, but in a wash cycle, oil-based stains such as ketchup are also released. That sounds pretty impressive to me.

It's a no brainer really, why spend hours scrubbing when you can just buy stain-repellent clothing?

Pack a bento-style lunch box

It's tough trying to pack a lunch box that is both fun and nutritious. I'm hoping soggy sandwiches are a thing of the past now if I switch to a bento-style lunch box. You can add different types of food everyday, and make it interesting all at the same time. I've seen some parents cut out fantastic shapes and use fun themes. I'll just be chopping up some fruit and veg but at least my son can have something different each time - from left over chicken, to cold pasta and a little treat.

Buy new shoes in advance

Have you been stood in a shoe shop the weekend before school starts. Pandemonium, right? And then when you finally do get served, there are no styles in the right size left... Avoid shoe catastrophe stress, and go weeks beforehand. Or even better, if you head to Tesco's School Shop they have over 30 different style of shoes at great prices so you'll be sure to find a new pair, hassle free.

Get a notice board

I was overwhelmed with all the paperwork from school, as well as keeping on top of the diary. Getting a notice board or magnetic chalk board means I will be able to keep all these things in one place, as well as scribble down notes as reminders, to do lists and, if there's room, showcase some of my boy's lovely artwork.

Take a photo

I'm not sure why I never considered this before, but it's a great idea. I am always rummaging through piles of forms such as class contact lists or after school club timings. So, when school begins, take a photo on your phone of important dates or numbers, so you always have an at-a-glance reference guide to hand.