Cleaning Experts Share "Hack-to-School" Tips to Ease "Back-to-School" Transition

MEMPHIS, TN--(Marketwired - August 20, 2015) - As summer comes to a close, there's an unmistakable energy in the air -- a mix of excitement and anxiety felt by parents and students across the country as everyone adjusts to the back-to-school routine. However, this school year, Merry Maids, the nation's leading home cleaning service, is setting families up for an A+ year with its helpful "Hack-to-School" tips aimed to help everyone stay organized and ease the transition into the new school year.

"This time of the year can be stressful enough, and when you add in the chaos and clutter that comes with keeping everyone organized and on schedule, it can quickly get out of hand," says Paige Blomker, Merry Maids franchise owner and mom to her 7-year-old son. "The first thing I'd say to someone who is feeling overwhelmed is to relax, have fun, and involve everyone -- especially the kids."

Luckily, with a bit of attention to detail and organization, you can easily shift your focus to the excitement of what's in store for the school year ahead. Plus, you'll enjoy a neater, cleaner living space.

Blomker says some of the most common pain points are around managing school-day laundry, organizing paperwork, packing backpacks and preparing lunches. That's why the experts at Merry Maids are sharing these five smart shortcuts:

1. Lay it Out: Empty one of your kid's dresser drawers before the school year starts. Compartmentalize the drawer with cut up cardboard pieces for five days of the week. Then work with your child to lay out five outfits and place in the drawer so they are ready to wear, saving time each morning.

2. Mesh It Up: When dirty clothes pile up after school days and activities, have your kids place them in individually labeled mesh bags to sort clothes with ease. This is also a great solution for sorting socks when doing laundry, so they don't get swapped or lost and can be easily returned to their rightful feet.

3. Chart Art: Maintain a chart for your child's school tasks to track everyday activities that need to get done, such as finishing homework, preparing their backpack and brushing teeth. Providing a visual so children can see their accomplishments encourages them to get into a routine. Involve your kids by having them decorate the chart.

4. Brown Bag It: Organize your refrigerator into easy-to-grab compartments of small bins filled with mom-approved snacks prepared for the week. Involve your kids in the process by coming up with healthy, fun lunch menus and list them out on a kitchen chalkboard. Allow your kids to help quickly pack their lunch in the morning by getting one item from each bin.

5. Label It: Label colored, kid-designed folders for each child to organize their permission slips, announcements or notes from school. You can check the folder after dinner, make sure notes are addressed and ensure the slips don't end up at the bottom of the backpack. Take organization a step further by placing personalized bins by the doorway for kids to place backpacks, jackets and other items after school. Before bedtime, have them put away things they won't need the next day.

While you're focused on backpacks, school lunches and sports practice, you can leave it to a trustworthy team of Merry Maids cleaning specialists who are readily available to keep your home spick and span. The experts at Merry Maids will create home cleaning plans customized for each household's needs and ensure a consistent, reliable and thorough cleaning every time.

To find the nearest Merry Maids location, visit merrymaids.com. Stay up-to-date on the latest Merry Maids news and tips by visiting the company's Facebook page or following Merry Maids on Twitter.

About Merry Maids
Merry Maids is the largest home cleaning franchise network in the United States. Merry Maids provides services in 48 states and the District of Columbia through approximately 370 company-owned locations and franchised outlets. The company also provides home cleaning services in Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom and has licensing arrangements whereby licensees provide these services in Hong Kong, Japan, South America, South Korea, Southeast Asia and Australia. Through its company-owned and franchise locations, Merry Maids employs more than 8,000 home cleaning professionals that service homes on four continents, including more than 200,000 homes in North America every month. Merry Maids is a business unit of ServiceMaster Global Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SERV), a leading provider of essential residential and commercial services. Go to www.merrymaids.com for more information about Merry Maids or follow us at twitter.com/MerryMaids and facebook.com/MerryMaids.

About ServiceMaster
ServiceMaster Global Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SERV) is a leading provider of essential residential and commercial services, operating through an extensive service network of more than 8,000 company-owned, franchised and licensed locations. The company's portfolio of well-recognized brands includes American Home Shield (home warranties), AmeriSpec (home inspections), Furniture Medic (furniture repair), Merry Maids (residential cleaning), ServiceMaster Clean (janitorial), ServiceMaster Restore (disaster restoration) and Terminix (termite and pest control). We serve residential and commercial customers through an employee base of approximately 13,000 company associates and a franchise network that independently employs an estimated 33,000 additional people. The company is headquartered in Memphis, Tenn. Go to www.servicemaster.com for more information about ServiceMaster or follow the company at twitter.com/ServiceMaster or facebook.com/ServiceMaster.

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