Merry Maids Sends Parents Back to School, Education in Organization

MEMPHIS, TN--(Marketwired - July 15, 2016) - From school supplies and first day outfits, to lunch boxes and carpool schedules, back-to-school stress and to-do lists can seem endless. This time of year, moms and dads are feeling the pressure to get organized, no matter their natural tendency: neat freak, hopelessly messy or anything in between.

Since back-to-school is the perfect time for parents to shift gears and reorganize, Merry Maids, the nation's largest home cleaning company and a ServiceMaster (NYSE: SERV) company, is giving parents an "Education in Organization" to help ease back into the school year routine.

"As the summer sun begins to fade, that back-to-school anxiety creeps in for parents. There is so much to do and so little time," says Debra Johnson, a Merry Maids home cleaning expert. "We want to make sure that all moms and dads -- whether they work full time, stay at home, are frantically busy or cool and laid back -- feel equipped to get back in the school year groove."

Merry Maids experts developed customized tips for every personality type:

Neat Freak: Messes go against your very nature, and this time of year can put your temperament to the test, not to mention your cleaning skills. Instead of stressing over where to stash the keepsakes your kids will surely come home with this year, plan ahead and create color coded files for each child. Send glue, glitter and other mess-making supplies to school in clear baggies. Stash a stain-removal stick in the backpack of older kids to pre-treat ink stains and make laundry less stressful. Do you ever run out the door without lunches? Fix that by setting a food prep day (Sunday afternoon) where you and the kids pack lunches and place them in a desired area in the refrigerator and pantry. Makes it easy to grab and go each morning and keep those hungry moments at bay.

Closet Stasher: A closet stasher may look like a neat freak, but don't be fooled -- their messes are hiding in the closets and under the bed. Take time to dig into storage areas and cabinets to create an organized space for the family. Use plastic bins or baskets with labels on the front to divide the games from the books, and create a special shelf where extra pens, paper and other school supplies can be kept handy throughout the year. Kids will appreciate the independence of knowing exactly where to go to get what they need for homework and school projects. And remember, your kiddos might be following in your footsteps so be sure to check under the beds and behind the headboards for any treasures they may be hiding.