This August, I shifted modes from Back to School to Burning Man! What do these two things have in common?
Preparation, preparation, preparation!
If you are gearing up for back to school, you’re preparing with your kids. From kindergarten to college, heading back to school always requires something. If you want tips and resources to help you prepare, look no further than the following posts.
Back to School Prep: Toss it & Tidy Up.
In this post, I share tips for tossing clutter, getting rid of outgrown clothing, and tidying up as the school year begins. As tariffs hit the market and the cost of supplies skyrockets, consider saving, recycling, and shopping for school supplies you already have on hand before heading to the store.
Create a Productive Back-to-School Home Office or Study
In this post, I share seven easy steps to create a productive space for studying or working. Creating a productive back-to-school season is about maximizing your home office or study area and making intentional choices that work for you. By decluttering, creating zones, and using your space efficiently, you can make a space that supports your work or studies and inspires and motivates you.
Off to College: Essential Organizing Tips
Along these lines, this post is geared towards helping you prepare for schedule and lifestyle changes, supplies, shopping, and finally, packing before this next adventure begins! Finally…
In a Funk about back-to-school?
I tackle systems for homework stations, wardrobe organizing, and taming lunch/snack time stress in this post. I suggest you involve your kids in at least a part of each of these projects.
From Back to School to Burning Man
Both happen towards the end of August (although some schools are already back in session!). I’ve never written a post about preparing for Burning Man before, but that was what I had on the agenda with one of my clients this past month. As I watch the news this week about all the intense weather colliding at Burning Man, I can’t help but keep my fingers crossed that all the preparation we put in place will help them weather the weather in the desert, where wind, water, and fire all collide.
This attendee was not a novice, and they drew upon several years of experience as we prepared for the event. Since they were driving, we needed to take into account all the stops and activities that would happen along the way. We packed the necessary items for Burning Man towards the center of the vehicle and placed the remaining items around the perimeter, accessible from the back and sides. In other words, we created zones, which I’m fond of!
Wardrobe Organizing
The first major thing we organized for the trip was the wardrobe. From back to school to Burning Man, wardrobe planning has a significant overlap! I’m making all sorts of connections! We created a capsule wardrobe with numerous additional features. The Burning Man 2025 theme is “Tomorrow Today” with an emphasis on how our imagination can shape the future. To learn more about the ethos, self-expression, and the creative collaborative community of the playa, check out this site.
They had clothes for the build and set-up phase, daytime (hot weather) clothes, nighttime (cold weather) clothes, and themed outfits for specific days and events, such as Tutu Tuesday, White Wednesday, and more. We worked together to sift through all the potential outfits and items, narrowing them down to specific day and night outfits, which we then placed into labeled zip-up bags.
We packed undergarments, bathing suits, bodysuits, and tights with day/night outfits where appropriate and packed extras, robes, and PJs separately. 
Then there are essential accessories, like goggles, boots, scarves that double as face coverings (for all the dust), headpieces, lights, an essentials bag, outerware and more! We grouped these by category and packed them together in bags and/or bins. Due to the extensive amount of sand on the playa, you must consider protective layers for your belongings and your body to stay warm, dry, clean, and comfortable throughout the duration. The duffle bag contained all the clothing and accessories except for goggles and headpieces (bulky and hard items went into bins).
In-Car Organizing
I break down my theory about using zones for In-Car Organizing in this post. Having a system means you’re more likely to keep your sanity and stay safe on the road.
The clear bins were labeled for easy access and order. Other items needed for the duration of the road trip (like food) were packed on top and around these bins. This burner had been on the playa in 2023 when there was considerable mud and rain/flooding so we packed extra plastic bags for containing the mess. I hope this pack served them well and that their time at Burning Man this year was amazing, despite the sand and rain storms! I can’t wait to hear all about it and offer some additional packing tips for the future.