As a busy parent, you know what the back to school season brings. Keeping track of your kid’s schedules as well as your own is a tiresome task on any day. Now add in multiple trips to the local bookstore to pick up last minute summer reads, fighting the lines at the school supplies store, and managing carpool for the first week of school – it’s enough to make even the best multitasker feel overwhelmed. Luckily, Windows Phones have all the features and apps you need to keep your life organized and start the school year off right.

Here are some of our favorite features and apps to help you stay organized:

Customization: With a Windows Phone, it’s easy to customize your Start Screen to fit your life. Quickly pin and unpin your favorite people, apps, even directions to your Start Screen so you have your most important information front and center.

Calendar: Between tracking schedules for yourself, your spouse and your kids, parents give the word ‘multitasking’ a whole new meaning. Windows Phones help you manage it all with powerful calendar tools that help you stay on top of everything you need to get done before the end of summer that allow you to view multiple calendars in one place and color-coded with conflicts highlighted and clickable addresses for directions to where you’re going.

Office Mobile: Thanks to Microsoft OneNote, Windows Phone also helps you get everything on your to do list done – whether it’s purchasing the new ‘it’ backpack for your teen or keeping track of what you need for dinner tonight. OneNote is the ultimate note taking tool on your phone that syncs to your PC. It lets you attach pictures and even voice notes, so you never miss a beat. Then, pin important notes to your Start Screen for easy on-the-go access.

Camera: The big day is finally here! You can’t possibly miss the moment to capture your kid’s first day of school. Windows Phones make taking pictures as fun and easy as using your digital camera – and gives you lots more you can do with them. Windows Phones are the only smartphone that lets you go from pocket to picture in a snap thanks to the dedicated camera button that works even when your phone is locked.

Carriers: Windows Phones are available on every major US carrier with many different phones to choose from. So you can get the touchscreen you want while sticking with your family plan.

Apps:

· Best Buy: The Best Buy app for Windows Phone provides a fresh new way to shop for the latest and greatest technology. Browse the full product catalog, compare price specs and create your technology wish list. You’ll be sure to make the best tech choice this back to school season!

· moBudget: Take advantage of this user friendly budgeting and expense tracking app that helps you organize your personal income. There are a lot of purchases made for the back to school season and moBudget app helps you stay within your budget.

· ShopSavvy: With the latest and greatest in barcode scanning mobile technology, you will be sure to snag the best price for your kid’s must have back to school outfit. Don’t spend all day driving around to other stores, simply use the camera to take a picture of any barcode and ShopSavvy will provide you with a list of online and local prices.

· Amazon Shopping: Avoid the lines at the bookstore by using the Amazon Shopping app for Windows Phone. You can quickly search, shop, compare prices, read reviews and purchase all the necessary books for your kid’s first day back at school.

· Evernote: Evernote is the ultimate life organizer and a must have app to get everything done in time for the school year without missing a beat. You can store notes, snapshots and even recordings with the Evernote app – and it even instantly syncs from the phone to the web to your PC.

· CleverToDo: This handy task management app based on David Allen’s “Get Things Done” methodology helps you stay productive on-the-go.

· iRewardChart: Trying to get your kid back the school mindset by finishing up their summer reading? Utilize this handy app that makes it easy to reward your kids for good behavior and keep them motivated to start the school year off right!

WIN IT

One lucky Mom to Bed by 8 reader will receive a Windows Phone 7 (Samsung Focus).

 Copy provided by Joseph Vandenorth.

Disclosure: I received a sample for the purpose of review. My opinions are my own. Please view our disclosure policy if you have any questions.