Back-to-School Organization
When you buy something through our retail links, we may earn commission.
It’s time to head back to school and by implementing some organizing strategies now you can make sure you and your kids have a productive, less stressful year.
1- Establish a drop area for important papers. Using either a basket, tray, or a letter sorter for permission slips, flyers, and other materials that require your attention, create a drop zone for these materials and work with your kids to utilize that space as they receive important papers from their teachers. Have an in-box as well as an out-box that they check before they pack their bags for school the next day.
2- Create a homework cart. Get an inexpensive rolling cart from Target, The Container Store, Amazon, or Michael’s and use the tiers to create zones for supplies, books, and work in process. For the work in process, organize by child so everyone knows where to look for their materials.
Student Memory and Documents Box
3- Have a memory and documents box devoted for each child. With a folder for each grade level, you’ll have a spot to file away each year’s papers as they come in. (If you live in Southwest Florida, reach out to us to order a personalized, customizable memory box for each of your kids. (Email us for more information and to order yours today.)
4- Establish a family calendar or command center. Many of us use shared calendars on our various devices. These are great because everyone can always access a family calendar and get reminders, but there’s also something to be said for old-fashion physical calendars posted in a family common area. We use a large dry erase version and a different color marker for every member of the family. We can all see everyone’s schedule every time we walk by, but we can also easily zero in on our own individual schedules. Having multiple levels of reminders helps everyone remember tasks and obligations.
5- Have a designated area for backpacks in your entry or mud room. Encourage kids to pack their bags after all homework has been completed and stored in correct folders. Have them place backpacks in their proper place near your home’s exit so they are ready for the next day.
Every child and family is different and has different needs, but creating routines and making available tools to work and learn accessible and easy to find are keys to getting and staying organized for the year ahead.
We hope everyone has a smooth start to their school year and a successful year ahead. Let us know if you need help creating a system that keeps your students and your family organized all year long. We’d love to help you come up with and implement strategies to make this the best year yet.