How to Get the Most Out of a School Backpack

The proper backpack is essential for maximum organization, ease of movement & comfort. Choose a sturdy pack with plenty of room for all of the essentials, and teach your child to get the most out of its use.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Choose a pack that is large enough to hold all the essentials: lunch box, books, notebooks, etc.

2. Choose a bag that your child likes, and that goes well with his/her general wardrobe. The more your child enjoys wearing it, the less likely the pack is to get lost or tossed out.

3. Utilize the secret pockets by training your child to store money, keys and other valuables in these hidden spots.

4. Look for packs with detachable fanny bags. This will allow your child to use the backpack for field trips and shorter excursions during which a full-scale pack may not be necessary.

5. Place things in the backpack in an orderly manner. Items with hard surfaces should be placed on the bottom, and in the back. Set softer items, such as lunch bags, in the outside of the pack.

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on 12/28/2005 Backpacks with tons of pockets aren't as useful as you'd think. Unless you have a clear organization system, you spend too much time rifling through the different sections of the bag. It's very easy to misplace items this way. Go for a backpack with at most three sections - e.g. a front pocket, a side pocket, and a main area.

on 11/22/2005 Your bag should never weigh more than 20% (I believe) of your total body weight. Anything above that can put you at risk for back problems. Plus, when carting stuff to and from school, try and bring the least with you as possible.

on 11/22/2005 Store the heaviest books closest to your back and the lighter books and notebooks at the front of your bag. This helps prevent back problems related to really heavy backpacks.

on 11/22/2005 If you are having trouble finding a big enough backpack, try the camping section. There are usually daypacks that are bigger than regular school bookbags.

on 11/22/2005 Instead of standing all the books up against your back, stack the hardcover books on the bottom and stand the softcover ones at the back. That way, your back won't hurt as much, and your backpack won't jut out so much.