Tips on Organizing School Materials

Organize your home to ensure academic success for your children.

Keep your child's school supplies organized and easily accessible, to help ensure his success as he starts back to school after a break. Establishing an organized routine can help students locate important items and keep workspaces free of clutter. Create designated spots for supplies, backpacks and books to keep your child's focus intact and foster success.

Drop Spot

Find a place in your home that you can turn into a designated spot for backpacks, books and other school materials. Having a designated drop spot makes it easier for kids to locate these items as they come and go throughout the day. This spot may require multiple shelves and containers for separate items. Label shelves and containers with the names of each family member so that children and parents don't confuse belongings and spaces.

Supply Center

Establish a space in your home to keep smaller school supplies, such as coloring items, calculators, paper and pencils. Gather these items and place them into labeled containers. This can save you time and frustration, because you will have all necessary items in one spot, reducing the need to search around the house or buy extra supplies that you cannot find.

Binders and Folders

Help your child organize papers and homework assignments into binders and notebooks for ease and accessibility. Label a different folder for each class, keeping assignments in one pocket and other papers in the opposite pocket. Place each folder into a three-ring binder and keep a separate notebook for each class inside the binder. This will allow your student to locate important homework and papers with ease, reducing the mess inside a backpack and around the house.

Backpacks

Purchase a backpack with multiple pockets for different school supplies. The backpack should have one main compartment for binders, books and larger items. Place similar supplies into the same pockets, such as pencils and pens in one pocket, math supplies in another and art supplies in another. This will reduce frustration by allowing your child to access the necessary tools for each class. You may also want to buy small zippered pouches for writing utensils and smaller items that can get lost within the pockets.

References

• Professional Organizer: Organizing for a Successful School year