Get Organized: Back to School

It’s the time of year when the smell of newly-sharpened pencils and fresh crayons reminds us that a new school term is approaching and life will soon transition from lazy days to active schedules for the whole family.

Think of it this way - the start of a new school year is like having a bonus New Year’s Day, bringing with it the chance to make a fresh start. Now is the perfect time to think beyond back-to-school supply shopping and plan for ways to ensure a smooth season for with a few useful and fun organizing ideas, like these favorites I’ll share with you here today:

Mornings: If chaos has been the rule in the past in your home, look carefully at what can be done ahead of time.
• Pre-pack lunches: Store lunch supplies on a low shelf so younger children can help pack their own meals to go.
• Have backpacks packed and ready to go the night before.
• Place sports or lesson equipment for the next day near the door, easy to grab on the way out.

After school
• Label boxes or bins and place them under hooks that give each child their own place for jackets, backpacks and all the odds and ends that come home from school every day.
• Create a homework station for each child and have a box there containing all the supplies they might needs such as pens, pencils, erasers, crayons, calculators, paper, etc.

Paperwork roundup
• Have a small storage box labeled for each child’s paperwork that comes home every day. Each day sort through their paper bin and immediately purge unwanted items. Do it at the same time as the kids are doing homework and you’ll set a good example as well as keep your papers sorted.
• Once a week, look at the items left in your child’s box and determine the right place for them. Important papers such as school directories, teacher contact information and classroom rules and schedules can go into a special binder for you. Schoolwork you want to keep for posterity (or to show off when they start dating down the road!) can be kept in a labeled 3-ring binder. Art work can go into a folder or expandable keeper, or displayed in a special place in your home or at the office.

Extracurricular
• For regularly-scheduled activities after school or on weekends, create a calendar or reminder system to be posted near the door to help out. Now it’ll be easier to remember to grab your tennis racket on Tuesdays, snack on Fridays and soccer cleats on Saturdays.
• Create a “command central” for the entire family’s communications to keep track of Mom, Dad, kids and even the pets’ activities. It can include a master calendar, different colored markers for each family member and a notepad for messages. There are even apps for smart phones such as Cozi (http://www.cozi.com/), a free online organizer that helps families say goodbye to chaos and hello to organized bliss by coordinating schedules online and instantly uploading them to every family member’s phone.

Make sure that you don’t miss out on the wonderful opportunity that the new school year brings. Now is the time to combine fresh organization strategies like these with ones that have worked well for your family in the past to create a routine that will make back-to-school fun for everyone, Mom and Dad included.

© 2011 Clutterbugs, LLC

Would you like to use this article in your e-zine or on your website or blog? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Carmen Coker is a professional organizer who helps individuals find the motivation and know-how to get organized and stay organized. To learn how to save money, create more space, and manage your time through organization, claim your "FREE Tip Kit: 10+ Pages of Tips and Tools to Help You Get Organized — Finally!" at www.OrganizeClutterbugs.com