Getting Organized for Back-to-School

It's that time again. Millions of children are headed back-to-school. There is a direct relationship between how organized a child is and how well they do in school. As a parent or guardian, you can help children develop life-long organization skills. Here are a few back-to-school tips for getting organized:

Establish a Routine & Plan Ahead. Streamlining the morning routine is essential to get kids out the door and to school on time. It’s easy to get frazzled in the morning, so prepare lunches, book bags, outfits, even the breakfast table the night before. Create a storage area near your most used door and assign each person a bin and/or hook for their gear. Using color coded baskets or personalized tins {like the one above from the MacBeth Collection} helps for organization and quick identification when leaving the house.

Create a Homework Station. Few children enjoy doing homework, but making creating an efficient work environment may make the task more fun. First determine where it's best to set up the homework station - Near the kitchen where an adult can help? In a quiet room alone? Is a computer needed? Once a location is selected, it is important to have an easy accessible storage bin or drawer with needed school supplies. Based on your child's age and school needs store items such as writing implements, paper, tape/glue, scissors, ruler, erasers, crayons and markers. When purchasing school supplies, consider earth-friendly and non-toxic items. Visit EWG's back-to-school guide for a list of greener options. Pottery Barn Kids has a great Mini Lazy Susan perfect for a storing supplies at the homework station {shown above}.

Paper Source also shows you how to make a customized desk cubbie here {also pictured above}. Get your child excited about their homework station by having them help designing their own supply storage cubbie.

Centralize School Communications. Besides your child's school papers, there will be lots of communication parents will need to take action on or reference throughout the school year. Some of these items include classroom rosters, school handbook, supply list, permission slips and school calendar. Creating a centralized place for all this information is key to knowing where these important papers are when you need them. A binder or file folder are great options for keeping all the papers organized into subcategories. Smead offers an easy to use tiered folder - Smead Stadium File™ - that works great in my home {blogged about it here}.

Getting organized for back-to-school takes some effort, but it will make the transition smoother.

Happy organizing!