5 Tips For Back To School Organization

You can hear that school bell ringing already and at the same time you can hear the kids. “Where is this?” Where is that?” Mom, what did you do with …?” .

With school just around the corner it’s time to get the kids organized and ready to prevent those last minute panic as everyone is trying to get out the door on time in the morning. So where do you start to get organized for back to school?

Backpack’s first

First, get a proper backpack. Backpacks have become a staple for students of all ages and once you get past the design and color issues make sure you have purchased the right sized backpack in order to prevent back problems with your children. Will your student be carrying a laptop or tablet? How many books will be carried? Will the backpack be carried to all classes or just back and forth to school? There are lots to consider, but the right backpack is essential to carry the right weight and protect the back.

Binders

Get a supply of binders. Most classes give out assignments, notes or permission slips. The easiest way to keep these in a legible form for you, the parent, is to protect them in binders.

File folders will also do the trick if your student does not want to carry binders around but still needs to keep important papers in good shape.

Night before readiness

Make sure that everything required for the next school day is ready and packed in the backpack the night before school. This will prevent the last minute scouring of the house for those important assignments or notes in the morning and will eliminate the stress for everyone in the household. For those little ones it would be a good idea to also lay out their clothes for the next day.

Boards, boards, boards

Have a whiteboard, chalk board or bulletin board near the door. Write down what is required of each student for the next day whether it is a permission slip to take back or an assignment or homework that is due.

Check off each item before they leave for school and add items when they get home. Kind of like a last minute check before heading out the door.

Assign study area

Assign an area in the home where the student can do their homework. Homework is an important part of school and starts to pile up and count more towards the final mark as the students get into the later grades. It is essential that students have a quiet, neat and organized area to do homework. Try to encourage your kids to get their homework done after they get home from school rather than waiting until after dinner. There may not be enough time after dinner and the homework may be due the next day.

School mornings can be a little hectic but with a little planning you can have a stress free start to the day for everyone. If all this seems a bit overwhelming, contact us for a free telephone consultation to get you on the right track.