Back to School Organization: Backpacks and Important Papers

Written by Beth, Contributing Author

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With school starting again, it’s easy for the house to become disorganized quickly. Where do new backpacks go? What papers am I required to sign by tomorrow? Do my cute boys have homework tonight?

Instead of having backpacks in a heap on the floor, important papers shoved under the mail on the counter, and shoes or lunch boxes dropped by the door, it’s important to designate “assigned seats” for these items. Just like in a classroom, there should be a very specific spot in the home for the kids to put their school items away.

Back to School Organization:

Using only things I already have in my home, I made such a space near the back door.

A mirror with hooks is secured to the wall for semi-heavy backpacks and jackets. Single hooks, or even a a door knob, would also work.
An old mailbox that was found at a garage sale hangs underneath. My son knows to put his school folder inside the mailbox for me. I can grab the folder and go through the important papers without having to dig around in his backpack, hoping I can find things. (Instead of a mailbox, you could use a magazine organizer or file box on the counter.)
And an inexpensive basket on the floor is just the right place to kick off shoes when everyone gets home. (If you don’t have a basket to use, just the designated shoe spot will work.)

The key is to make the assigned space. Then ask the kidlets to use it…just like at school.

Now getting out the door in the morning isn’t full of confusion…”Where’s my backpack? I can’t find my shoes! Don’t forget to sign my field trip form!”

And when everyone gets home, we don’t trip all over jackets or coats. One shoe isn’t under the couch while the other is in the middle of the hallway. I can actually find my bake sale assignment…before the bake sale.

That’s how I’ve organized our space to prepare for the back to school season! What tips do you have for staying organized during the school year?

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Beth

Beth has always loved looking at things she's already got and turning them into something totally different. She tries to make her home, and the homes of her friends and family, beautiful by using things already on hand. Beth began her blog, Free Stylin', two years ago and writes about "living a stylish life without the expensive pricetag." The parents of two super cute boys, Beth and her Hubs live in Austin, TX. Although she'd rather be laying by the beach, you can find her drinking obscene amounts of Diet Dr. Pepper (mom beer) while wandering the aisles of Ikea. You can also find Beth over at Or So She Says, where she is the FabuLESS contributor.