Back to School - How do you get organized??? Please help!

[Sweetpeamd]

Please help me!!! Three of our young children are in school and every year I plan to come up with a system for organizing all of their daily papers. I never can seem to find a way to keep things straight. I throw away almost all of their daily work, unless a paper is a special assignment or a particularly well done job, so the daily work doesn't really pile up too much. It's all of the information papers and study sheets and long-term projects that seem to accumulate. With three children it can be very overwhelming! Does anyone have tips for keeping everything organized?

 

[C.Ann]

Get yourself a stack of those pocket folders - now while they're on sale.. When you open them, there's a pocket on each side..

Label 3 folders - each one with your child's name..

Whatever pertains to each child, goes in their own folder - daily..

When they get full, save what you want (stick the whole folder in a box if you'd like) and start all over again..

Would that work for you?

 

[Magic Mom]

Buy three "in box trays" in three colors, one for each kids; and also buy three binders for each one. Everyday when they come home from school, they need to put their agendas, forms, notes, graded papers, etc., in the tray. Each evening after dinner or before homework go through the trays with them. Sign what needs to be signed, discard garbage or daily work. Put notes, class notices, copies of project requirements, announcements etc., in the binders. Make sure you trsnfer any important dates over to your family calendar or your day planner.

 

[Ceila]

Similar idea to what's already been posted...I use a small hanging file folder rack with different colored folders for each child. Then I label each one (spelling, math, events, etc.). That way they can always find their spelling words easily, their math reference sheets, and I know where that info on the next field trip is!

 

[Deb in IA]

7-pocket expandable files:

 

[Sweetpeamd]

Thanks very much to all of you for your suggestions. I have some great ideas now. I think that I will do a combination of all of them. I have 3 pocket folders already and will put everything in them temporarily each day until I can sit down and go through the papers. I like the idea of the 7 pocket folders as there would be a compartment for each subject and announcements, etc. Three file folders would fit easily in my pantry on our school shelf. Anyway, thank you for helping me get ahold of this situation. I was starting to get really overwhelmed and today is only the 3rd day of school!!!!

 

[golfgal]

I just went through backpacks each day as the kids were sitting down doing homework, did whatever I needed to with papers (sign, write checks, etc.) and put them back in their backpack. If I kept anything special I have a plastic tote for each child and it went in there. It is amazing how much paper can accumulate.

 

[smb6]

Please help me!!! Three of our young children are in school and every year I plan to come up with a system for organizing all of their daily papers. I never can seem to find a way to keep things straight. I throw away almost all of their daily work, unless a paper is a special assignment or a particularly well done job, so the daily work doesn't really pile up too much. It's all of the information papers and study sheets and long-term projects that seem to accumulate. With three children it can be very overwhelming! Does anyone have tips for keeping everything organized?

I struggle with the same thing, except I have 5 school aged kids. I have a stack of papers with no real organization.... I'm always worried I'll forget about some big project because they always have something going on.... I have learned to write their names on the sheets as soon as they come home so I can atleast know what kid they belong to.... I look forward to hearing others tips

 

[indimom]

When my kids were younger (and needed my help tracking projects and studying for tests), I kept a calendar white board by my computer and we would write down the test dates, project dates, field trips and everything else on there. Now that they are older, they each have one of these in their room and track things themselves.
I also kept a metal hanging file folder rack for papers we needed to keep (like directions for projects or study sheets for the tests). Now, my kids keep these things in their binders in their backpacks.
I keep a "personal" file in the same file cabinet as my bills/etc. to collect projects/artwork/photos and other things we want to keep just for memories.
My sister scans these things into her computer and keeps them digitally, but I have a hard time giving up the hard copy. I did steal this idea for my family photo albums that I create on line and order when they are done. I scan them, and post them just like a photo. So if we ever do get rid of the originals, I will still have a way to remember the best ones.

 

[TLuvsD]

I would go thru the backpack while DD did her homework, fill out paperwork, write checks, note important dates. The accordian file is a lifesaver...and so is writing each name on the paper. I have a friend with 4 childern--she color codes everything (red dot is XXX, green dot is YYY). For me, the names would work, the color dots would not work at all.

 

[Jill in Chicago]

Remember too that the teacher, if the children are in the younger grades, will be reminding them about the upcoming project. Most likely the teacher will break it down into specific time frames: topic by this date, outline by this date... thus it becomes your child's responsibility to listen in class to these reminders and use his/her class time wisely.

Unless, of course, you have a special needs child.

For long term projects you may also note the due date in your daily planner. The week before the due date write down "project is due in one week." That way you can touch base with your child.

Any due dates for school can be written down in your date book. This way you are not constantly looking each day for what is due. I am a huge fan of a daily planner where you write down absolutely everything. When there is a field trip, for example, you can staple the sheet that says where your child is right into your planner, directions for parties staple it in....

By 4th grade there is the issue of finished work being lost by the teacher. It happens. So it's best to keep all work for the entire school year. Sounds like a pain, but all you need is a huge handled bag, and dump it in each day after school. My girlfriend keeps these under the sink. I had a small cabinet in the living room and we dumped it in there, on shelf for each child.

 

[twinglesmome]

I go through all of my kids' take-home folders when they get home from school. Anything that needs to be signed/sent back immediately gets done at that time and placed into return-to-school side of the folder. Anything that can wait a few days/doesn't require being sent back (info. of important dates/upcoming events) goes on a magnet and gets posted on the fridge. All completed work goes in a drawer. I use a 3 drawer storage unit--each of my kids gets one drawer. The drawers are full by the end of the school year, at which time I can empty them to prepare for next school year.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I save everything until the year ends.

My kids are older though and have been burned enough times to know the deal, esp in middle/high school. Older dd is a college sophomore. Last yr my dd was in 7th and it was sweet to pull it out of the cabinet to show the teacher. Yes it happens. Suddenly when the quarter is ending, there will be a missing grade because the teachers are scrambling. Honest mistakes happen.

I have a file cabinet and my kids have a file folder just for their schoolwork/paperwork. It is pretty easy to gather the stuff and toss it in the file folder in the cabinet.

On the last day of school, I make dd go thru it and we save what she wants and then recycle the rest.