I am determined to go into this school year

[binny]

MUCH more organized!

So I am planning ahead now

Anyone want to join me?



My issue is that I have been very organized in the past but have really slacked off with all that we have been through in the last year. I dont want to be like that again! This last semester has been crazy, we moved into this new house and there just didnt seem to time to get caught up.


So here is what I plan to do.

1) figure out how/where to make a "launch pad" in this house
2) make a place where all can do homework with all supplies easy to find.
3) have a place for everything they need to take to school
4) make a bulletin board are where we can have everything at our fingertips
5) organize what I have on hand so I know what I really need to buy and keep that list handy

I know everyone is just finishing school now and the last thing we all want to do is think about it starting up again. I really dont either but I figure if I take it slow and do a task a week it will be a lot more manageable.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

We have a file folder on our desk for each child. When an important piece of paper comes home from school, we put it in the folder. It has really helped this year.

 

[golfgal]

When our kids were little I would go through their backpack each day when they got home, fill out anything that needed to be filled out, taken care of, etc. and put it right back in their backpacks. Now that they are in high school we have a box of school supplies in the closet in our laundry room, they do their homework at the kitchen table and keep all their "stuff" in their backpacks in the laundry room.

I have found over the years that you can create all kinds of "systems" but if it isn't natural for you, they won't work. Set up your "launch pad" where ever they put their stuff when they get home. For us, it is the laundry room so we put up hooks and shelves there for them to use. If it is extra "work" for the kids, they won't do it.

 

[binny]

Thanks! We have been really struggling with this house. We had a greta laundry room in our last house where everything was put away nicely. Now, we have a tiny room that is barely big enough to do laundry!

So I guess I just have to rethink everything, They usually do their homework at the dining room table. I am looking for a hutch with drawers to keep their supplies in. Besides that Im just not sure what else I should be doing.

Pirate,
How do you make it work with the file folder? Do you just have them in a file drawer or what? Im just trying to picture how this is going to work

thanks for the input!

 

[TwinsinCA]

We have our old stereo cabinet/tower that we keep in the corner of our dining room. On one of the shelves I have an 11 X 14 shallow plastic box that I bought at Target. In that I keep loose leaf paper. I have a small desk organizer where I keep pens, pencils, stapler, etc. I also have a couple of small dictionaries. This is usually all they need for regular homework. In the same area I keep one of those upright file folder boxes and keep their returned homework in there along with any newsletters, etc.

Then upstairs in the guest room closet is where I store extra school supplies. We dub that area "Staples". I always go a little crazy with the back to school sales. But then I always have what they need later in the year.

 

[binny]

We have our old stereo cabinet/tower that we keep in the corner of our dining room. On one of the shelves I have an 11 X 14 shallow plastic box that I bought at Target. In that I keep loose leaf paper. I have a small desk organizer where I keep pens, pencils, stapler, etc. I also have a couple of small dictionaries. This is usually all they need for regular homework. In the same area I keep one of those upright file folder boxes and keep their returned homework in there along with any newsletters, etc.

Then upstairs in the guest room closet is where I store extra school supplies. We dub that area "Staples". I always go a little crazy with the back to school sales. But then I always have what they need later in the year.

HA! me too!! I have very few addition issues in my life but office supplies is definitely one of them!

 

[golfgal]

Do you have a closet near your dining room? How about a closet organizer system that would help organize school stuff? IKEA has some GREAT systems for a very reasonable price. My sister has some sheet metal hanging file holder things from there that she uses for papers that need to be signed, etc. that you could hang on the inside of the door and then get some drawers to house all the junk.

A BIG reason we bought this house was for the huge laundry room .

 

[binny]

the huge laundry room was one of the reasons I bought my last house too!
We rented this sight unseen unfortunately. I really wouldnt have rented it otherwise. We were just in such a hurry to move!

No closets near the dining room, aside from the tiny coat closet and it cant handle anything else in it. I think Im going to look for a buffet with drawers in it for the dining room and then a hall stand for the rest of their stuff.

 

[PaulaSue]

I love organizing anything (I got so sick of clutter when the girls were little) but papers is my downfall. I'm in! (I still have all the end of school papers on a pile in the kitchen and they have been out for over a week.

 

[punkin]

We have an accordion folder and at least once a week I insist on a binder clean out. All junk mail (and there is a lot of it coming from the school) is immediately thrown out. All loose academic papers go into the folder by subject. Nothing gets thrown out until after the final grades are in, but only current papers (the ones needed for the next week or so) actually stay in the binder they bring to school. This works great and on those occasions (not so unusual) that teachers mistakenly record different grades, or misplace grades, we have everything neatly filed and available.

I also have an IKEA filing cabinet in my "office" filled with school supplies. The reason it's in my office is because it will actually get cleaned and organized on a regular basis there (because I do it).

 

[barkley]

if you are short on space i'll pass on a couple of suggestions we've used.

for a "launch pad"-

i used a large rectangular plastic laundry basket. it was kept right by the front door where the kids were told to put their backpacks and lunch boxes when they came home each day. i would also have them give me a heads up on any homework they were supposed to be doing. while the kids were having a snack/winding down from school i would look through the backpacks and grab the lunch boxes. anything i needed to fill out i did and it went back into the backpack. anything for homework was pulled from the backpack. anything they brought home that i needed to keep went into their designated drawer (read further). the backpack went back into the basket, the lunch box got cleaned out and went to a designated place on the kitchen counter.

when homework was done it went back into the backpack which was already in the basket. the next morning when their lunches were ready they were put in the basket as well. since we kick off our shoes when we come in the house they were already near the laundry basket (as were their coats b/c i kept the laundry basket near the hall tree). one place that could be designated for anything going to school helped us keep somewhat organized.

"designated drawers"-

i bought (at staples or costco or walmart-in the office supply area) a rolling cart that has 10 drawers (about 3" deep each). it ran around $30. each kid has a designated drawer for anything we have/need to keep. there's enough space for about a quarter to a semester worth of stuff-which i weed through at the end of each quarter to elimate stuff we realy don't need.

the other drawers are broken into supplies-wide ruled paper/college ruled (different grades/different requirements), drawing/printer paper/crayons/colored pencils/markers/pencils and pens and erasers/stapler and scissors and glue. the back-up supplies for school or bigger projects (that i don't want them to run through or find out i need and am out of at the last minute) i just keep on a shelf in my closet.

with the rolling cart it can be moved if necessary (though it usualy stays in one place and people just pull out the drawer they need at a given time).

this time of year is my opportunity to replenish, add to the at home supplies. the kids always bring home the leftovers from last year's school supplies-and i go through them to add to the drawers. partial packs of crayons and markers, binder paper in trashed folders...


it's worked pretty well for us-the kids know where the supplies are as do dh and i. the kids know that anything that needs to go to school needs to be in that laundry basket before they go to bed.

this year b/c dd has traditional gym class and has to take clean gym clothes each week i added to our system-there's a designated place in the linen area where as i wash her gym clothes (4 sets, 2 warmer weather/2 cold weather with 1 set always at school while the other is being laundered) i put them for easy retireval.

i got realy tired of trying to help her search through her clothes for her gym stuff come sunday nites so with the designated area we always know where they are (and if i'm doing linens and notice that i have less than 3 sets i know she's spaced on bring one home to be laundered.


oh-and dictionaries and research resources, we keep those all on a designated book shelf.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

Pirate, How do you make it work with the file folder? Do you just have them in a file drawer or what? Im just trying to picture how this is going to work

We have a 4 slot file holder that stays on a desk. I also do what golfgal does. I go through DS8's bookbag and I fill out anything that needs to be returned right then. Field trip money, permission slips etc. go back to school the next day. We keep the information sheets about these things in the child's file folder. Dates go on the family calendar that night as well.

I also keep a syllabus, grade breakdown, expectations and general info. from my MS daughter and my HS son's classes in the folder. I can't tell you how many times we have referred back to this. My DS16 often needs to know exactly what to make on his finals.

 

[binny]

Great ideas everyone! Thanks so much!

 

[qtwns]

These are great ideas! All 3 of mine will be in Middle School this year. Fall is going to be very difficult with this adjustment for the 2 youngests starting 6th grade and football practice after school each day. Their middle school really piles on the HW...I'm a middle school teacher so I have a different perspective (and because of this I don't give homework unless it is necessary.)

 

[binny]

I think its crazy, the whole homework thing. My DS15 who is gifted had almost no assigned homework all semester. My DD11 who was in the 5th grade had some but not over much IMHO BUT my youngest DD10 in the 4th grade, who is special needs was SWAMPED even with an amended homework schedule. More than an hour a night plus reading.I couldnt believe it! Hopefully next year will be better as far as homework goes.

I know that next year will be crazy, with all of the new schedules and new sports and my summer is almost non-existent this year thats why Im trying to think of things to help now!