Home Work

Kid-friendly systems for organizing school stuff

reduce clutter and stress
Jon Waterhouse - For the Journal-Constitution
Saturday, August 13, 2005

Juggling household responsibilities, work and the lives of two active kids can be a challenge.

For single mom Deanna Smith, it means dropping an occasional ball or two. The Douglasville mom has forgotten to sign permission slips, missed the deadline on her son's science project and lost forms her daughter brought home for an accelerated student program.

"Everything kind of gets lost in a sea of paperwork on the kitchen counter," she says, "and it seems to procreate in the middle of the night."

Like Smith, many parents struggle to create order among piles of school papers and supplies, while coordinating a growing list of activities like ballet lessons, football practice and birthday parties that come with each new school year.

"It's hard for parents to organize for school, because they're not in control of it. The child is," says Allison Carter, owner of the Professional Organizer, a Marietta-based company that helps clients battle home clutter and get on the path to organization.

Keeping all those balls in the air requires a collaborative effort between parents and kids, Carter adds. A child struggling with school is challenging enough. A cluttered home can compound the problem if the child doesn't have easy access to his or her materials.

But this year, Smith has backup, with advice from Clarity Consulting, to prepare her kids for a more organized school year.

"My goal is to have things a little less chaotic," she says, "and not be so stressful. One person in charge of this is too much to manage. Any help I can get is welcome."

To create more order in the Smith household, professional organizer Alison Caputo set up a personalized "command central" so that fewer papers get lost in the shuffle. Such services typically range from $50 to $75 an hour, in addition to the cost of organizational supplies. But declutter experts agreed to share a few tips that will help your family prepare for the new school year.

Instead of a carelessly discarded backpack or a trail of scattered papers, Caputo says a "command central" is essential.

"Everyone's trying to get ready in the morning, not just the kids," Carter says. Having a designated locale for backpacks, lunchboxes and cellphones makes leaving the house easier. While all houses are configured differently, the basic idea is to have a flat surface with hooks nearby for hanging items. Drawers and shelving are a plus.

Try this: Create a spot with "in" and "out" trays and desktop hanging files for important papers. Include such necessities as class phone lists, permission slips and homework assignments. For larger items, small tubs or buckets work well, Caputo says. When kids arrive home, they immediately unpack their bags and put the papers in the appropriate place.

Carter also recommends "The Organized Student: Teaching Children the Skills for Success in School and Beyond" by Donna Goldberg with Jennifer Zwiebel (Fireside, $11.20 at amazon.com). The authors set up strategic game plans, from the right way to pack and purge a backpack or locker to how to keep a functional, tidy homework space. Carter calls the book an essential guide to school organizing.

A home for everything

Creating a designated spot for homework can add a touch of security to that looming task, experts say. A kitchen table or a small desk works well, but Carter also has had success with rolling carts, which can be stored when not in use. Accessories can add another level of organization.

"Normal office trays come in different colors, which are good for kids," says Janet Jenkins of De-Clutter Bug in Tucker. It's a great way to introduce organization, Jenkins says, because trays can be color-coordinated for various subjects. And Caputo is a big advocate of three-ring binders. She recommends two smaller binders for each subject: one for notes, the other for homework. Students should bring the homework folder home each day, which lightens their load --- and potential for clutter.

Try this: Carter recommends a rolling cart as a portable homework station. When not in use, it can be placed in a closet. The Eldon Fold N Roll Cart System has a large plastic bin with a filing system, a clear plastic lid and a lower shelf for more storage (Item No. 03114374, $29.99 at Office Max locations and officemax.com).

Getting dressed often presents another organizational challenge. To keep things on track, Monica Ricci of Catalyst Organizing Solutions advises planning out a week's worth of school clothes on Sunday night.

To avoid wardrobe meltdowns, Ricci recommends using closet organizers like the 6-Shelf Canvas Hanging Sweater Bag. The hanging organizer has room for six outfits and attaches to a closet rod (Item No. 10004723, $19.99 at the Container Store, 120 Perimeter Center W. N.E., Suite 100, Atlanta, 770-351-0065, and at containerstore.com).

Plan to purge

Throughout the school year, kids bring home what amounts to piles of completed work, from artwork to graded tests to report cards. How does a parent decide what to keep and what to toss?

"You get tough," Carter says. "I generally tell people to save a maximum of 10 to 20 things each year. Kids have fun doing it, not saving it."

Kids who want to display their works of art can use plastic box frames, which allow frequent updates.

"Rather than cluttering up the kitchen fridge, your child can go ahead and pick the ones they like the most and frame them," Caputo says, "and they can decide when they want to change out the art."

Utrecht Art Supplies sells clear plastic box frames from $2.09 to $10.99 (available at 878 Peachtree St. N.E., Midtown, 404-347-9119). They range in size from 5 inches by 7 inches up to 16 inches by 20 inches, and they hold items up to 1 1/4 inches deep. The plastic construction makes them safe for tinier hands.

Try this: Caputo uses a three-box method with her clients. The first box --- preferably a long plastic tub that fits under a bed --- stores papers that kids bring home daily. When that box gets full, weed through it, and keep only the items that represent the child's development. Move upgraded papers to the second box. At the end of the school year, when some of the emotional attachment has worn off, whittle the pile down for the third box, which will store the best of the best.

Another useful tool that Carter recommends: the "School Memories" album. This hardcover spiral-bound book helps kids reduce the number of papers brought home each school year. It also empowers kids by placing them in charge of compiling school keepsakes. Pockets can be used for storing papers, and kids can log their memories in a journal-type format (available for $14.99 at www.colorfulimages.com).