Organize + Energize: 9 Ways to Get Your Kids Organized For Back to School

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Kristin MacRae, GoLocalWorcester Organizing Expert

It’s that time of year again. It’s time to get everybody organized for a stress-free school year. It’s time to start planning and preparing and getting ready to get back into your fall routine. I’ve had the pleasure of working with many kids this pre back-to-school season and it’s been an enjoyable experience for all!

Here are 9 ways to get your kids in organization mode for back to school:

Transfer the skill set. If your kids are old enough, it’s time to transfer the organizational skill set during this pre-school season. Start them young and talk to them about creating organized systems and how to maintain them. If you don’t have the skill set, you can hire a professional to work with your kids.

Give them structure. Most kids love structure. Structure keeps kids organized. Living in an organized, structured home versus a chaotic, disorganized home will help kids focus and become less distracted. Your kids may be craving structure and organization. Have the conversation with them about creating structure.

Declutter. It’s time to declutter your kid’s spaces. When was the last time you went through their books, toys, clothes, papers, etc.? If it’s been more than a year, it’s time to declutter. You won’t believe what your kids have outgrown in a year, and I’m not just talking about clothes. They may be more ready to get rid of things than you think. Sometimes I find that the kids are more eager to let go of things than their parents. It’s an exciting process. Get your kids involved in the process.

Paper management. I can already hear the moans about the paper that arrives during the school year. You have to have a system to control this paper. Everybody functions differently so not every system is created equal. The key is to create a simple system that can be maintained throughout the year. Decluttering this system at the end of each semester or school year is also crucial. Don’t forget to keep a memorabilia container to store all of the important and meaningful items that they accumulate throughout the year.

Organize bathrooms. Why organize the bathroom? It’s so everybody can become more efficient during their morning routine. Create working organized systems in the bathroom to decrease time spent in the bathroom. Declutter, categorize, itemize and contain everything to make mornings easier.

Organize bedrooms. It’s so important for your kids to have an organized bedroom. Start with decluttering this space and then work with them to organize it according to how they function, not the way you function. Talk to them and ask them questions. You will be surprised that they have answers to the questions. They know how they want to function and creating those systems around how they function will give them motivation to maintain that organization.

Homework space. Talk to your kids about how they want to function this year with their homework. Do they want a quiet desk space in their room away from the distractions in the kitchen? Wherever they choose to function, set them up with all of the supplies they will need to be successful. Categorize and itemize their school supplies and create systems for them to easily maintain.

Give them a calendar. Have them keep a calendar on their desk to keep track of important dates. Sports, dances, doctor’s appointments, test dates, and other important appointments should be kept on their calendar. It’s a great time to get them started in keeping track of where they have to be and how they can prepare for upcoming events.

Morning routines. Make morning routines easy on you. You’ll be able to spend more time in the morning at the breakfast table. Plan and prepare lunches and backpacks the evening before. Plan outfits for the week. Having an organized home will help make morning routines easier.

Have a conversation with your family and make a plan to get organized for this upcoming school year. Once you get organized in the home and reduce the clutter and chaos, you’ll be able to live a less chaotic and simpler life.

Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, the founder and owner of Organizing in RI, has always enjoyed finding creative ways to streamline the environment around her. She has appeared on air on Patricia Raskin's Positive Business Radio and her articles have been published in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal and New England Home Life. Kristin's CD, Organizing Basics, is a 1-hour guide for the person who wants to get organized but doesn't know where to start. She is also available for organizing workshops. Tune into her weekly radio show, Organize, Energize! on talkstreamradio.com.

Related Slideshow: 10 Minute Organizing Projects

Declutter and Organize

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Spices

As you take all of the spices out of the cabinet, check for expiration dates and smell for potency. Categorize and itemize your spices to how you utilize them. Contain them in a spice rack that fits the space where they are kept. Don’t purchase a spice rack until you are finished organizing. You want to measure the space and make sure the rack fits and holds all of your spices. There are a variety of spice racks out there. Choose the one that best suits what you need it to hold.

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Makeup

How many items do you touch in the morning to find what you need? You want to be as efficient as possible in the morning and having your makeup organized will be a big time saver. Do you have difficulty deciding what to keep or toss? When is it time to throw away makeup? Aline Sarkis, a Providence, RI-based makeup artist, states lipstick can be used for 2 years or until it starts to smell like a crayon. Mascara is good for 2-3 months. Eye shadow is good for 2 years and foundation is good for 1-2 years. Aline also states that some makeup and skincare will be marked with an expiration date of 6-12 months. Begin counting once you start using the product

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Women: Purse

Depending on the size of your purse, and what you keep in your purse, this may take you a little longer than 10 minutes. Empty the entire contents of the purse on a table. Declutter, categorize, and itemize the contents. Break this process down and take it one category at a time. Develop a system going forward so the inside of your purse doesn’t look like a cyclone hit it. Contain receipts, gift cards, money, and makeup.

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Men: Wallet

It’s time to empty all of the receipts out of your wallet. Do you also store receipts and random items in your car? While you are tackling this project, head over to your vehicle and declutter the center console and glove compartment.

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Underwear drawer

If you aren’t using drawer organizers, you should start now. They are very inexpensive and will maximize the space in the drawer. How many of you wear the same item over and over again? With drawer organizers in place, you will be able to see everything you own and can categorize and itemize. Nothing will ever get pushed to the bottom of the drawer again.

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Under the bathroom sink

If you haven’t taken everything out of this area in awhile, you may find some scary items under the sink. Empty the contents, itemize, and categorize. Throw away anything that you can’t recognize. Contain items in containers that fit the space like a puzzle. Once again, utilizing containers will maximize the space and allow you to store more items. Develop a simple system where you can locate items and locate them quickly.

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Pets

Ninety percent of my clients have a pet. It’s time to organize their belongings. Medicine, leashes, bandanas, clothes, dishes, food, etc. Take this time to also organize any paper work related to your pet. Set up a filing system for your pet. Keep their medical records, rabies and vaccination information categorized in these files.

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Junk drawer

Nobody says you can’t have a junk drawer. Junk drawers can be organized. You just have to think about if you need everything in this drawer and if there is a better place to store the items. Remember, store like items together. If you have tools in the junk drawer, maybe you should keep them with the tools in the basement.

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Office supply drawer

So many people have office supply drawers that are out of control. Money is wasted on purchasing duplicate office supplies. It’s very difficult to figure out what you need to purchase if items are scattered all over the office and are disorganized.

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Top of your office desk

If you can’t see the top of your desk, take this time to focus on this area and categorize and itemize what is there. Do you have a working filing system in place? If so, once your desk is cleared, make a habit of filing once a day or a couple of times a week. If your system isn’t working for you, it may be time for you to re-evaluate your system and make it work for the way you function.