Keeping school papers organized can be such a monumental task. Especially when you have a couple of students bringing home what seems to be mounds of paper every. single. day. How do you keep up with this never ending task? Check out these ideas to keep you from getting buried in a sea of school papers.
Organize School Papers
At Home School Space
First things first. You need to have a designated space to organize school papers. This could be an entire room that is used as an office, a closet, a corner of a bedroom, or a school station that is located in your entryway or a portion of your kitchen. It doesn’t really matter where you decide to keep this at home school space, all that is important is you create the space. Try to include a few essential pieces to this space such as a desk, desk lamp, and bookcase. Life is also a lot easier if you keep a wall calendar posted throughout the year. Even with all of the technology we have at our fingertips, there is something about a simple wall calendar that makes all of the difference to staying organized. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the kids can use it too! What a great way to start teaching them about time management and schedules.
Filing System
Next, you will want to pick out a filing system that works for you and your kids. Keep it simple, but remember to leave room to grow. As the year goes on you will have a lot more papers to sort. I like to use filing cabinets to store papers. There are a variety of different sizes, colors, and shapes to choose from.
Using filing cabinets gives you the ability to use file folders and binders to separate papers by child, school grades, events, or any other important event or time. This only helps keep your space even more organized.
Here is a great tip, keep a box or tray out within everyone’s reach. This box can be used for papers that need your attention. Give the box a catchy name that everyone will remember. That way when a paper needs to be signed by a parent it gets done in a reasonable amount of time, AND… it doesn’t get lost. Here is one of my favorite trays to use. Or, find your own favorite tray by picking one out that matches your decor.
Saving Art
As a parent, we all want to hold onto those beautiful pieces of art that our children create. From their first finger painting to their most current self portrait. Keeping these mementos isn’t as hard as you think. You can buy one of these Art Portfolios to keep your kid’s artwork safe and secure. You could also display your child’s artwork in your home. Take a look at this adorable Kid’s Art Gallery from A Soft Place to Land for inspiration. Love the chalk wall!
The truth is, even if we want to keep everything our children create, we can’t. For all of the items that we can’t keep (for example, awkwardly shaped science projects) we can take pictures! Create an album of photos of all the creations and papers that you couldn’t keep forever. Now you have narrowed all of those projects down to the size of a photo album.
This school year, I am determined to keep the school papers under control. With a few preparations, it shouldn’t be that difficult. Getting the kids involved and making this a fun task will make it that much easier to maintain.
What ways do you organize school papers?
