Back To School...Organized

Very soon the kids will be heading back to school and now is a great time to get organized. Before the start of the school year, it's important to have your kids feeling prepared and ready for the year ahead. Go through their closet item by item (with them preferably), asses what their needs are and make purchases accordingly. It's also a great time to organize the rest of the room: desk, bookshelves, cluttered corners etc... Make sure they not only have supplies ready to go to school, but also a good place to work at home with everything they need to get their homework done. August is the best time to purchase school supplies, stock up now for the year. Before shopping, gather all the school/office supplies you have lying around the house. Place them in a container and assess what you need from there. Avoid going to the store and purchasing before you know what you already have, this is how clutter is created! Remember to keep one item at the desk, and extras of that item in a container elsewhere. When you run out of something, you go to the container to refill. This can cut way down on clutter at any desk.

Not only is this a great time to get the kids organized, it's also a great time of the year to do planning. Schedules are coming out for school and extra-curricular activities. Input all activities and schedules you receive into your calendar ASAP. Take a look at the calendar you are currently using. Is it working for you and for your family? If your writing so small that you can hardly see, it may be time to switch from a week at a glance to a daily calendar, or vice versa. Electronic calendars are great, if your kids have iPods, they can sync to your household calendar and contacts. if you use an electronic system, everyone can have the family schedule on hand. Re-asses what you're using and make sure the system you have going into the school year will work for you.

It's easier to keep up with the demands of school and all the related events when you're organized. Get systems in place now, clear space for incoming backpacks, books and supplies. Good organization at home can lead to better learning in the classroom.

Back to School Tips Contest for Disney on Ice Tickets!

Kids are just getting back to school and this is the perfect time for parents and children alike to get organized. We at Chaos to Order know that when kids have a sense of order, they are more likely to be successful students. If you have a child between the ages of 5 and 15, have them tell us what they do to be more organized in school. It can be related to desk and locker organization, or about time and how they plan their day. We will then pick a winner, based on the usefulness and creativity of the organizing tip. The winner will receive free tickets to Disney on Ice at the United Center on September 8, 2009. Please send your tips and contact information to info@chaostoorder.com by Friday, September 4, 2009. Let’s hear those organizing tips!

Back to School: The End of Chaos or the Start of Chaos?

By now most kids are back in school, or just getting ready to start. This is the time of year when organizational systems are put to the test. For my family, school started this past week and the deluge of papers and mail is amazing! I'm a professional organizer and it's hard for me to keep up with it all, I can imagine what chaos must ensue when there aren't systems in place. Here are some steps to keep the "flow" in your household:

Backpack/School Stuff Storage: Having a convenient place for kids to store backpacks, book bags and transient school stuff is a must. A closet shelf or cubby is best. Hooks for coats, bags etc. are also a necessity. If you want your entry to be functional, you must have places to store these items. In my last house, I had a small entryway with stairs to the basement right at the back door. Since there was no room right nearby, I created a "school stuff room" at the bottom of the stairs. It was complete with bench, hooks, bulletin board, shelving, even a homework table. Once the kids got in the habit of walking down the stairs to unpack, my back door was no longer a traffic jam.

School Year Files: Create a file at the start of each year for your child's current grade. Keep all important papers in the file, adding new papers at the back of the folder. At the end of the year, sit with your child and go through the papers determining what to hold on to and what to get rid of. Then put the file in a bankers size keepsake box. Over time, you will have a nice organized keepsake box of each school year.

Family Calendar: This time of the year there's a million dates to add to the calendar. Sports and clubs are starting and the school usually comes out with dates for the entire year. Spend some time inputting all of these dates into your family calendar (I use iCal and my iPhone, it's awesome to be able to sync our phones and computers so everyone can see the same schedule, and be reminded of upcoming events).

Bulletin Board:A centrally placed bulletin board with important messages and events is also a great way to keep everyone in the household informed as to what the day's activities are.

Now is the perfect time to get systems in place and routines created to have an organized year ahead!