Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Where's My Homework?! Smart Storage Ideas

Hey there!

It's that time of the year again...back to school season.

I love 'Back to School'. The smell of new notebooks is so tempting...the blank pages inviting me to write down all my secrets, to open my mind to new possibilities, to plan new adventures.

But I do dread the scattered school supplies and the constant search for something or the other...from pencils to the homework due tomorrow!!

Use the Space You Already Have!

This DIY rolling storage cart is not only cute, but it's also quite versatile. It's great for organizing school supplies, serving snacks or storing gardening supplies. We have the full tutorial by Ana White. Just click through to The Home Depot Blog.
courtesy: homedepot
                                             

If you already have bookshelves or toy storage bins, move the stuff around and make space for the school supplies. Keep a folder (or two) to save school papers. I usually keep any papers that I like, and at the end of the year, I discard the ones that I can do without.

And remember...EVERYTHING WORKS!

Whether you have storage cubes (like I do), plastic bins (simply label them and stack), shoe boxes, even an old shoe rack can be re-used to store important folders and papers. But it is important that your child have one dedicated space to keep all his/her stuff.

Use Last Years Binders/Folders!


At the end of the year, the school returns all your supplies including the folders and binders that were used through the year. Remove all papers and re-use the binders for keep important papers this year.

Every year we buy new binders and folders for the kids. But what do you do with the old ones that the school returns at the end of the year? I generally re-use them - keep some for filing their artwork, important papers from other activities. I even keep papers from their notebooks in some to use for rough work at home.

Re-Use the Take-Outs!


Do you have food containers lying around the kitchen? The plastic boxes are very durable and make excellent boxes for colored pencils, markers, crayons and more. Label them and store. It will also clear he clutter from your kitchen.

Empty jars are also a great source of storage but the deeper the jar the more difficult it is to get the smaller crayons or the shorter pencils.

Re-Think Over-the-Door Shoe Holders!


These make a perfect place for all your stationary - pencils, markers, highlighters, scissors etc. Remember to go for the ones with clear plastic so your child can see where each thing is. Also label the pockets so that they know where it will go when they have to put it back.


The decision of papers to keep or discard is a very painful one for me...I am still laboring over the learning curve on that one. My daughter loves to draw and is forever giving me these little pieces of paper saying 'I Love You, Mom' and it breaks my heart to have to throw any of them away, but truly, how many can I keep? And more importantly, WHERE?

Some time back I had read a blog where the mom takes pictures of all the artwork her kids produce. That's a smart way of saving their work. I have started doing that but there are some things that you just CANNOT throw away!


What are your smart storage ideas for the kids school supplies?



No comments:

Post a Comment