.png)
.png)
The new school year will be here before we know it, making now the perfect time to think about new supplies and routines to make this year a success. Organization is such a key skill in helping students avoid overwhelm, feel on top of their schoolwork, and generally be set up for success. When students struggle with organization, one key area that it can manifest is their backpacks. A messy backpack can make keeping track of work impossible, leading to missing assignments and a general feeling of stress. Once a backpack has become messy, the task of reorganizing it can feel too overwhelming to tackle. This post outlines some tips for helping your child start the year off with an organized backpack and keep it organized throughout the year.
The most important step in keeping anything organized is to use the right tool for the job. When choosing a backpack, consider its use, and whether or not the backpack will be functional. First and foremost: make sure the backpack is big enough to hold all of the books and supplies your child will be carrying. If they need to carry any items separately, it greatly increases the chances of those items becoming lost or misplaced.
Second, make sure the backpack has enough compartments. A backpack with only one compartment could be useful for a student who only needs their laptop and charger, but most students need folders, books, pens, highlighters, sticky notes, and more. Additionally, they might be carrying their phones, a charger, headphones, a wallet, and other personal items. Be sure that the backpack has enough compartments to separate out different uses. Three compartments can be quite useful: one for books and folders, one for a laptop and charger, and one for personal items. However, it’s important to think about the specific items that your child will use and the most logical way to separate them. The more clear the answer to the question of “what goes where” is, the more likely your child will be to keep things in the right place.
Lastly, make sure your child likes their backpack. This might seem obvious, but if your child does not like the way their backpack looks or feels, they will be less likely to treat it with care. If they like their backpack, they will feel more motivated to keep it in good shape, wanting it to remain clean and attractive. Consider a backpack in your child’s favorite color or print. Look at backpacks with your child and have them pick one out that suits their taste.
The folder vs. binder debate is an endless one with no clear answer. Your child’s school or specific classes might require a specific folder or binder system. In this case, it is simpler to choose. If there is not a required system, folders and binders can both be effective depending on the student’s preference. What is important about the system is that there is a folder or binder section for every class. Don’t leave out elective classes, Advisory, Homeroom, and other times that lie outside of content. Many students make this mistake because they might only receive a few papers per year in these classes. However, failing to have a place for every class is a key cause of backpack disorganization because when they receive that paper, they don’t know where to put it. The result is typically that they shove it into their backpack, often never to be seen again.
If opting for a folder system, have a folder and a notebook for every class. Color coding them can also be quite helpful, meaning the red folder corresponds with the red notebook. If choosing a binder, be sure that the binder is thick enough to hold all of the work your child will receive. Be sure to include loose leaf paper as well for taking notes. I highly recommend reinforced loose leaf, as the normal kind often rips out of the binder over the course of the year. Finally, if opting for a binder, supply your child with a three-hole punch to ensure every paper ends up in their binder. Without access to a three-hole punch, your child is much more likely to put a paper in the wrong place if it is not hole-punched.
Separating old work from current work is a key component in staying organized as the year progresses. Binders and folders become overloaded in March if they are still holding paper from September. Holding onto everything is a key reason why backpacks become disorganized as the school year progresses. However, it is good practice for students to keep their work for the length of the class they are taking, as referencing old notes and worksheets is often helpful in learning the current material.
For this reason, having a binder for old work, or separate folders, is a great way to help your child stay organized. Their Past Work Binder can live in their locker or at home, depending on the level of your child’s independence. Help them develop a routine around periodically moving things over to their old work binder. The structure of the class will help dictate this frequency, although the end of a unit or the end of a quarter are typically good times. When your child moves their work over into the past work binder, they will feel refreshed as they begin new learning while maintaining respect for the work they’ve done.
A pencil pouch is an extremely useful tool for school supplies. This pouch can hold pens, pencils, highlighters, sticky notes, a glue stick, a pair of scissors, or any other items that are necessary for your child to get through their school day. I highly recommend a pencil pouch for miscellaneous supplies instead of keeping them in a backpack compartment. The pencil pouch is usually smaller, preventing certain levels of disorganization. Additionally, a pencil pouch is easy to clean out if it starts to become full of scraps of paper, broken pencils, or other clutter. Finally, because your child can take out their pencil pouch, put it on their desk, and see everything inside, it allows your child to have a full view of all of the supplies they have available to them. This will prevent them from buying additional supplies they don’t need or borrowing from others when it is unnecessary, and will also give them visual cues when they are running low on certain items and need to restock. Although a pencil pouch may seem simple, it is a hugely supportive tool in keeping school supplies organized and preventing them from floating around your child’s backpack.
If your child brings a lunch every day, make use of a lunch box to prevent a disorganized backpack. Many students who struggle with backpack organization often find granola bars, half-drunk beverages, and other snacks floating around their backpacks. A key way to prevent this disorganization is to have a place for all food and beverage to live, and for that place to be outside of their backpack. Having a clear place for every item is an essential part of strong organization, and a lunch box provides a clear place for your child to put all food-related items.
With every organizational strategy, the tool is only as good as the routine one builds around it. For this reason, it’s not enough to buy the backpack, the folders, and the pencil pouch and send your child off to school. In order for them to keep their backpack organized, they will need to build a routine around making sure it’s organized. An easy way to build this habit is to have them go through their backpack every Friday. At the end of each week, grab any loose papers and put them in the correct places. The same should go for any loose supplies or items. Also, have them check their folders and make sure they put everything in the right place. If your child checks their backpack weekly, it will never get overly messy and will not take them more than fifteen minutes. Although you cannot be at school with them to make sure they are always putting their items in the right place, a weekly routine will help them build the mental connection around where their items go, making them more likely to remember at school. With consistency, they will build the habit and will have fewer and fewer items to re-sort on Fridays, leading them to feel more in control of their schoolwork and their general success at school.
Some teens need more support than others when it comes to organization and other Executive Functioning difficulties. While parents can do a lot to support their child, sometimes they might need an expert to help. YA Success Coach offers 1-1 coaching sessions for teens to support them in building systems that are supportive to their unique needs and centered around building independence for long-term success. If you think your child might benefit from more specialized support in Executive Functioning, contact me today to learn about the different options available.
Having a conversation is the first step to helping your child realize their full potential and set them up for success!