Summer is just about over, and the new school year is about to begin, so take some time now to help your children get organized. Transition times are a great reminder to do some cleaning out & organizing. Just as the change in seasons reminds us to switch our clothes, the end or beginning of a school year is a great reminder to organize all those categories that go along with having children.

1. Whether you collect school papers in a bin, a drawer, a cabinet or all over your house, plan for at least a one hour project to pull them all together and sort through with your child. Make a Yes and No pile. “Yes” means you want to keep it and “No” means it goes. For those items you keep (like beautiful artwork or creative writing pieces) find a portfolio or bin big enough to hold all you have plus some more. If you have a prolific artist or writer, you may need one per school year. Label it with the grade and your child’s name. Then designate a spot where these boxes or bins will be stored, like a shelf in the closet.
2. If you’ve been meaning to make a scrapbook for your child, don’t let perfection stop you! Gather their memorabilia like certificates, special cards, ribbons or extra photos of your child’s special moments, create a simple scrapbook with your child. Let them decorate the pages with stickers, markers or other accessories if they like. Put in everything you have collected so far. For the upcoming school year, have a place where you will collect new items. A small desk drawer or an accordion folder work well.
3. If your children like to collect knick-knacks but you don’t like the cluttered bureau look, try hanging a display shelf for all their favorite items. Encourage them to keep like things together, for instance: pottery, trophies, wooden boxes or dolls. If you have too much for one shelf, hang several or put some items away and change the display throughout the year.
4. To get ready for the influx of papers in September have a two pocket folder for each of your children. These are great for keeping all of your reference material for the school year such as class lists, calendars, handbooks, etc. Keep all your folders in one central location for easy access and remember to clean it out each year.
5. To keep up with growth spurts, hang a large gift bag or shopping bag in your child’s closet. When they find something is too small, they can toss it in and when the bag is full you can drop it off at a clothing collection spot.

The best way to keep your children’s stuff organized is to teach them a daily routine as early as possible. Every day they should make the bed, put laundry in a hamper, clean clothes in the drawers, books on the bookshelf and toys in the toy bin. Keep it simple and be consistent.

Debbie Lillard
Professional Organizer
NAPO-GPC Professional Development Director
Author of "Absolutely Organized"
www.spacetospare.com