Tips for Keeping Kids Organized

Whether your schoolroom is in the kitchen or outside on the patio, keeping kids organized is an important part of homeschooling. Here are a few inexpensive and handy tips.

  • Milk crates make great book storage. One per child is a must, and one for the teacher is a plus. If you can't get your local grocer to donate them to you, you can find them on eBay for about $5 each. Books, binders, and papers fit perfectly in them, and they are easy to stack out of the way when not in use.
  • Have soup for lunch–then recycle the can! Recycled cans make fun pencil holders. Incorporate the making into your lesson plans. Can opener = science; Recycling = social studies; Decorating = art. We recommend using a safety can opener if you don't have any small coffee cans (the ones with the foil seals) around.

  • Keep manipulatives and school supplies in easily accessible, labeled bins. Children need to be able to get to their school supplies and bins make accessing supplies and clean up a breeze. Make is a craft day and let your children make "bins" out of shoe boxes. They can decorate the boxes with drawings of the contents.
  • Colored coded or clearly labeled folders will help keep schoolwork organized.  One for math, one for science…. You get the idea. You can put your children's assignments in them, and they can return them with their completed work.

  • Make designated drawers for child-sized supplies. Does your child like to play with food or work in the garden? For outdoor lessons or lessons in the kitchen (science and math, that is), assign easily assessible, kid's only drawers for child-sized supplies.

  • Create a toolbox just for kids. Children love to tinker, and it helps to have the proper child-size tools. Make sure there is a little bit of everything!

One last thing! Don't forget to keep everything within your child's eyesight and reach!

  • Published 16 November 2009
  • Updated 09 January 2022

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