In some parts of the country, school has already started. Here in Wisconsin the official first day of school for most districts is September 1st. One of the things that are on the mind of parents is school supplies. Not just the supplies children need at school but the stuff they need at home.
Many items they need duplicates of (pencils, paper, calculator, markers, crayons, etc.) and some items you need to keep stocked so that your children can pull from them throughout the school year (notebooks, pocket folders, etc.).
Where does all of this fit into housekeeping? Well, without a system in place it can easily create unnecessary clutter. So having a place for your child’s school supplies is important.
First you need a spot to store the extras. I am a firm believer in taking advantage of school supply sales and stocking up. It saves money in the long run. One of my favorite things to buy is notebooks. When I get them on sale for 10 cents each, I feel giddy inside (strange, I know). You are usually limited in the amount you can purchase so I will make a few trips to the store.
This year I am proud to say that I have 50 notebooks, more than enough to keep my children replenished throughout the school year. But I have also stocked up on pens, pencils, filler paper and pocket folders.
Ideally a shelf or cabinet that your children can easily get to is the best place to store these extras. It will help you see if items are running low and need to be restocked (should you choose to go that route). But if you don’t have extra room, then you can purchase a plastic container and keep the items in that.
Just make sure you keep everything in a central location so that everyone knows where to find what they need. This way you don’t find yourself thinking you are out of something and going out to purchase it, only to discover later you had 10 of those items.
Second, you need a place to keep the duplicate items that your children will need for homework and school projects. When they are young, you should probably keep them in an area that you can monitor. I remember crayons and markers constantly disappearing or the caps being left off because they were scattered throughout my children’s rooms.
At one point I was ready to put in place a check-in system, much like you have at a library where you have to literally check in the items. That might not be a bad idea. Otherwise, just be sure to keep everything in a central location…again, a shelf, cabinet or plastic container.
Once your children get older and become more responsible, each child should have a desk where they keep their own supplies. Shelf and desk organizers can help keep everything in place. Teach your children to pay attention to when supplies are running low so they can tell you. That way you avoid what happened so often in my home…last minute needing markers for a school project that is due tomorrow and no markers can be found.
What tips do you have for keeping school supplies in your home in order?
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