As many of us are adjusting to life at home recently, work and schoolwork have had to make their way to our homes as well. Parents are becoming accustomed to completing work projects and joining meetings with their children running around. Kids also are having to adjust their typical school schedules to doing online assignments and participating in video-streamed classes.
While you, the parent, may have learned to adapt quickly, this is new territory for most of our kids and it may take time to become accustomed. To help them in the process of adapting to their new “homeschool” lifestyle, you may want to start by organizing an area for them to work in. Organization will help them to feel at ease while completing assignments and homework and keep their mind from feeling cluttered and overwhelmed. Keep reading for clever organization ideas for your kids’ workspace and supplies.
Reuse Household Items
A clever and budget-friendly way to store homework and school supplies is by reusing some of the items you already have in your household. There are plenty of things we hold onto but don’t typically use on a regular basis that can be used in a homework area instead. For example, everything from mugs and mason jars to cups and small buckets can be used as pencil holders. You can get even more creative and try using a cupcake baking pan as a desk organizer. Here the kids can store some of their smaller supplies like paper clips, push pins, erasers, etc.
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Designated Storage Cart
While reusing household items for your child’s homework station may be helpful for smaller supplies, you may be wondering how to organize when you have multiple children with numerous binders, folders, and papers. For this, designating storage carts or containers to each child will help to keep their tools organized and separated from one another. Separate storage containers offer a simple solution and are always a good option, but may not be as efficient as carts. Given that your children are most likely actively learning and you will need efficiency when it comes to accessing supplies, you may want to opt for a storage cart. With a cart, you can designate a specific color or style of cart to each child and they will be able to easily move them around the house as needed. You can store them in a closet during summer break or when you have guests over but roll them out whenever the kids need them to do work.
Shower or Storage Caddy
Shower caddies are another inexpensive yet mobile option for organizing the kids’ homework supplies. Shower caddies can help to hold and organize smaller items like pencils, markers, and crayons. If you would like to store larger items, you may have to try a larger, storage caddy instead. These can hold other supplies like folders and notebooks. With multiple kids, you can do the same as storage carts and designate each child their own shower caddy. You can also separate each caddy by class or subject. Assign a different colored one to each class and match the child’s supplies to that color. For example, if the child chooses a blue caddy for their math class, fill the caddy with blue notebooks and folders. Do the same for the other classes and your supplies will be color-coordinated and sorted in no time.
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Over-the-Door Organizer
Door organizers are also ideal for keeping materials up and out of the way. You can take advantage of your underutilized door space instead of taking up valuable desk or countertop space. You have multiple options when it comes to types of over-the-door organizers. There are plastic, shoe organizers that come with several pockets where you can store smaller supplies. For larger homework or even art supplies, you may want to try a pantry over-the-door rack. While it’s a little more expensive than the plastic kind, it is also made to be more durable and will last longer.
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DIY Magnetic Board
While these suggestions may be great, you may prefer a DIY project to keep your creative juices flowing while you’re stuck at home. You can create your own magnetic organizer with only a few small supplies. In the kids’ room or homework area, mount a metal board to any wall or cabinet. You can find decor and interior-design-friendly metal boards if you have a certain style you are going for. However, if you have a budget to maintain, you can opt for something as simple as a baking sheet to mount on the wall. From there, you’ll want to purchase small magnetic tins to stick to the metal board. Once you have it all set up, you can store erasers, sticky notes, staples, and other small homework supplies in each of the tins. Then you can configure the tins across the metal board in whatever way will work best for you and your child.
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Transitioning to this new at-home lifestyle can be simple for your kids if you keep in mind things as necessary as organization. It can be different for a child to understand how to replicate their structured in-school classroom within their own home. So parents, help your children with the adjustment by trying these quick homework supply hacks. They will help your child to feel at ease in an organized “classroom” and ultimately make you feel good that they can adapt to a new lifestyle.
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