Organizing the deluge of papers that come home from school

Hit me with your best ideas. I normally end up with piles all over the kitchen counter and my desk, which leaves me annoyed and STILL uninformed.

[BonBon]

I saw some wall pockets on Ballard Designs website that I was thinking of getting. (I'll post link later when I'm at a computer) right now I have a huge cork board that has a section for each kid. So far, teachers have sent home a monthly calendar with things listed. The papers that come home are insane! Hard to keep track of everything.

[L.Jane]

Folders? Color coded. One for field trips, one for newsletters, one for upcoming event flyers?

[MrsK]

First, sort and purge stuff you don't need as soon as you get home. Don't let it hit the counter. Have a small control center in your kitchen with an "in" box for papers that need your attention, an accordian file for the kids' artwork, a note pad, pencils, pens, envelopes, and stamps. Be sure to write the kids' names and ages on their art before putting it in the file. After the kids go to bed, tackle the in box, write notes to teachers, sign permission slips, etc. Then put your "homework" in each of the kids' bags to take to school the next day.

You probably will want to set up similar homework stations for your kids near wherever they do homework - something like a cubby for each kid near the kitchen table. Make sure the finished homework gets put in their bags for school the next day.

[MrsK]

Also, keep a calender at your control center. Put dates and deadlines from notices sent home in the calender (with reminders if the date is far off or you need notice to prepare) and then throw the notice away.

[HouseofWool]

I dunno know. Lately, I have been trying to add everything to my google calendar so that I actually remember to f'ing do it. I am tired of being *that* mom who doesn't have her shit together. (It is helping, a little.) My calendar is full of stuff like Aug 18 - Sophie field trip. Aug 17 (remember to make Sophie's lunch for field trip)

Then, once the info is added to the calendar, I pitch the paper.

[SuzySunshine]

I have a binder with those protector pockets in it which I affectionately call my brain! When something gets brought home if it needs to go on the calendar I do that first then I either recycle it if I don't need it or I file it in the appropriate place in the binder. The binder can always be found on the counter or in an easily accessible drawer in the kitchen.

I have a binder with those protector pockets in it which I affectionately call my brain! When something gets brought home if it needs to go on the calendar I do that first then I either recycle it if I don't need it or I file it in the appropriate place in the binder. The binder can always be found on the counter or in an easily accessible drawer in the kitchen.

Hmm. Binders work well for me. I like this.

I do use google calendar, but I often neglect to LOOK at google calendar, and my kids can't access it.

The boys have desks to do their work at. Their computer is at the desk in the kitchen, and they have a desk in their bedroom. I am religious about not keeping the *extras* (perhaps a little overzealous and I miss stuff). I'm the same way w/mail. Catalogs / flyers do not enter my home. After perusing Pinterest and taking your ideas, I think I'm going to get each boy a clipboard they can decorate, and then hang them each on their own hook that they can reach inside the cabinet above their computer. The papers they're responsible for (ongoing projects, etc) will go there, and the papers I need will go in my binder.

I'm pretty cutthroat about artwork. They get to pick favorite pieces and we tape them up along the stairs down to the basement (family room/playroom).

I've got an open floorplan house and I'm just REALLY REALLY tired of all of the *stuff* being visible!

Thanks for your thoughts. Anyone have ideas to add to what I've purposed??

[HouseofWool]

Jenn - I was neglecting to look at the google calendar as well until I realized I could set up a widget on my phone that will show me the next event on the calendar. It is right on my phone's homepage so I see it all the time. If I were to make it bigger, I could see more items as they were coming up. Now I heart google calendar.

name of widget?

[HouseofWool]

dunno, it came with my droid. now that you are a fancy pants with an iPhone, I would imagine that they have something too.

[PrincessFiona]

Recycling bin. With 5, I don't bother anymore. I know that sounds awful, but I don't have the time or patience to sort through the crap. If I miss something important I get a call or email from the teacher. Interestingly, in 2 years of grabbing out of bags, glancing through papers quickly, and tossing them out in the recycling I have only missed 1 field trip permission form.

I am upfront with teachers about not sending junk home.

Kris


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[MrsK]

I can also access my google calender on my blackberry. There has to be an app for the iphone.

[SuzySunshine]

You can sinc ical with google but I haven't used the alarms, I don't know of a widget that would pop up warnings like Kris is talking about...

[MrsK]

You can put reminders in the google calender and set them as pop ups.