Queue the infamous locker jam scene. And queue the infamous everything falls out of locker scene.
Actually, no, don't do that. Why? Because in this masterpost I'll explain multiple methods of organization that you can choose to follow or even create hybrids of in order to keep your school year as organized as possible.
MAIN ORGANIZATION SET UP:
Yes, the quotation marks are necessary. By the end of the year this binder won't feel like it's only three inches but a million. The point of this method is to keep ALL OF YOUR PAPERS in one place at all times. There are many people who always struggle with losing papers and not knowing where they went. If that's the case for you, then this is the perfect solution. Use a 3 inch binder to store all of the assignments of each class and you no longer have to worry about where your chemistry lab went or where you history essay walked off to. Many dislike this method due to how heavy the binder becomes, however it's completely worth it if you struggle with the problem I mentioned.
If you enjoy binders and feel they help you to stay organized, go ahead and use this method. Many people will go ahead and use a binder for every class. The reason for this is that they for ahead and take the extra step of having a section within sections within sections. If you're an organization freak like me then go ahead and follow this method because I know I am. The only problem with this method is that there are going to be A LOT of binders so if you don't have the space or time to go back and forth to your locker I wouldn't suggest this for you.
This is a similar method to the 3 inch binder. Have an accordion folder to keep all your papers in. The difference between this and the binder is the hole punch. However I do recommend the binder much more than this method because many resort to smashing their papers into the pockets which leaves a jumbled mess in the end. It's also a lot easier flipping through a binder than looking through an accordion folder. (Also I completely forgot the actual names of these things so don't go asking for accordion folders)
Many people, including me, will have one folder to store any immediate papers that are important for that day or the following. This is a great addition to the 3 inch binder method because many times you won't want to take out the binder and instead something quick. Go ahead and use a folder if this is the case. However, just like every other method, there is always a downfall that you have to be aware about. Unless you are an extremely disciplined person and tell yourself to put away the files put in that folder every night, more likely than not you will end up having a bulky folder filled with papers from the previous month. Since this is the case, you need to be strict with yourself about how you use this folder and make sure to actually put those no longer important, or immediate papers away.
Ahahaha you thought you'd get through this masterpost without seeing a planner? NOPE. Planners are essential to staying organized so if you refuse to use one and are really struggling with keeping your school life organized, THIS IS WHY. Utilize your planner in a way that's efficient for school. Write down all of your assignments and any specific events for EVERY CLASS. This is the most important part: even if that class didn't assign any homework, STILL WRITE SOMETHING. Many times I try to think back to what I did in a class from a couple weeks back. By that point, no one remembers anymore. That's why you should not only write down the homework, or "N/A" but also a quick bullet point/ gist of what you did in class.
Yes, this can even be plural. A pencil pouch is a necessity for school. Don't rely on the little pockets in your backpack because more than likely, that won't be enough and you won't ever actually put the writing utensils back in their original place. If one pencil pouch isn't enough to store all of your super cute and adorable stationery, then use two. I do. Don't be afraid to just have one for highlighters and another for pens and pencils.
This is something you probably won't see in everyone's organization system. However, it truly helps. I find there's numerous times throughout the year where I need to create a quick list for whatever reason and absolutely despise having to use one whole sheet of paper in my notebook for something so small. Whether it be for an essay, a lab, the vocab list, or all of the un-motivational quotes on the walls, a notepad or to do list will do the trick.
For lockers, I always liked keeping mine simple. After 6th grade when I had all the sparkly crap and completely unnecessary carpet, I realized all it does is take up space. That's why I would only include the following for your locker organization:
This adds space that would have previously been unused. They make lockers really tall and slim but don't bother putting shelves already in there?? Having a shelf will give you that extra layer to store books and whatever else so it's definitely a good utility to keep in your locker! Here's something you should follow: you want your locker supplies to make space, not take up space.
· Small storage container
I find that I always end up having all these small things floating around in my locker. These small objects just end up getting piled up in front of your textbooks and make it difficult to get to your notebooks, binders, books, etc. If you include a small storage box, you can put all of those things (notecards, extra pens, erasers, lead) in the container and viola! No more junk piled up in your locker.
That's it for lockers! Like I said, keep it simple. Your locker isn't your room or where you even spend most of your time in. No one is looking at how cute it is either. Truthfully I wouldn't even include a magnetic pencil holder as that takes up space and falls if it becomes too heavy. It'll become a hassle instead of a help.
My only tip on how to keep your backpack tidy is to have a specific place for everything. Don't think too much on this and just put the supply in whatever place you think of first. If you make your system complicated you won't actually follow it and end up with a messy backpack. For example, laptop should go in the laptop sleeve (super simple), calculator in the front pouch and binders in the biggest/main part of the backpack.
And that's all I have for school organization! I hope this helped in any way possible! It sorta became super long but ah well, there's a lot of information that I hope you all can utilize.
Question of the day: Is there anything in this list that you are definitely going to include in your school organization system this year?
Also! Don't forget to check out the rest of the series and what's to come HERE!
Ahh this series is almost at an end and truthfully I'm so surprised with myself for getting this far. I'm glad I've been able to help many of you!
