If you have kids living at home, you know what this time of year means: paperwork—and lots of it.

 

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The absolute best tip I’ve ever gotten for preventing school papers from taking over every available surface in the house came from a good friend and mother of four (now grown) kids. The idea is simple and brilliant, and it works!

She suggested buying a large, decorative box and putting it somewhere in the main living area. Every day when you go through the backpack-emptying routine, “ooh” and “ahh” over everything as it goes into the box for safekeeping.

This works perfectly for me because when the school bus pulls up, supper is usually simmering on the stove and about 18 dozen other things are going on. Having that large box gives me the luxury of sentimentality while still keeping my home neat and orderly. After a few months, or whenever the box gets full, I sort through it. It’s much easier for me to decide what artistic masterpiece or cute essay to keep when I’ve had time to gain perspective.

I also take this time to separate what I call “my homework” (notes from the teacher, permission slips, fundraising information, etc.) from my child’s schoolwork. I try to take care of these things promptly so that I don’t have to think about them (ever) again!

Lea Schneider has a great list of things to think about before the school year is upon us. Check out her tips to Get Organized for Back to School.

(Note: The views expressed in this blog post are those of the author, and do not necessarily represent those of The Housekeeping Channel, LLC.)