35 Back-to-School Organization Ideas for Students and Parents

Start the year off with fresh supplies, from colored pencils, crayons and markers to glue stick, scissors and hand sanitizers. Keep everything organized in a rotating caddy, dedicating one compartment to every category.

Get you and your teen matching planners, which is an easy way to teach them time management skills. Before starting homework, they can check their planner, assess their work and unpack accordingly. As each to-do is done, it goes back into the bag — so nothing gets left at home.

Let kids pose with a chalkboard sign, filled with small details about school — from their teacher to their current career aspirations. They might groan and grumble now, but you know that these are the moments you won’t want to miss.

Piles of paper or a jumble of supplies make it harder to get things done. Invest in a storage solution, like this five-tier organizer, to give every notebook, loose paper and art supply a designated home.

RELATED: Best Desk Organization Ideas to Maximize Productivity

Between the bus ride, the long days at school and extracurricular activities, it’s easy for things to get misplaced. Pick up these personalized tags with your child’s name to help them keep track of their supplies.

No matter their age, they’ll love starting the school year off with a brand-new backpack. Let them pick something in their favorite color or pattern, and they’ll be more inspired to keep it clean and organized.

RELATED: The Best Kids Backpacks for School

Between running errands and driving them to after-school activities, you’ve probably got in the habit of carrying granola bars, potato chips and fruit snacks on the go. These water-repelling snack bags are perfect for bringing their fave treats when you’re traveling.

They may have a growing collection of pens, pencils and markers at home, but they can only bring so many back and forth to school. A pencil case with various compartments, pockets and a carrying strap will make it easier.

Weekdays can be hectic. Keep your kids on task by hanging a dry-erase chart that lets them easily track daily chores and tally up their points at the end of the week.

Late on the first day? Not a good look. Keep stragglers in line by setting an alarm clock or timer to ring at strategic intervals, like 10 minutes before the bus comes.

Breezing through the drop-off line is easy when kids can grab their toys, water cup or (let’s face it) on-the-go breakfast from a stash in the car. It beats trying to hand them something from your purse while driving.

Even little kids can start to develop morning routines, thanks to the Echo Dot Kid’s Edition. It can tell them the weather and set alarms for waking up, brushing teeth and getting dressed. Plus, you can call them to dinner with the Echo in your kitchen!