How to organize school supplies at home
To organize school supplies at home, sort everything by type first: writing, cutting and gluing, paper, art, and tech. Keep a small caddy of daily supplies at the homework spot, store backups in one labeled bin, and give each child a bin or drawer of their own. Restock once a month, and the night-before scramble for a glue stick goes away.
If there's no room for a desk, a caddy that moves with the homework does the job.
How do you sort the supplies?
Dump it all on the table, then sort into:
- Writing: pencils, pens, erasers, highlighters, a sharpener
- Cutting and gluing: scissors, glue sticks, tape
- Paper: notebooks, folders, loose-leaf, index cards
- Art: crayons, markers, colored pencils, paints
- Tech: calculators, chargers, headphones
Toss dried-out markers, broken crayons and pens that don't write.
What goes in the homework caddy?
Only what gets used every day: a few sharpened pencils, an eraser, a sharpener, a pair of scissors, a glue stick, a ruler, highlighters and a calculator. A caddy with a handle moves from the kitchen table to a bedroom desk and back.
Where do the backups go?
One clear bin with a lid, labeled, on a closet shelf. Everything you bought in bulk goes in it. When the caddy runs low, refill from the bin, and when the bin runs low, it goes on the shopping list.
How do you set up a homework spot in a small space?
- Wall pockets or a rail with cups by the kitchen table.
- A drawer per child in a small set of drawers.
- A fold-down wall desk in a bedroom.
- Good light and a chair at the right height.
Our small bedroom storage ideas have more.
How do you keep it organized all year?
- Clear the spot after homework, every day.
- Empty the backpack every afternoon.
- Restock monthly from the backup bin.
- Clean it out at the winter break and in June.
Our back-to-school decluttering guide covers the rest of the house.
Want a cleaning booked?
The organizing is yours. For the cleaning, book House Cleaning online and put your priorities in your booking notes.
FAQ
Where should school supplies go in a small house? A portable caddy that moves to wherever homework happens, and one labeled bin for backups on a closet shelf. Wall pockets or a rail with cups on it work where there's no room for a desk.
How do you keep a backpack organized? Empty it every afternoon: papers to the inbox tray, lunch box to the kitchen, trash out. Repack it the night before with only what the next day needs.
How do you clean school supplies and the homework desk? Wipe the desk with a damp cloth and a little mild soap weekly. Shake out the caddy, toss dried-out markers and broken crayons, and wipe the containers. Wipe backpacks inside and out, and wash them if the label allows.
Book a cleaning
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