Organizing tips for the new year
Friday
Aug 29, 2014 at 7:01 AM
By Janice Elizabeth BerteSpecial to the Tab
As always, another summer has flown by and you are now getting geared up for your children to start another school year. You may be a single parent, or married and work full-time jobs but either way; your kids need clothes, school supplies, shoes and toiletries.
Here are some simple tips to get your whole family in the right direction and keep everyone organized.
1) First, allocate and go over your finances before you head out with your children and stick to a budget.
2) Organize their bedroom before school starts so your child has the space for school organizers, desks and anything else that will make their academic life easier.
3) Invest in a good quality formal desk and have a drawer that fits hanging folders. This will allow your child to create subject folders to organize their abundance of paperwork. You may need to work with early elementary school students when writing up their folders. This will only help them stay more organized as the school year gets more challenging.
4) Put a corkboard on their wall for important reminders and any winning ribbons.
5) Buy them a clock with an alarm so no late notes will be needed.
6) Purchase a new comforter and sheets for their bed, which will enhance their much needed sleep, and make their bedroom look more updated.
7) Purchase a good lamp that has quality lighting at their desk and in their bedroom.
8) Call the school or find in advance on the school’s website what specific supplies will be needed for the new school year. Order on-line or go in a good office supply store like Staples and check off the supplies you need. If you are on a tight budget, shop at Walmart or go to the Dollar store where you can find a lot of school supplies for just a dollar.
9) Weigh and check each child’s measurements and keep their measurements on hand when buying new shoes, clothes and hats. Most parents know that their offspring will go back to school taller and hopefully not heavier.
10) Go through each child’s shoe and clothing closets and donate the items that are too small.
11) When buying clothes, don’t forget the local consignment stores since many people drop off beautiful and barely used clothing and shoes.
12) Mix and match their clothes for more outfits. Buy small accessories that can enhance and change an outfit completely. For example, buying a scarf or hat can change an outfit and will style it up without having to spend a lot of money.
13) Discard stained and soiled clothing; as for the clothes that don’t fit, donate them to your favorite charity.
14) When buying clothes and shoes, try to go on the more conservative side. Fashions come and go, and the trendy outfit you bought this year will not be in fashion next year. Or, pair that funky outfit with a more conservative piece so you do not lose the whole outfit completely.
15) Utilize your local Cobbler’s business and repair your shoes since footwear can be costly. If you live in the MetroWest, try Brandolini’s Shoe Repair in Framingham. Tony, the Owner, has been repairing shoes, boots, belts and pocketbooks for over 30 years.
16) If your child has any kind of learning issue, then establish a relationship with a quality tutor or learning center in advance so your child will feel comfortable with that person.
17) Also, email or call the school staff/teachers and ask them if they can give some special attention in class or after class to your child. Most parents know their children’s strengths and weaknesses and a little help goes a long way.
18) Keep a handy email and call list in your wallet and at home so you can correspond easily with everyone at the school.
19) If your child gets overwhelmed easily in school, then don’t over crowd their schedule. They may have a tough year, but you can always add some classes or extra-curricular activities over the summer.
20) Talk to your children about their friends and get a good sense as to who has been a positive influence on them. You may need to encourage your child to stay away from a particular friend who gets into trouble a lot and could possibly bring your child down with them.
21) Consider buying your child a good cellular phone and teach them how to use it if they are in elementary school. You can also make a label and put their name and address on the phone in case it gets lost.
22) Label all of your kids’ school books, supplies and clothing.
23) Finally, be positive, stay healthy and have a terrific school year.
Janice Elizabeth Berte lives in Framingham. She can be reached at jberte@verizon.net.