Back-to-School: How Parents AND Kids Can Get Organized

The school bell is about to ring, if it hasn't already for some children, signifying a new school year. Whether you are in the first weeks of class or still preparing, staying ahead of the paper flow, managing homework, stocking on school supplies and spending a lot of money are probably on your mind. In fact, the average mom will spend $444 on back to school items from clothes to computers. There are ways however to save time and money this Back-To-School Season and we've complied a few tips to make this year successful for both mom and child.

Stay Up-To-Date
Transfer important dates from the School Calendar into your planner followed by all extra-curricular activities. Plan now to attend parent/teacher conference days and take stock of the many volunteer opportunities offered both in class and by the PTA.

Take time at the beginning of the school year to update all of your medical records and emergency information in your planner. Also, ask permission from the individuals you choose to list as emergency contacts prior to submitting the form back to the school. Not only is it courteous, but it also allows your contact to get prepared too. When possible, choose only one person to cite at the contact for your entire family. And if you've gotten out of the habit over the summer, remember to carry your cell phone with you whenever you aren't at home or at work in the event that an emergency occurs at school that requires your attendance.

Back to School with a Filled Back Pack
Start your shopping by purchasing a good backpack with the right supplies. Keep your child always prepared by keeping certain items in his/her backpack at all times, but stick to the essentials to avoid an extra-heavy backpack. Identifying new products that are functional for you as a mom and fashionable for your child will help you save money along the way.

• Today’s newest backpacks, such as the Extreme Cross Over Backpack ($19.99), have pockets and slots for books, PDAs and even gym clothes, while Mead Scholastic Subject Specific Notebooks (under $3) are color-coded and include a subject-specific reference guide.

• The combination of active kids and long school years begs for product durability. Parents need school supplies that last. Stretchable Book Covers can handle the wear and tear of kids’ everyday behavior, and come in a variety of bright colors and fashion patterns (from $2 to $3). Zwipes notebooks, binders and folders feature re-writable vinyl covers so that students can easily organize and reuse them. Each comes with a double sided marker that allows students to write a permanent or erasable message on any Zwipes product ($2-$12).

• Choose a planner that fits your child’s personality. From athletes to artists, there is a student planner ($5-$9) for all your child’s interests.

• Create a system to organize previous tests, quizzes and practice exams as part of your child’s year-long study plan. Organizing is simple with an accordion file like the Wilson Jones® Big Mouth Filer ($7).

• Products made from recycled materials can help kids learn how to be environmentally friendly at a young age. Office Depot’s exclusive Liquid Graphite Pencil brings an updated, environment-conscious spin to the typical #2 pencil. This pencil looks and feels like real wood, but is made of liquid graphite rather than lead, which requires no sharpening and the pencil never dies down! ($2.99 for three.)

• Backpacks full of books and folders can often lack space for anything else. The Pop-Up Lunch Tote is the perfect solution; after lunch is over, the collapsible and convenient lunch bag can be crushed down flat to the size of a CD ($8). Also bending to kids’ needs is the It’s Academic 12” Metallic Flexi Ruler. This cool ruler is anything but boring, and under $2.

Getting the Home Ready
According to an Office Depot survey, more than 66 percent of parents say their children typically study at the kitchen or dining room table.

• Create a designated homework area for your child; the right workspace will encourage productivity.

• If space is an issue, the Easy Fold Desk ($60) is the perfect solution. This space-saving computer desk can be folded up and stored, or used as a permanent work station.

Family Communication Station
Communication is crucial when it comes to balancing the never-ending demands of school, extracurricular activities and career schedules. Avoid missed deadlines and morning chaos by creating a “Family Communication Station” that keeps students and parents on the same page.

• Hang a Magnetic Erasable Wall Calendar, from At-a-Glance ($13) and a Combination Dry Erase/Corkboard from Boone ($23) in a high traffic area of your home (like the kitchen).

• Assign a particular color to each family member to identify activities and time requirements.

• Assemble In/Out boxes for the constant flow of papers and permission slips that must-be-reviewed and signed-by-mom/dad. Have each child decorate their own personalized box with stickers, markers and glitter.

Mobile Learning
Balancing school routines and hectic afternoons full of sports practices, dance classes and music lessons can be a challenge. For busy moms and kids on the go, a mobile study station is essential to conquer homework challenges.

• Pick up a Lap Desk by Smart Lap ($15), that you can easily store in the car and fill it with items that your child needs for homework so they always have the right supplies to do their assignments wherever they are.

• Fill the durable lap desk with must-have homework tools: pens, paper, small blunt scissors, glue stick, highlighter, pencil sharpener, mini stapler, and calculator.

• With so many distractions at home and in the classroom, kids need supplies that help them stay focused and organized. Office Depot’s exclusive Grab-and-Go CD-ROMS ($4.99) are the perfect study aids for every student, available in all subject areas including Geometry, Algebra and English.

• For the serious kid, Microsoft Student is a great software option. This new addition to Office includes Encarta, a Graphic Calculator (3D, color, print screen key stroke, graph manipulation), Essay Organization and Outlining, Foreign Language Function and a Research Filter ($99).

Parents can save additional time by buying in bulk while Back to School supplies are on sale. As a mom, you know that the day will come when your child says late one night, "Mom, I need a poster board by tomorrow morning." And when you are spending all that money on school supplies, remember to ask about School donations from your purchase. Many retailers give a percentage back to your local school so you can help your teacher buy supplies while you are stocking on your own. Office Depot gives 5% back to your local school. More back-to-school tips