We’re not sure who is more excited for the new school year – the parents or the kids! 😉 But regardless of grade levels (and enthusiasm levels), back-to-school lists and stationery supplies are a sobering reality and financial outlay; at the beginning of the school year and all year round. Despite each child’s learning style and study methods, keeping their stationery supplies neatly stowed and accessible is a foundational organisational approach to mitigate loss, keep homework areas tidy, and ensure young minds stay focused and creative.
Helping your kids embark on their journey of knowledge and growth (and keeping their school stationery supplies well organised) requires a little homework on your part as to the best place to source supplies as well as implementing tips on how to store them. A well-organised (home)workspace – with novel and repurposed storage solutions – will boost your child’s productivity and make learning and school tasks more enjoyable.
Let’s explore some clever storage solution ideas and organisational hacks to help keep your child’s stationery game strong throughout the school year.
#1 The magic of glass jars | Visual organisation
Modelling an upcycling and repurposing mindset is key for future generations. These incidental learning opportunities start with a household basic: the humble but ever-versatile mason or glass jar.
Available in various shapes and sizes, glass jars can beautifully transform any desk space or shelf into a stylish and efficient stationery supplies storage zone. Ideal for keeping pens, pencil crayons and markers neatly organised – or storing smaller stationery items like paperclips etc. – glass containers provide a super visual and easily accessible display. (A collection of ceramic coffee mugs or odd tea cups can also be eclectically recycled to house school stationery supplies).
#2 DIY desk drawer dividers | Hidden organisation
Tame the stationery chaos within your desk drawers by repurposing old cutlery trays or plastic tubs and containers; efficiently creating custom-designated sections for different stationery items. The divided sections are perfect for sorting pens, highlighters, and other small items. This upcycling storage solution keeps supplies out of sight and prevents items from getting jumbled together.
#3 Hanging shoe organiser | Clever storage
When you’re short on space, leveraging vertical space by upcycling a hanging shoe organiser is an A+ stationery storage idea. Hang them on the back of your door, on a wall, or inside a cupboard. Then have fun using the multiple convenient pockets to cleverly store not only school shoes but also notebooks, calculators, craft supplies and other small items. This clever storage solution hack ensures that essential school supplies are always in plain sight and easily accessible.
#4 Hooked on hooks | Tidy storage
Reimagining hooks – for school backpacks (which are the hold-all for stationery supplies), kids’ sports bags or art aprons – becomes an avenue to infuse everyday objects with new life and utility. It is not just about hanging a backpack or a jacket; it is about transforming a mundane act into an opportunity for functional organisation and teaching responsibility.
Door hooks are a super alternative for high school kids who can reach a bit higher, but for littlies, attach whimsical hooks lower down on the wall to accommodate their height, and encourage independence.
#5 Pegboard wall fun | Bespoke organisation
For those who love an element of creativity in their organisation, consider installing a pegboard on the wall in your child’s bedroom. These innovative organisational tools provide customisable storage solutions for everything from scissors to sticky notes. Arrange the hooks and containers to suit individual needs, and turn any wall into a functionally bespoke and artistic stationery masterpiece.
#6 Baskets & plastic containers | Creative storage
The practical versatility of baskets and plastic containers will always save the day. If you haven’t yet embraced the open-shelving trend, then now is the perfect opportunity to add some optimum storage solutions for all your kids’ stationery, files, textbooks, and arts and crafts supplies. This is where baskets, boxes and plastic containers allow you to play and have some organisational fun.
Up the ante with a 19-litre clear storage box with hanging dividers for all your kid’s artworks, or invest in a 64-litre transparent plastic container to keep school files neatly stored.
#7 Cable clips | Tech-savvy organisation
Generations Z and Alpha know nothing of a world without cell phones, iPads, tablets and laptops. These necessary tech gadgets – for educational, social and entertainment purposes – all come with a collection of connectivity and charging cables. Saying goodbye to a tangled mess, and keeping everything neat and tidy, is easy peasy with the help of cable clips and organisers. Attach them to the edge of a desk or along the skirting and thread all charging cables, headphones, and other wires through. This simple yet effective solution keeps all cables organised and prevents them from slipping out of reach.
If you believe that a well-organised and orderly workspace is the key to success, then investing in clever storage solutions and organisational ideas for your kids’ school stationery supplies will not only create an efficient study environment but also set the stage for a productive and enjoyable learning experience. (You’ll definitely be the ‘teacher’s pet’). 😉