7 Ways To Keep Your Desk Organized

1. Get a locker shelf - If you need more space and jackets or backpacks don’t take up a great deal of the room, get a locker shelf to differentiate the space.  They are inexpensive and can be found at most office supply stores.

2. Set a schedule to regularly clean your locker – Some students need to clean their locker daily and some weekly or less.  Know yourself (or your student!) well enough to know when the locker may need to be cleaned (hint: think of how often your room gets messy!), then check with your guidance counselor about when you can schedule a time (before school, after school, during lunch/study hall, etc) when you can clean the locker.  Make it your goal to clean it regularly.

3. Textbooks should standing up or lying down with spine facing out – when you’re in a rush and need to grab something from your desk and your locker, don’t be grabbing the wrong item.  Have the name on the spine facing out.  Have a book cover?  Write the name on the spine with a label or Sharpie marker.

4. Post It Notes – We all need reminders.  Keep a pen and post it notes in your locker or desk to stick on items or better yet, carry the post it notes from class to class, then stick the reminders of what to bring home on the locker door or in your desk.

5. Pencil case to hold pencils – There is nothing worse than scrounging around in your locker or desk for your pens, pencils, or markers.  It gets old fast!  Keep a pencil box in your desk or locker.  We don’t recommend a Ziploc because that can be too easily lost or fall out.  A pencil box is sturdy and if your books smash onto it, it probably won’t bang it up too badly.

6. Magnetic locker organizers for smaller items – If you have smaller items that you need to grab, such as specific pens or pencils for certain classes, put them on the door in magnetic holders.

7. Magnetic white board – This is like the post it notes.  The board will help you remember what you need.  The only drawback is that if you lose the pen, you have to remember to replace it.  If you have a magnetic holder, keep the pen there.