Tips for Organizing Binders, Folders, and Papers

Does your child sometimes (or always) lose papers? Does she seem to have an exploding binder, or a folder with contents in disarray? Does he hesitate about where to put a piece of paper, or need to re-organize more often?

In a survey taken during the 2015-16 school year, 58% of students said that they “sometimes or always” struggle with organization. Therefore, we teachers surveyed our students to get advice about what works best for them. Our hope is that both students and parents will gain some valuable ideas from this list.

Ultimately, every student learns differently, and we fully accept that students need to build an organizational system that works for them. Each student may also adjust his or her methods over time, which is normal. But if organization skills are a challenge for your child, encourage him or her to browse these ideas and pick a few to try!

General Tips from Teachers to Students:

• Resist the temptation to stuff papers into common traps - your Chromebook case, your planner, the front pocket of a binder, your AR folder, or your Friday folder. Take the time to put an item in the correct folder or binder for that subject!
• If you’re not sure where to PUT a piece of paper, or whether or not it’s important to keep, then ASK the teacher! Too often, we find students throwing out items prematurely or putting them in illogical places.
• If your binder has become a disaster (or your current organization system isn’t working), start with your homeroom teacher. He or she can find a time to get you organized again!
• If you want to get organized for midterm or final exams, especially once study guides are passed out in December and May, then pick a binder or folder in which to keep the most important notes or old tests to study.

Tips from Students: When to Organize

• “Just take the extra minute to make sure everything is tucked in well, so papers don’t tear or get folded funny.”
• “Take some time on Sunday night and organize your folders and binders for next week.”
• “I try to put new papers in the proper place when I get home every day. This helps keep my binders nice and neat.”
• “When you get papers back, immediately put them into its designated area in your binder. I know it is tempting to just cram everything in a folder, but just take the time sometimes to get all of your latest papers out of your folders and put them in correct tabs in your binders.”
• “Intervention is a good time for organizing, but if you don't have time then you can always organize folders and binders at home.”
• “Don't throw away any of your papers too soon, and keep them organized since you may need them later on in life (or for exams).”
• “Organize papers by how recently they were handed out/how likely you are to use them in class (put the more important or recent papers near the front).”

Tips from Students: Setting Up a Binder/Folder

• “Use lots of divider tabs, not just one for each subject. Make sections for certain things you’re learning for class. For example, in math have a spot for chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Or, for every unit, have a new section in your binder.”
• “Define the boundaries between the folders and binders, and stick with them.”
• “Do color coding (ex. blue binder for ss and science).”
• “Put the most important papers in a safe place, like a clear binder sheet.”
• “NEVER SHOVE STUFF IN THE FRONT OF YOUR BINDER/PLANNER! Not even a single paper! Make sure you always put your stuff in the proper folder/tab/binder. If you start to rush and put papers in the front of your planner or binder, fix it immediately or you'll just keep shoving papers there and it will be a very big, disorganized mess and you will regret it.”

Thank you for reading!