In regards to school supplies, experts recommend:
—Going through backpacks, pencil boxes, cabinets, closets and drawers before shopping for new supplies.
—Not holding on to too many old papers and projects from previous school years, which can make staying organized difficult.
—Giving each kid a bin, so their work doesn’t get mixed up.
Ruth Phillips, owner of Household Organizer in Alpharetta, Ga., said some parents prefer to call an organizer after their kids start school. The reason? “The house is finally empty and you can get someone to come over,” she said.
One area of a home where many items end up out of place is the kitchen. Kitchen cupboards tend to get unorganized when kids and their friends are home all summer digging for snacks. An organizer will show ways to maximize space, throw away older items and will even rearrange your refrigerator.
“It’s where the heart is,” Cooper says of the kitchen. “People spend a lot of time there, so they tend to get pretty messy after a while.”
Children’s bedrooms — especially their closets — can also be a magnet for messiness. In a bedroom, for example, an organizer could recommend using storage containers under the bed or placing a hamper next to where that pile of dirty clothes tends to form.
