It’s a Monday morning and you’re running late to school. You quickly grab your bag and rush outside as you narrowly catch the bus as it barrels down the road. As you sit down in relief, you realize that you forgot your math folder with all of your homework on the desk next to your bed, not in your bag currently sitting on your lap. It’s all too common for high school students to misplace their things. Algebra homework stuffed in the bottom of your backpack in a rush or Spanish textbooks buried under the hoodies stuffed into your locker. One thing that many agree on is that everyone wishes they were a little more put-together. 

In a school year filled with students trying to get back on track, organization is key for being successful in your academic life. You might think to yourself, with basically two years down the drain, how could you possibly get it together now? In reality, it’s not as hard as you’d think. With some tips, your brain can learn to enjoy some much needed organization. 

Tip 1: Create a theme

Sophomore Mackenna Johnson incorporates the cozy feel of fall into her organization, which poses as a fun and helpful way to keep track of her room. “For every season I decorate my room differently. It makes my room brighter and makes things easier for me to find,” Johnson said. Incorporating seasonal decor can help with keeping your room clean and organized. It also can be a fun activity that you, your family or friends can do together. 

Tip 2: Start a daily routine

Daily routines may seem hard to keep up with if you have a small inconvenience that disrupts your flow. But no matter what may happen, jumping back into that schedule, no matter how late, can go a long way. Planning your schedule out the day before can help you achieve your priorities in the time you have available. So if you forget if you finished your homework or not, checking back on that schedule can really help you stay on routine.

Tip 3: Get rid of clutter

“Anything that you don’t need, get rid of it. I know some things have sentimental value, but things that are unnecessary, just get rid of them. It’ll clear up a lot of space,” sophomore Maya McDonald said. All of those old tests you got handed back, old notebooks stacked up in your locker, they’re all really just building up and collecting dust. The more stuff that you can trash, the more room you have for better, more important things that you don’t have to sweat about losing among your math homework from long ago.

Tip 4: Give everything a home

This one goes pretty much hand in hand with the previous tip—give your stuff a home. Whether that’s a folder or a bag or a cubby, take your pick, but everything has a place to go. This kind of exercise is an excellent way to help you declutter too. If you’ve got something that doesn’t have a home, either make a home for it (and things like it) or make its home the trash can. 

Tip 5: Take it easy

 Now, now, we know that hearing all of these tips has you jumping out of your seat, but the final tip is probably the most important. When trying to get on the organization track, it’s important to pace yourself. Even though getting your stuff together is good for you, too much change at once can be overwhelming and disorienting especially in a time when you already feel so disorganized. Start small, with your locker or your backpack, before moving up to bigger horizons, like your bedroom or something of similar size. The best tip of all is understanding how much you can take at a time, listening to yourself and your needs is the most important tip that can be suggested.