How To Create A Back To School Organization Home Station

Alivia Whitaker | August 9, 2018 @ 12:00 AM

Whether you're a parent of young students or a student yourself, anyone school-involved could benefit from a back to school organization home station. We break down how to create one in 3 easy steps.

Back To School Organization: Backpack Hooks

The first step in a back to school organization station is a place to hang backpacks, coats, jackets, hats, etc. The options for "hanging up area" are plentiful. You might want to use a hook board like here or a coat stand like here

The key in this step is to make sure you have a one-stop station where students can rush in the door, leave their stuff and know where to find it the next day.

The DIY Network did a great article on how to hang up a coat rack. They said,

"TOOLS

level
hammer
drill and 1/4” drill bit

MATERIALS

standard coat rack
drywall anchors
(2) 2” wood screws

STEP 1

Measure and Mark

Measure the distance between the mounting holes on the coat rack.

STEP 2

Mark Vertical Placement

Measure the desired height on the wall where the coat rack will hang and make the appropriate marks on the wall with a pencil.

STEP 3

Mark Spacing of Mounting Holes

Hold the tape measure at the desired height and make two small vertical marks on the wall for the mounting holes based on the measurement from step 1.

STEP 4

Mark Horizontal Placement

Use a level to make two horizontal marks with a pencil that intersect with the vertical marks, creating a "+" sign.

STEP 5

Drill the Holes

Use a drill with a 1/4” drill bit to drill holes in the wall where you have marked the two "+" signs.

STEP 6

Place Drywall Anchors

Use a hammer to lightly tap the drywall anchors into each hole.

STEP 7

Mount and Secure

Hold up the coat rack, and align the mounting holes with the drywall anchors. Secure the coat rack to the wall by driving 2” wood screws into each anchor."

Back To School Organization: Home Bulletin Board

A Peg Board is a must in any school organization station system. It is a great place to hang schedules, papers needed for the next day and to show off great grades. Make sure little students understand they need to empty all their papers out of their backpacks right after school. Sign anything that needs to be signed right then and there and then put it on the board for the next day.

Home School Bulletin Boards could come in the form of a push pin board, magnetic board, paper organizer or other items. Basically, any way you can think of to organize papers and keep in the area of the back to school organization station will do.

The Applicious Teacher detailed a tutorial on how to make your own bulletin board. This could be helpful if you're interested in doing it yourself! The tutorial can be found below:

"SUPPLIES

First up, the base. The base of the board is a Tri-fold Display board. You know the ones you use for science projects? Make sure it’s the white foam board type. This one I grabbed at Target for around 10 bucks. Oh! Did you know you can purchase online and pick up in the store? AWESOME Target! Just what this busy mama needs!

You’ll also need a glue gun (any kind will do!) some large paper or fabric. I found this fabric at Joanne’s for around $3 a yard. I got 3 yards. You don’t have to use fabric, I just like how durable the fabric is. You’ll also need a set of Command Damage-Free Hanging Strips. These are the key the hanging your bulletin board basically anywhere damage free! Now, I also bought some burlap ribbon and a bow for decoration, but any border will do!

These supplies will make a 4 x 3 bulletin board. You can double the amount to get a larger board or cut it down if you’d like something smaller.

GETTING STARTED

First, lay out your foam board and using the glue gun, glue the flaps of the board straight. This will keep the board sturdy when hanging. It also creates an almost seamless board for you to work with.

Once the glue dries, lay outboard over fabric or paper. Trim the material to fit the board. I allowed for about a 3-inch overhang on all sides.

Then, pull fabric tight and staple right onto the backside of the board.

Make sure to pull tight as you staple to prevent wrinkles or lags in the fabric. To do the corners, I just folded the fabric over and stapled the fold.

This is the base of your board. If you decided to use paper, you don’t have to pull the paper over the board, just straighten and staple on the front of the foam board.

Next, take two Command Strips and push them together. They are made of a glorified Velcro material. This allows them to be re-positioned as needed.

Position the doubled strips onto the corners of the board. Peel off one side of the strip and place in the corners. If you doubled the board, make sure you add more strips. For this size, one strip in each corner is fine.

Then, turn the board back over. It’s time to decorate! I found it easier to add the border and bow on the ground, but you can put up your board to attach the decorations.

Once the decorations are attached, peel off the other side of the Command Strips and position onto the wall. These are pretty strong, so push hard to make sure they catch. You should hear a crunching sound as you push on the board. That’s normal. Tip! use a level to make sure the board is hanging straight!"

Back To School Organization: Shoes

The final element you need in a back to school organization station is a place to store shoes! Storing shoes can seem bothersome, but with a little effort can actually become a nice aesthetic part of any entryway or back to school organization station.

Some ideas for storing shoes are closet shoe organizer, decorative baskets, boot mats, cupboards and more.

The Home Edit did an entire article on how to organize shoes. They said:

"There’s nothing easier than stashing shoes in a box or basket, no matter where it is. Choose your storage to fit the style of your home and slide them under a bench to best use the space in your foyer.
Who wouldn’t like to come home and be met with a glint of shiny copper? DIY this copper rack to keep your shoes stacked and tidy instead of piled haphazardly in the corner.
IKEA has a way of bringing a little magic into every room of our homes. Whether you have a dedicated entryway or not, you’ll want this shoe rack which will look clean and minimal while keeping your soles out of sight.
Sometimes a foyer is so small or even so nonexistent that you have room for one piece of furniture and that piece must have a dual purpose. Go with the bench turned storage chest and you can easily toss your shoes in when you arrive home.
Nobody wants drippy muddy dirty boots tracking the outdoor grime over the indoor floor. A simple rolling tray will give those work boots and wellies a place to rest until it’s time to visit the garden again.
In a small home, storage has to be extra creative. Not only does it need to clear the clutter, it has to be space efficient as well. Creating a shoe storage drawer underneath the stairs lives up to both of those requirements.
Looking for a sleek and modern option for storing shoes in your entryway? Opt for mounting cube shelves on the wall which not only gives you unlimited space for shoes, it provides endless options for decorating as well!
For the family who is proud of their shoe collection, use a glass pained cabinet to showcase your favorite pairs of soles. Whether it’s tall or short, it will become your favorite piece in your entire home.
Planters are affordable to the wallet and easy to screw into a wall. Put a couple in your foyer to catch the shoes and the dog toys and the sports equipment. Nothing like multi-purpose storage."

In addition, you can visit Keylock Storage Blog for more interesting articles about organization and lifestyle: keylockstorage.com/blogs