Whether you’re a college student living on their own for the first time, a high schooler just trying to get by until graduation, or even a younger student looking forward to their very first day of class, one thing is sadly true among students: many of them just don’t know how to organize! Sometimes they just haven’t been taught how, sometimes it’s just hard for them to get into the right habits, but whatever the reason there’s a lot of disorganized students out there, and the effects of this can be far worse than just some missing notebooks and messy backpacks. Disorganized students tend to do far worse in their studies and perform at a lower level than other students - but it doesn’t have to be like that! Here’s a few tips for students of any age or grade level to get organized and get a leg up on their studies in the process: De-Clutter Their Study Space: On the road to organizing anything, de-cluttering is usually a great first step, and this applies to students as well. Both at home and at class, make sure they take their study area (including the desk and anything near it like a bookshelf) and really clean it of anything that isn’t totally needed for their studies. Things like soda bottles and food wrappers can be tossed right out, any distractions like toys and games need to be removed (or at least placed at a safe distance to reduce temptation), and work materials like folders and pencils can be kept in desk organizers to keep them organized and close at hand when the need arises. Clean Out That Backpack: We’ve all had that problem (even in college), but cleaning out backpacks is a great way to help disorganized students start over on the road to organization. After the initial purging, get your student in the routine of emptying the backpack out and starting over every few weeks or so to get rid of anything that isn’t needed anymore. Folders and Planners: It seems a little old-fashioned to some, but there really is still a lot of worth in using folders and planners to keep everything together. Get your student a few folders of their choosing and assign each one to a specific class or course, and make sure they get in the habit of keeping their homework, paperwork, and upcoming assignments in them so they can get to them more easily later. Day planners can be a big help with this too, in order to keep track of things like due dates - of course, if your student already has a cell phone, there’s a lot of planning apps available to help get them in the organization mode too. Keep Everything Together: Of course, all the organized backpacks in the world aren’t going to help if your student can’t find their stuff in the morning. Above and beyond the actual desk and schoolwork, help your student take steps to organize the other things they need for school. Things like closet shelving and shoe racks can help your student keep their wardrobes together and easy to get to during the morning rush, and consider maybe some in-room organization like wire shelving or home lockers to help give things like backpacks and coats a home that’s out of the way and easier to get to. Give Yourself Plenty Of Time: Finally, one of the best ways to remain organized is to try and keep your student from finding themselves rushed. If an assignment is due at the end of the month, make sure it’s done with at least a few days to spare to keep the panic from setting in and doing a worse job. Getting in the habit of finishing assignments well ahead of time is the best way to stay organized and head of the curve - otherwise things can start piling up and getting a lot worse!