8 Pro Tips to Help Students Stay Organized

Becoming organized students may come quickly to some and not so easily to others. Some students love to color-code their binders and organize their notes. But take it from a once-disorganized student: You can learn to keep your school papers, pencils, and important documents in good order. The key is to build a system that works for you and that you can maintain from week to week.

Kortright Kares believes that every student should be equipped with the tools they need to succeed, so let's explore a few pro tips to help you be an organized student this year - whether you're a natural or not.

1. Build a Strong Routine that is Easy to Follow

The first step to staying organized is to build a routine. We don't just mean your class schedule but also how you unpack and pack your materials for each class. What you pull out of your bag and how you put it away can become second nature with practice. Help yourself build a habit of tidiness where your pencils go back in the pouch, papers are filed into the right folder, and you'll easily keep track of your schoolwork.

2. Assign a Color and Folder to Each Class

Color coding is a great tool for both naturally organized and disorganized students. This helps you to quickly identify the right notebook or folder visually, which saves time rummaging through your bag or binder for the things you need.

Assign each subject a color and stick to it. Some organized students even use stick-on binder tabs on specific papers to make them easier to spot and grab.

3. Use 3-Subject and 5-Subject Spiral Notebooks

Having a spiral notebook for each class can be useful. Still, we've found that multi-subject spirals are both higher quality (less tearing around the spiral) and much tidier for daily classwork. We suggest using 3-subject or 5-subject notebooks, separated by which days your classes are on. So, if you have Math, Language, and History on the same day, they can share the same 3-subject notebook to keep your book bag uncluttered. 

4. Organize Your Digital Schoolwork Into Separate Folders, Too

More and more schoolwork is being done on computers and through digital means. So, prepare a digital folder for each class, as well. You can use Google Drive or your computer's local file system, so long as you can always find the schoolwork for each subject when you need it.

5. Try Different Types of Bag and Binder

Sometimes, the key to being an organized student is using the right kind of bag and binder. For example, we have seen students who struggle with a vertical 3-ring binder discover an organization with a horizontal accordion binder. If your backpack is always chaotic, try a messenger bag. There are multiple binder and bag types for a reason, and your ideal setup might not be the traditional one.

6. Keep Your Pens & Pencils in a Case or Bag Pocket.

Pens, pencils, and other supplies often get lost at the bottom of a book-bag, so give them a place that is easy for you to access at all times. Some prefer a traditional pencil case, a pencil pouch, or a shell case to keep supplies in. Others dedicate the outer pocket of their bag to pens and pencils for quick and easy access. Just be sure it zips closed.

7. Take Notes and File Your Notes Immediately

Schoolwork involves a lot of note-taking. It's also smart to write down all instructions, projects, and upcoming events. But losing your notes can be a real problem. Make sure to immediately file all the notes you take into the right file folder or use a dedicated section of your notebook where you can find your notes later.

8. Use Your School Planner to Keep Track

School planners are for more than just keeping track of school holidays. They can be very useful in tracking due dates, club meetings, and notes that are not directly related to your study curriculum. You can also use a separate planner with larger spaces to keep more detailed daily notes.

Bonus Tip: Shake Out Your Bag Once a Week

Some more organized students have the unique "black hole bag" issue where their backpack seems to eat certain papers, and things go missing forever once they enter their bag. The best way to counter this is to fully empty your bag, including what gets crumpled below the binders and notebooks, about once a week. Once a month, re-sort your folders to make sure nothing got files in the wrong place. This can really reduce your overall in-bag losses.