If you have school age kids then you have backpacks to deal with. I definitely recommend having a designated backpack station to keep them contained and organized in one central location. I like having my kid’s backpacks right by the front door so they can drop them in their designated space as soon as they come in from school making them easily accessible on the way out. I first posted about our backpack station here.
Since that time though my backpack station has evolved somewhat to accommodate a third child and more shoes! This is why organizing in an ongoing process, circumstances change and we need to be able to adjust with them in order to keep one step ahead of the chaos.
Here is what it use to look like:
And here it is now:
Again just a little change but it makes a big difference in terms of my sanity. These stacking shoe racks are awesome and fairly inexpensive. They can be purchased at most department stores.
Do you have a backpack station? I would love to put together a post of backpack station pictures if there is interest. If you’d like to be featured please email me a picture along with your blog address and I’ll get busy 🙂
Tomorrow I’ll post how my front closet has changed since last year. Gee exciting times around here or what LOL.
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Niki says
My boys are not in school yet but when they do I am getting this implemented. I love the hooks and the shoe cubbies.
Maine Mom says
I was going to organize my backpack station today, so this is a great motivator! Hopefully, the kids will cooperate. 🙂
Cheri says
Oh how I wish we had a backpack station. Or a spt for a back pack station. Or an entryway for that matter. My back door walks RIGHT INTO THE KITCHEN and our front door walks RIGHT INTO THE DINING ROOM. No matter how much I pull my hair out, there’s not much I can do about it. *sigh*
Thea @ I'm a Drama M says
We are getting ready to move into our temporary housing (which will only last 2 months) so this idea is taking a bit of a backseat for a while. But you can be sure that the houses we look at for our relocation will have a “Drop Spot”.
Maybe my dream will come true and we’ll get an actual mud room to use!
Lisa says
Can’t wait to see the pictures! We are moving and the likely house doesn’t have an obvious spot for this necessity! We will probably still use the “back pack rack” that you reviewed some time back. Just which door will it go on this time??
Jillian says
I only have one in school, but he does have a back pack hook and coat hangers right by the front door, nothing fancy at all but it keeps it all off the floor.
Love the shoe cubby
mom_of2boys says
I don’t have one but this is a great idea. I am going to add one when I redecorate and paint the family room.
A Mom Anonymous says
I wish I had a place for something like that. My house just isn’t designed for an area like that.
However, maybe you can help me, I want to find a good tray for shoes/boots for the winter. I want to keep it by my front door so I want it to look nice since my house is open and you can see it from everywhere. I already keep a basket by the door for hats/mittens/scarves etc. But I want something solid for sandy/muddy shoes & boots. I have looked and can’t find anything I love! Any suggestions?
Heidi Boos says
Is it strange that seeing things like this (organization process) makes me wish my little ones were in school so i could implement this? 🙂 Thanks for all the fun tips that I will be tucking away for future use!!
Pam says
your posts have inspired me to work on ours! here is a link…
http://pramom26.blogspot.com/2008/08/tackle-it-tuesday-2.html
Alyssa says
Love this and I LOVE YOUR BLOG! Come see your award I gave you over on my blog today!
Lorelei says
I don’t even remember how I ran across your site, but I am so glad I did! I am an organizing freak too, and it makes me feel so good to know that there are others out there like me!! I’ve just browsed through your site so far and love love love what I’ve seen!! I can’t wait to take some more time to read up and implement some of these ideas. Thank you!
Dawn says
I don’t have a backpack station, yet. I have been planning on making one but I just haven’t gotten around to it yet. School starts next Tuesday, though, so I am definitely going to get one done over the weekend.
Marianne says
Any advice for those of us who have middle schoolers? Those backpacks weigh a TON and have ripped too many holes in my walls… sigh.
: )
Laura says
Marianne you can’t really tell by the picture but my two big kids now actually just sit their backpacks on the shoe caddies for that exact same reason. They just use the hooks now for keys, hats, etc..
Kristin says
my monster is a lil too young for a school back pack just yet. But you do have a couple of diaper bags…so pretty much the same thing. I agree they need their “own home”.
And I also love my shoe rack. It’s an old towel rack….but it serves it’s purpose!
AnneMarieZ says
ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
this reminds me to get it done this weekend!!! so needed!!!
Jen@ODBT says
emailed you my pic. we’re getting ready – we start on the 2nd!!
Briana says
I also gave you an award today! Love your blog…keep up the good work!!!
http://bargainbriana.com/2008/08/i-received-the-nicest-award-today/
Amy @ MomsToolbox says
You inspired me!
Yesterday I knew I had to make a change to our backpack station… there wasn’t any room left for the backpacks!
Take a look: http://www.momstoolbox.com/blog/bring-on-the-backpacks/
Thanks for the nudge!