How to Organize Your Backpack for Middle School

After spending some time in middle school, you may suddenly find yourself with an overwhelming number of materials to carry around. Before you know it, your backpack may be an absolute mess. By setting aside ten minutes to organize it, you can save yourself a lot of time later on when you need to find a pencil or an assignment. You will also save yourself a lot of potential back pain by getting rid of things you don't need and save a lot of time.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Cleaning Out Your Bag

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1
Empty out your entire backpack. Before you start organizing, you should check what items you already have and what condition they are in. It’s likely you still have pens, markers, highlighters, and folders from your previous school year. You may even have extra loose leaf paper that you can reuse for the coming year.^{[1]XTrustworthy SourceUnderstoodNonprofit organization dedicated to resources and support to people with thinking differences, such as ADHD or dyslexiaGo to source}
- You should also take this time to clean your backpack. You can either vacuum it out or simply turn it upside down over a trash can and shake it.
- Make sure you also check the condition of your backpack. If you have any rips or tears, or if your backpack is small, you may want to buy a new one.
2
Sort your items into different piles and go through them. For example, sort textbooks, binders, notebooks, writing utensils, miscellaneous items, and trash into different piles. Then go through the piles and throw out what you don't need. You can get rid of any used notebook paper, stubs of pencils, empty pens, broken pencils, broken hairbands, or any other useless items you find.^{[2]XResearch source}
- This is also a good time to start a list of the items you have and of those that you still need. This will make shopping easier later, as you won't have to try and remember what to buy.
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If you have binders or folders, try organizing them with tabs and dividers. You can sort them by subject, chapter, or function. For example, label each folder with the new year’s classes, like Science, Social Studies, or English. You can also put all your pens, pencils, and highlighters into a pen case or bag. This way, you aren’t buying new items you don’t need.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Putting Your Bag Together

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1
Get a list of what school materials you need. Before every school year, your school should provide you with a list of the items you need for your grade. If you don’t receive one of these before the school year begins, you can usually find them at supply stores like Office Max or Staples. The most common items for middle school include pens, #2 pencils, notebooks, wide-rule loose leaf paper, a 3 ring binder, and scissors and tape.^{[3]XExpert SourceAshley Pritchard, MA
Academic & School CounselorExpert Interview. 4 November 2019.}
- Other materials you may need include a USB flash drive, a TI calculator, index cards, a weekly planner, and a stapler.
2
Plan out what to take in your bag. You don’t want to overload your backpack, so try to take only the essentials when you can. For example, having one binder separated into multiple subjects will help save you space compared to multiple folders. You should also try to take two pencils and two to three pens, as well as a highlighter, and your weekly planner. This way, the rest of your space can be dedicated to textbooks and notebooks.^{[4]XTrustworthy SourceUnderstoodNonprofit organization dedicated to resources and support to people with thinking differences, such as ADHD or dyslexiaGo to source}
- You’ll have a better idea of exactly what you’ll need day-to-day after the first week of class.
- If you have money for lunch, try to keep it zipped up in an inside pocket. If you don't have one in your bag, try to keep it in a change purse or wallet instead. This will help keep your money safe and together, so you aren't searching all over for it during lunch time.
- If you have a block schedule with different classes on different days, try separating your materials into marked piles. For example, you can mark everything for one day with a specific color like red, while the other day is blue. Then you can switch them out of your backpack when necessary.
3
Use every part of your backpack. Now is the moment of truth; you want to make sure you can fit everything in your backpack and still be able to carry it. Chances are you’ll have a locker you can store some things in, but you still need to be able to take everything to and from school each day. Put your binder, notebooks, textbooks, and pencil case in the main part of the bag - in that order. You should then put any extra materials into the front pockets.^{[5]XResearch source}
- For example, your calculator, tape, stapler, even markers, and highlighters if they won’t fit in your pencil case can go in your front pockets.
- The front pockets of your backpack are also a great place to keep items like chapstick, tissues, mints, or anything else you want to carry with you.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Maintaining Your Bag

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1
Watch the weight of your bag. It's important for both your comfort and health to make sure that your backpack doesn't get too heavy as the school year progresses. For example, if you're continuously adding assignments, projects, snacks, and additional school supplies, your bag is going to gain some weight. If you notice that it's difficult to lift your bag or that the straps cut into your shoulders, it's probably time to clean out and reorganize.^{[6]XTrustworthy SourceHealthyChildren.orgHealth information from the American Academy of Pediatrics.Go to source}
- Your backpack shouldn't weigh more than 10-20% of your weight. For example, if you weigh 120 lbs, your backpack shouldn't weigh more than 12 lbs.^{[7]XResearch source}
2
Keep everything in your backpack current. You don't want anything in your bag except what is absolutely necessary; your school books, writing utensils, and current assignments. This will not only help with the weight of your bag but also keep you organized. For example, you probably don't need to keep returned assignments, projects, or instructions for homework you've already completed. Though papers don't weigh a lot on their own, they can really add up when you're saving a bunch of them.^{[8]XResearch source}
- Instead, keep a binder or file folder at home for all returned papers. You can even organize it by subject. This way, if your teacher requests an older assignment, you'll know exactly where it is and how to find it.
3
Clean out your backpack regularly. You don't have to do this every day, but you should try to clean out your bag every two weeks or every month. It's difficult to keep everything in place and organized when you are moving from class to class all day. You might start throwing your pens and pencils directly into your bag and shoving your papers into your books instead of your folders. To avoid this, try taking an hour or two at the end of the week, or every other week, and clean out your bag.^{[9]XTrustworthy SourceUnderstoodNonprofit organization dedicated to resources and support to people with thinking differences, such as ADHD or dyslexiaGo to source}
- You should take everything out and go through it. Throw or file away unnecessary papers, trash, old food, and broken pens or pencils. Make sure assignments or papers are in the appropriate folders and organize them by date if you can.
- You can also wash or vacuum out your bookbag at this time, too.

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Question
How can I be prepared for the first day of school?
Ashley Pritchard, MA
School Counselor
Ashley Pritchard is an Academic and School Counselor at Delaware Valley Regional High School in Frenchtown, New Jersey. Ashley has over 3 years of high school, college, and career counseling experience. She has an MA in School Counseling with a specialization in Mental Health from Caldwell University and is certified as an Independent Education Consultant through the University of California, Irvine.
Ashley Pritchard, MA
School Counselor
Expert Answer
Prepare ahead of time. Study your schedule as soon as you get it and always carry a pen or pencil with you. Pay attention in your classes and just stay calm. The first day of school can be overwhelming but it's also the first day for your teachers and classmates. Try not to worry too much. You will survive!
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If you have half of your classes the first day, and the other half on the second day and it keeps going on like that, what do you do?
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If your middle school has block scheduling, try labeling or marking your textbooks and notebooks different colors. For example, if you have the same classes Monday, Wednesday, and Friday you can mark every item you need for those days with a specific color. You should then try to keep these items together in one pile. If you have different courses on Tuesdays or Thursdays, you can do the same thing with a different color. This way you can switch out what's in your bag each day.
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Do you need a big backpack for middle school?
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This may depend on whether your school has lockers or not. If you do have a locker, you should be able to keep things in there. However, if you don't have a locker, you may need to invest in buying a bigger bag.
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Try to pack your bag the night before.
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Always put bigger books in first, followed by smaller ones.
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Remember to carry extra lined paper just in case you run out.
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