As a mom of 4 very busy kids, planning and preparation is essential. With four kids there are four times the backpacks, four times the winter gear, and four times the activities!
When they were small, so was their stuff, so it was much easier to fit into my tiny little front closet. As they grew, their stuff got bigger! They became interested in more sports and activities. I needed a better plan!
I began by using all those old backpacks from past school years to keep organized. I would give each child a backpack with all their sports supplies- for example, 'Swimming bags' would get a towel, water bottle, goggles, swimsuit, a couple quarters (for lockers), and a toy or 2. This way, when it's time for swimming lessons, we can grab our bags and go. This worked great! It took the stress away from having to remember where the goggles were, which swimsuit still fits, and ' did anyone remember a quarter for the locker?'.
Now, I do this with all of the kids sports and activities (there's lots!)
My 12 year old son (almost 13) enjoys snowboarding, mountain biking, BMX racing, swimming, soccer and he coaches parkour.
My 10 year old son (almost 11) enjoys skiing, karate, basketball, soccer, archery and swimming.
My 8 year old son (almost 9) enjoys snowboarding, swimming, soccer, BMX racing, cross country running and archery.
My 6 year old daughter (almost 7) enjoys swimming, and horseback riding.
And we have bags for everything! We use sports duffel bags for the activities that require more equipment, and for my youngest two kiddos, I keep a checklist inside the bag so that we can make sure we have everything (and practice our reading). I also used some 2x4's and wooden crates to create 'cubbies' and add more storage to my entranceway. Each of my kids now has a bin for their shoes, hooks for their backpacks and jackets, a bin for their hats/ sunglasses/ gloves, and we have storage space for helmets up above.
Now I'm not saying that you must build cubbies to become organized- I simply needed to utilize my space better. I do, however recommend saving those old backpacks and repurposing them! Not only do I feel more organized, but so do my kids! And I rarely hear "MOM, where's my stuff?"
