If you are a high school student, you will know how easy it is to mess with material or homework assignments. Follow these instructions to organize your study materials by grade, so you won't have to flip through dozens of unsorted papers again. If you can fit all your papers in a binder or two, you'll find it easier to remember not to leave your notebook at home.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Organizing Binders
Step 1. Sort the papers by class
If your binder or notebook is full of notes from different classes in no particular order, start by separating these into separate piles. Arrange these stacks in rows according to the order in which the class you attended.
Step 2. Go through each pile and get rid of the old papers
Get rid of graded work and old assignment instructions, and save all of these in a different binder or folder to leave at home and help study on exams. Set aside classwork papers from previous years, returned projects, and papers not related to school activities. Keep any paper you think will help with your studies, including any projects you or your parents might want to keep for your own personal enjoyment. Throw away the rest.
Store those “at home” binders or folders in a place that is easy to see and won't get lost in a pile, such as on a bookshelf in your bedroom
Step 3. See if you can save the paper scraps in a single binder
Having only one binder for all classes is good for organizing files because you don't need to prepare separate notebooks for each class. If you have a thick pile of paper, try separating it into two binders using one of these systems:
- Try using one binder for classes that take place before lunch and one binder for classes that take place after lunch. If you have lockers at school, you'll only need to bring one of these, but remember to take both before you head home.
- If your school has Monday-Wednesday-Friday and Tuesday-Thursday classes, separate the papers in two binders, so you only need to bring one binder to school each day. Remember to put the correct binder in your backpack the night before the school day.
Step 4. Put colored separators into the binder for each class
This separator is just colored paper, usually with a small label where you can write the class name. Put colored separators into the binder in order of class. For example, if your first grade is math and your second grade is English, put a blue separator labeled “Math” in front of your binder, followed by a red separator labeled “English.”
Step 5. Insert folders with three holes into each class section
The two-pocket folder is an ideal tool for you to use as it allows you to load and remove papers without having to open and close the binder rings. Do not use this folder for all papers. This folder is best used for handouts or homework assignments that need to be submitted within a day or two because these tasks won't last long in the binder.
Step 6. Use plastic sleeves to protect important papers
Most classes have a syllabus, assignment list, or other paper that you have to look at throughout the semester. For each class, find a plastic sleeve or protective “sheet” with three holes and place it in the binder after the folder for that class. Store important papers in separate sleeves to protect them from tearing.
Step 7. Arrange the rest of the papers to see if you need a white separator
Before you put the rest of the paper in the binder, organize the paper from each grade, from oldest to newest. If you have more than fifteen stacks of paper, use a paper separator to organize them into categories. The white separator is a blank sheet of paper with labels, like the colored plastic separator you already have inside, but its different appearance will make it clear that its purpose is to separate categories within the same class instead of separating different classes. Here are some examples of ways you can go about separating papers from one class into multiple sections:
- For almost every class, you can use three white paper separators labeled “Study materials,” “Homework,” and “Notes.”
- If the teacher gives you a test on a certain topic, organize class materials based on that topic to make learning easier. For example, label English class dividers with “Reading Assignments” and “Vocabulary.”
Step 8. Lay down the paper scraps
After you decide how to sort the papers, place each paper after the colored separator by class, and after the white separator by category (if you use this method). Sort the paper in each section from oldest to newest to make searching easier.
Step 9. Add lined paper to take notes
Lay out about ten to twenty sheets of lined paper for each class. You'll definitely need more over the course of a semester, but you don't need to add them all now. Putting a little paper in the binder will make it easier to find specific notes, and reduce the burden you have to lift every day.
Add graph paper for math or science class if the teacher asks for it
Method 2 of 2: Keeping it Tidy
Step 1. Tidy the binder every night before class
Set a time each day to check your backpack and sort paper and other supplies. Move your graded work and old handouts into a folder you keep at home so you can use them for studying later. Make sure all homework assignments are saved to the correct folder in the binder.
Some people find it easier to remember to do this if they prepare as soon as they get home. Waiting too long will keep you from going back to “school mode.”
Step 2. Use an agenda (planner)
A portable planner or calendar will make it easier to keep track of tasks. Most people write each assignment in the available section on the day the assignment is due. However, if you keep forgetting to anticipate tasks, you can try a different system that makes sure all your tasks are in the same place:
- Every time you are given a new assignment, write it in the planner in the today's date section. Write the due date next to the name of the assignment.
- Every afternoon after school, look at yesterday's notes on the planner. Cross out any tasks that have been completed, then rewrite the names of the tasks that have not been completed by today's date.
Step 3. Keep the rest of the equipment in a special place in the house
Notebooks, binders and assignments that have been returned can easily get lost in the pile if left at home. Avoid this by tidying up space in bookshelves or drawers, and always keeping notebooks in the same place. Put all the papers left at home in a special folder separate from your binder.
Step 4. Color code the rest of the equipment so it matches your binder
Ideally, you don't need an extra notebook, but some teachers require you to use one. If they need it, make the books memorable by categorizing them by color. For example, if you keep your math paper after the blue separator in your binder, use a blue notebook and bag for math class.
