Is it time to get your college-bound senior organized?

Sending your child off to college might bring back some bittersweet memories of when they spent their first summer at overnight camp.  As parents, we want to make everything perfect for our children, but then we realize that the value of these experiences comes from what they learn on their own.  Protect your child’s items by applying personalized clothing labels to their possessions.

It may be a lot more difficult to leave your child at their college dorm than it was to wave as the camp bus pulled away; but there are some ways you can help them get prepared for campus life.

Simple organization is all you need to prepare your child for their first experience in the world of higher education.

For starters, you will want to make sure they have enough storage space without using up every inch of space in their dorm room.  Consider space-saving, stackable storage solutions like milk crates, and dual-rod closets with bins for stacking sweaters and t-shirts. 

This may sound “elementary” but it is something most students forget to do.  Getting organized for college also means labeling everything your teen brings to school.  Start by ordering some personalized clothing labels or clothing name tape on the Internet.  Look for clothing labels that are waterproof and durable enough to go through the laundry several times.  College students tend to leave books, iPods, cameras and sweaters all over campus, and it is not uncommon for these items to be gone forever.  Keeping everything from graphing calculators to textbooks appropriately labeled with personalized name labels will help your student hold on to his or her possessions.

Investing in a smart phone or electronic organizer is a smart way to help your son or daughter stay organized during those first months on campus.  In addition to their calendar and contact information, the latest technology allows them to find restaurants, get directions, go on Facebook and browse the internet right from their phones.  Not only will this make the transition to campus life a little easier, it may even encourage them to call you more often.

Of course, there is more to organizing for college than storage space, clothing name labels and smart phones, but this is a great place to start.