How To Organize Your Backpack: (Smart Tips & Tricks)
As we start to think about heading back to school and traveling again, it’s the perfect time to consider how to do this efficiently. Having a good quality backpack is a start, but if you want to get the most from it, you need to use it correctly.
By organizing your backpack, you can make optimal use of the space and make sure you have everything you need in one place.
Considerations For Good Backpack Organization
Taking the time to organize your backpack effectively is worth it. A well organized backpack helps you keep everything safe and secure. It helps save you time and prevents you from having to dig through your stuff to find what you’re looking for.
Overall, it just gives you peace of mind and makes traveling just that much easier.
Backpack’s Size
The size of your backpack should be dictated by what you’re using it for. A bag for a day trip will be much smaller than a travel bag, and a school bag should only need to be mid-sized at best. You need to make sure you select a backpack that’s big enough to fit everything in but not too big. Organizing your backpack effectively, you can make better use of the space, so you may need a smaller one than you think.
Pockets and compartments
Pockets and compartments give you lots of options. With different areas in your backpack, you can divide up your contents, making it easier to organize them and keep everything safe and secure. Every backpack will have a different number of pockets and compartments, directly impacting how you manage it.
Special storage
Special storage pockets in your backpack are often useful for key pieces you need to keep handy. This might be your passport, your hall pass, or your keys. Special storage is often more secure and helps you keep track of your vulnerables.
How to Organize A School Backpack: Grade, Middle, High School & College
Organizing your backpack for school is extremely important, but you’ll have to approach it differently depending on what type of school or college you’re in.
Grade school is for kids up to the age of about 11. At this age, many learning materials will be in school, but there may still be some books to take to and from home. It’s more likely that a backpack is needed for a packed lunch, water bottle, or homework.
Middle school is for kids between the age of 11 and 13. At this age, you’ll start having a lot more textbooks or exercise books for each lesson, and you'll need more space in your backpack.
High school is for kids between 14 and 18. This is where you’ll start to carry around more and need a bit more space in your bag. You might have longer days and do more after school, so that would be a consideration too.
After high school kids will go to college. This is completely different, and you'll need a lot more flexibility from your backpack. You’ll have some classes, lots of books, potentially a laptop, and a lot of social stuff going on, which means you'll probably want to compartmentalize your belongings a bit more.
Below is a guide for how to organize your backpack for students:
1. Grade School
In grade school, you’ll likely not have as much stuff, so you should consider a smaller backpack.
Start with an empty backpack and build upwards, putting the items you use less often at the bottom of the bag. You should keep any homework or books flat in your bag against your back and keep your stationery near the top so you can reach it more easily.
You should gather and layout all of the things you need to take the night before. This will help you organize and prioritize as you start to fill your backpack.
2. Middle/High School
In middle and high school, you'll have a lot more to carry, and the best backpacks for high school will have a lot more capacity. You should make sure you organize all your contents by subject, grouping together the books and notepads for each lesson the night before. Order these to correspond with your timetable so you can take them out easily during the day.
Try and keep your notebook paper in a separate pocket or compartment so you can easily grab it, and consider keeping your lunch and water bottle handy too. Look to keep your schedule, planner, and a school map in the front pocket so you can grab them more easily.
It’s important to recognize that your backpack can start to get heavier as you reach this age because you have more subjects and more books. Make sure you look for sturdy backpacks that are comfortable to carry around for the whole day.
3. College
When it comes to college, you need a lot more versatility. Every day will be different, and your organization will help you a great deal. When packing your bag, you should gather everything you need and then divide it up based on activity.
Separate your books based on subject or class and keep your stationery somewhere you can quickly grab it. Make sure you keep a campus map and a daily schedule in the front pocket so you can grab them. You’ll likely have a laptop in college, so you should consider a backpack that can accommodate it, too.
Depending on what you have on, keep the additional stuff near the top of your bag. This might be a scarf or hat, or something for after class. If you have gym gear, then try to keep it in a separate compartment.
College is all about being ready for anything, so having backpacks with loads of pockets and flexibility makes it easier for you to organize your day.
How to Organize Your Backpack For Travel
Traveling is fantastic, but you need to be organized and have a well-planned out backpack to do it well. There’s a lot to consider when traveling but make sure you have:
There are many different ways to organize your backpack, which help you travel without any hassle. Often for longer trips, you’ll want to pack mini storage solutions in the backpack so you can unpack more effectively when you arrive. By organizing it all at the start of the trip, you’ll save yourself a lot of trouble and time.
Travelers often look at backpacks for hiking because of their size, durability, and how comfortable they are. We have a full guide explaining how to pack a backpack here, but below are some of the key considerations to bear in mind when organizing your backpack:
People Also Ask (FAQs)
What should I put in my first day of school backpack?
Make sure you include your schedule/day planner, stationery, textbooks, water bottle, and a charger if you need one.
How do you carry your shoes in a backpack?
Always pack your heavier shoes at the bottom of the backpack, so your bag is more balanced. You can use a shoe sack or bag to keep the pairs together. Check out some backpacks with shoe compartments as an alternative option.
How do I maximize my backpack space?
Maximize your backpack space by rolling your clothes, using packing squares, and planning effectively. More tips can be found here:
How do you pack a lot of clothes in a backpack?
Rolling your clothes is the best way to fit a lot of them in your backpack. This is more efficient than folding and will vastly increase the storage capacity. We have specifically created a guide on how to pack clothes in a backpack as a general reference when going on vacations.
Conclusion
Backpacks are one of the most useful tools that we use every day, but you need to be organized and plan ahead to get the most of them. Whether you’re going to school, college, or on holiday, use the tips and tricks we’ve shared here to get more from your backpack and keep your belongings safe and secure.