I am in stuff overload. Last year, I had one bag that had all their dance stuff, one that I carried to the pool with all their swimsuits and towels and so on, one bag for church stuff, one bag for restaurant / waiting room entertainment, one bag for this and another for that. I would like to have each kid take their own bag for each of these things so they can start learning to inventory & clean out their bags and keep up with their own stuff.

Is almost-5 too young for this?

What kind of bags do you use? Need inexpensive but durable & for some things (like swimming) OK to get wet. Easily identifiable per kid and per activity so they can grab and go.

Is there a better way to deal with all the stuff?

BGG born 4/25/05 at 31w1d




New baby girl born 9/19/06

Megan~

I don't think it's unreasonable to have the kids have their own bag for their gear.

In fact, you've got me thinking I need to do this, too.

My girls have backpacks for school, but if we ever go anywhere out of town, I put their stuff all together. But, maybe it's time to have their own little bag.

I think you can do away with entertainment bags for the waiting room and restaurants at this age since they're probably stocked with things to do for kids.

I have a swimming bag for you, but it's not cheap, but totally worth it because it's the most durable thing in the world. And waterproof, of course. And they've come out with new ones that have a huge letter on it for the kids' initials. I'll find the site if you're interested.

Lisa

That'd be awesome if you don't mind! We are swimming once or twice a week year-round so it's probably worth investing in a nice bag.

BGG born 4/25/05 at 31w1d




New baby girl born 9/19/06

Megan~

Here's the website. I think they can do custom totes if you wanted them smaller. They are THE best and most durable bags. I only have one huge one for my kids' gear, but I'm loving the initial ones even better.

http://www.poshyachting.com/index.php?s=&c=46&d=64&e=&f=&g=&w=21&p=70&r=Y

Lisa

Mine are in 4th grade and I still struggle with this. It's getting more challenging as their intrests start to differ. Piano, guitar, wrestling, soccer, baseball, sewing classes, homework and school papers from 3 different classes...... My favorite bags right now for all the stuff are the Fred Meyer reusable shopping bags. They are big, stay open and upright while you pack them full, have thick straps to hold and best of all they fold flat for storage. I have about 5 of the big ones and 2 of their smaller ones (perfect for music books, library books, snack bag....) They are waterproof so they can hold wet things but they are not designed to hold liquids in, so if an ice bag leaks the bag will leak. I like laundry baskets for the bulky items or things that tend to get really dirty, like soccer shoes. I have shoe organizers hung on the doors of the entryway and backdoor closets. We keep seasonal items that we use alot there (gloves, hats, shin guards, sunscreen, sunglasses.) Just make sure you get ones that are clear so the kids can easily see what they are looking for.
I think yours are old enough to start helping with all the stuff. Just plan on helping them for a while, esp to edit what they pack. Mine use to try to throw in everything they thought they might possibly want but forget to put in shin guards or mitts.
For me the most challenging part of being a mom is keeping all the stuff and the schedules organized. But we havn't hit puberty yet so that statement may change soon

Shell~
B/B/G 1/7/2000