Students Who Lose Stuff

Hey, what’s up, parents and teachers?

It’s me, Seth from SethPerler.com. I hope you’re having a great day.

Spring break is upon us, and this is the time of the dip. A lot of things are starting to fall apart. We’re entering what I call “Hail Mary Time”—the final push of the school year.

This can be a difficult time for students, parents, and teachers alike, so good luck navigating this final stretch.

Today, I’m going to talk about those students who constantly forget things. You know the ones:

• They leave materials in the wrong classroom.

• They lose things all the time.

• They spend hours working on homework but never turn it in.

• They end up getting zeros on assignments they actually completed.

I’m going to read an email from a mom named Nicole and answer her question about one of these students.

By the end of this video, you’ll have about eight practical ideas for helping these kids. I’ll move through them fairly quickly, but you’ll walk away with concrete strategies you can use.

I’ve helped a lot of students learn how to manage their materials in ways that don’t overwhelm them, and I’d like to share some of those approaches with you.

Nicole’s Question

Nicole writes:

First, you’re the best. I love all the help you provide for kids with executive function challenges.

Question: On your simple schoolwork system, how do you tell high school kids to manage carrying all of their separate folders and composition books?

Most of the time they can’t go to their lockers until lunch, and they may have three or four classes to prepare for.

That’s kind of why the zippered three-ring binder seems helpful.

Most schools don’t allow students to carry backpacks around for safety reasons.

I’m afraid my freshman will leave assignments in math and then move on to Spanish, and so on.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Nicole

Tip #1: Use an AM and PM System

One thing that works for many students is having separate systems for the morning and afternoon.

This could be:

• An AM binder and PM binder

• An AM accordion folder and PM accordion folder

• An AM zip binder and PM zip binder

• Even separate bags if necessary

It may sound like overkill, but the key is keeping each one small and streamlined.

If you’re familiar with my work, you know I’m a minimalist. I want students managing as little as possible.

The more stuff they carry, the more stuff they have to manage.

This applies not only to school supplies but also to life in general—papers, possessions, inboxes, and responsibilities.

Less is often better.

Tip #2: Color-Code Everything

Color-coding is incredibly important.

I don’t want students thinking:

“Math folder.”

I want them thinking:

“Yellow.”

For example:

• Yellow = Math

• Red = Science

• Blue = Language Arts

Many of these students are highly visual. They often recognize colors faster than they read labels.

Use color as a visual shortcut.

Tip #3: Make Labels Huge and Obvious

Labels should be large, clear, and impossible to miss.

When I was a classroom teacher, I constantly saw folders left on the floor.

A few minutes later, they would be kicked down the hallway, papers scattered everywhere, and the student would never see them again.

If the student’s name is clearly written on the folder, people are much more likely to pick it up and return it.

You can also label folders with:

• Student name

• Teacher name

• Subject

• Class period

• Day (A-Day/B-Day)

Be specific.

You can even make labels artistic or creative if that motivates the student.

But at minimum, make them clear and highly visible.

Tip #4: Choose the Right Folder

I generally recommend inexpensive paper pocket folders.

Yes, they wear out.

That’s okay.

Buy a few extras and have them ready to go.

I usually prefer paper folders over plastic folders because when students open plastic folders carelessly, papers can easily slide out.

For some students, a simple manila folder is enough.

The goal is not perfection.

The goal is simply getting papers into a system.

Other options include:

• Pocket folders

• Manila folders

• Accordion folders

• Three-ring binders

• Zip binders

Most of my students don’t successfully maintain traditional three-ring binders, but every student is different.

The zip binder Nicole mentioned isn’t a bad idea because the zipper helps contain everything.

Tip #5: Reduce the Number of Notebooks

Many students carry six composition notebooks—one for every class.

That’s a lot.

One trick is to use a notebook from both directions.

Use the front half for one class.

Flip it over and use the back half for another class.

One notebook can often serve two classes.

Another option I love is using small notebooks such as Moleskines.

They’re compact, lightweight, and easy to carry.

Creative students often enjoy them because they feel more like sketchbooks or journals than traditional school notebooks.

The smaller the item, the easier it is to manage.

Tip #6: Practice Folder Management Repeatedly

Students don’t automatically know how to manage papers.

They need practice.

Lots of practice.

If your relationship allows it, sit down with your child regularly and help them go through their folders.

This might mean:

• Removing unnecessary papers

• Organizing materials

• Identifying missing work

• Sorting assignments

I often teach families to do a weekly “Sunday Night Overhaul.”

Go through everything.

Keep only what is current and necessary.

Students should not be carrying huge stacks of papers around all year.

Most classes only require a small number of active documents at any given time.

Tip #7: Sometimes It’s Okay to Do It for Them

This may be controversial, but sometimes I organize things for my students.

I’ll:

• Add missing labels

• Sort papers

• Put materials into the correct folders

• Remove unnecessary clutter

Why?

Because sometimes their energy is better spent on learning than on organizing.

If they’re trying to finish a paper, study for a test, or complete homework, I may temporarily take organization off their plate.

At other times, we’ll sit together and organize everything as a separate task.

The key question is:

Am I enabling them, or am I empowering them?

That’s the balance you always want to consider.

Tip #8: Baby Steps and Persistence

This is the most important tip.

Change does not happen overnight.

Parents often hope:

“We found a new system! Problem solved!”

That’s rarely how it works.

Real change comes from tiny improvements repeated over time.

A little progress.

Then a little more.

Then a little more.

The students I work with don’t suddenly become organized.

Instead, we make small adjustments:

• Refine the system slightly.

• Improve the habit slightly.

• Make the process a little easier.

Then we repeat.

The biggest challenge isn’t usually organization itself.

It’s resistance.

Students resist because organizing feels boring, difficult, unnecessary, or overwhelming.

Helping students work through that resistance is one of the most important parts of the process.

Trust the small steps.

Even a millimeter of progress matters.

Those tiny gains add up over time.

Final Thoughts

Helping students manage their materials is not about creating the perfect organizational system.

It’s about helping them gradually build skills they can use for the rest of their lives.

Keep things simple.

Keep things visual.

Be patient.

And focus on steady progress rather than perfection.

Again, my name is Seth Perler from SethPerler.com.

If you found this helpful, please share it with someone who could benefit from it. You can also subscribe to my blog or YouTube channel for more resources.

And I’d love to hear from you:

What strategies have helped students who constantly lose things or forget materials?

Feel free to leave your ideas and experiences in the comments.

Have a fantastic day, and I’ll see you next Sunday.