Peter Walsh + Back to School

September 5, 2009 | Filed Under Giveaway, Kids | 178 Comments

This giveaway is now over. The winner is Ginny of Mom of 2 Dancers!

back to school

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to sit in on a blogcast put on by Office Max and Organizing Expert Peter Walsh about back to school. It was hard for me to think about back to school at the beginning of August seeing as how my kids don’t go back to school until next Tuesday but I had every intention of getting this post up earlier for everyone who has kids that return sooner. Unfortunately life happens sometimes and I’m only now getting around to sharing this with you. I think you’ll still find it super helpful as the suggestions are just excellent for organizing kids for the entire school year. You can check out the video here.

Some of the highlights are:

TIPS FOR HOME

1) Find the vision you have for a space and start with a clean slate

2) Make organization a family value

3) Use the right tools for great organization

TIPS FOR ORGANIZING YOUR CHILD

1) Show that you value organization

2) Establish clear limits and routines

3) Always ‘finish the cycle’ (complete a task). For example: if you start something, finish it. If you open something, close it. If you use up something, replenish it.

TIPS FOR THE CLASSROOM

1) Establish clear routines

2) Involve kids with classroom organization

3) Use words, pictures and color to help organize

One of the best takeaways was Peter’s advice to get your kids involved in each step of the process, something I wholeheartedly agree with. Have your child set up their desk and they will be more committed to maintaining it.

Thanks to Office Max I also have a few back to school supplies to share with you. Here is what is included:

back to school

~ one green owl drawstring bag

~ one pencil box

~ one heart binder and 7 pocket expanding file

~ one composition notebook

~ 10 fun file folders in two designs (these are not from Office Max)

Office Max’s owl and cupcake product lines (available in store only) are absolutely adorable. My daughter went ga ga over the cupcake line which is why you aren’t seeing any of them up for grabs

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post by Tuesday, September 8th at 4:00 pm PST.

Good luck!

Comments

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178 Responses to “Peter Walsh + Back to School”

I’m your biggest fan orgjunkie!!

Amy @ Finer Things

I could definitely use some Peter Walsh help at my house!

Lynn

I LOVE these Peter Walsh items! I think I am addicted to office supplies and homeschooling has been a great enabler for that addiction. Thanks for the chance to win!

ter

the owl is so cute!

Now I have to go see the cupcake things!

Diane

great tips and a great giveaway!

Curvy

Those are adorable!

Angela H

Thank you for sharing these wonderful tips!!!

Suzanne

Love that stuff!

These are great items!

I love Peter and organizing. Thanks for the information.

Debie

Love Peter Walsh, he is so easy to understand….

Tracy D

Love the owl! So cute. Thanks for the chance to win!

Dianna @ Sincerely Me

Wow that’s cool. I love Peter Walsh.

Emily @ Under$1000PerMonth

Great tips, thanks!

Laurieann

I feel about school supplies the way you feel about cute containers. Never have met one I didn’t like and/or need!

Autumn

My two favoritest things ever… office supplies and organizing!

Crista

I always love new office suppies!

Love the supplies and tips!

Kim

Have mercy. I am an office supply junkie. I even ask my husband to stuff my stocking at Christmas with them! LOL
Blessings,
Kim

I love Peter Walsh, ever since he was on Clean Sweep on TLC. He has great ideas!

Mindy

I love Peter Walsh and LOVED the “Clean Sweep” show on TLC he used to do. Thanks for sharing the tips and the cute supplies from Office Max!

I bought the mousepad, but didn’t have the moola for the rest. It’s all awesome.

Ginny

Oh I love that owl. I definitely have to check out the owl & cupcake line! Great items, would help my girls!

I’ve just discovered your blog and it has really motivated me. That and the fact that we are considering moving to a smaller space. We seem to keep everything so are seriously purging! Your blog has been a great help.

We would love some organizational supplies for school – even though we’ve been back since the beginning of August.

The owl is super cute. And those file folders would come in handy. Thanks for the chance.

Barbie

You can never have too much orgainzing stuff.

Nikki

Oh my word- these are awesome. Pick me!!

Deven Swan

Looks great! Just cleaned out my desk (again) this afternoon.

Judy

i could definitely use that …have you seen my desk? or office? where is it?

The owl drawstring bag is absolutely adorable! I’m going to have to head over to Office Max to take a look sometime this week!

I love the advice to set an example for our of finishing what we start- I really need to work on this! Thanks so much!

Thanks Laura for all your hard work & research you do on products! I will have to check out the cupcake line – my daughter LOVES cupcakes!!

Just jennifer

great advice!

Kayren

I’m in, please. I love Peter Walsh and bought some of the other products you reviewed a couple of months ago.

How about just including some real cupcakes instead?

Carmen

Great tips! I hope to implement these this school year. Lord help me. I’d love to win the giveaway.

Cool contest! I love the tips!

Amera

Love the cupcake stuff as well!

So cute! This is our first year of real homeschooling and I am casting around for a way to be more organized than the basic method I have now! Already as check out your picture I am getting more ideas!

My daughter started back to school on the 31st as a first grader. We had fun looking for deals on school supplies this year and Office Max always had some great bargains going.

Peter Walsh sure has a gift; I’m glad he chooses to share it!

Great ideas! Thanks for sharing

Love owls, love school supplies and love organizing!!!
Thanks for the giveaway!

Julie

Peter Walsh always has some great ideas. It’s the follow-through I struggle with! Thanks for the give away.

Bren

It’s so true that setting the example for the kids is the single best thing you can do. DS is 12 and he STILL has his books in order on his shelves because I am a total book freak! His laundry – not so much!

Thanks for the giveaway!

Good tips. Thank you.

Mary

Aww! The owl is so cute! My daughter would love it, good thing she’s asleep right now!

Ugh. My problem is completing the task.

I LOVE school supplies!!

Fruitful Harvest

It is fall and I’m turning over a new leaf!
Hee Hee!
I would so love to win this giveaway to help me get started!

Blessings,
Georgiann

Amy

Such cute stuff!! I will take all the organizing help I can get

I need so much help with organizing. The office is the worst room in our house. This would be a great help. Thanks for the opportunity!

after 8 moves in 10 years, i could use some help with organization. thanks!

Lisa

Anything that lets me organize makes me soo happy !! Great tips, thanks for sharing!

We can always use more supplies. Thanks.

Ashley

Oh man, I could so use this. We home school and have another in school and could I please, please, please have this?

These are all such cute and fun items. I’d love to have them and any organizing help I can get.

So totally cute. Helps when things are adorable…8<)

Thanks for the heads up on where to find Peters stuff! I knew he had a great system but didn’t know where to find it! Love the site!

Joyce

Neat giveaway. Have to agree…the owl is cute.

I thought I was all alone, then I found you! Thanks for everything

I need some organization here looks like these iterms would help.

I love Peter Walsh and is products and Office Max. I love office supplies not that you would know it seeing the mounds of papers on my desk and around my desk.

I love Peter Walsh & what he does! I’ve loved him since his days on Cleen Sweep!

I love the to be or not to be folders!
now if you had a giveaway of Peter Walsh… life would be grand!

Katherine

Adorable items! Count me in!

thanks for the tips – especially on helping your child to get organized!

OH I am gonna have to make a trip to office max!!! That stuff is just too cute!!! Me and my daughter would love it!!! We had so much fun looking at school supplies this year!!!

Kelley

all if looks so good! very nice!! can I win please???!!1

vikki

Too cute, and it’s never too early to teach our children good organizational skills. Thanks for the giveaway and Good Luck everyone!
Vikki

An organized room gives me an organized life. I love it.

I love the bright colors.

i love how he’s made back to school fun while being organized, too.

I have always been a huge Peter Walsh fan! I live with a couple of packrats and his book “It’s All Too Much” has been such a great help to me. I’ve always loved him on TLC too! I think his accent is even motivating because it’s so soothing. Every little bit helps. Just like school supplies from Office Max. Thanks for all your organizational tips and meal planning as well Organization Junkie! Your habit helps supports us all.

amanda

I watched the video acouple weeks ago. really liked it. very helpful.

love the bright colours!

Beth

With 6 kids, I soooo value your advice and information. Thank you! These products look awesome.

Thanks for the tips and the opportunity to win.

Loved this webcast. Lots of great tips. I’ve been working on organizing our study area in our house now that I have 2 kids in Middle School. This gives me the motivation to finish it up!

Wendy Sice

Yum, would LOVE these! Very handy! Wendy xx

great tips!

How cute! I think organizing is more fun with cute things.

Oh school organizing stuff. I so need this!!

Tracy Hoth

Office Max did a great thing when they hooked up with Peter Walsh!

April

I agree, I love Peter Walsh’s stuff!

I love school supplies!

katch05 at gmail dot com

Love, love, love school supplies!!
Kristi
guntergirl71@hotmail.com

Thanks for the chance.

I definitely could use some paper filing accessories. I seem to have an over abundance of paper.

Great prize!

What a wonderful variety of great-looking school (or home!) supplies!

wow you have some awesome ideas thanks for sharing…

Really cute office supplies! Thanks, Organizing Junkie, for all the great advise, ideas, and give-aways!

cute, cute, cute!

Rana

Great give away. I’m addicted to school supplies and I love Peter Walsh he has great ideas.

Claudia

Oh these are great! I’d love a chance to win

Cute stuff! I’d use it for myself, LOL!

Great ideas! Very cute school supplies!

Thanks Laura, super cute products and great advice for back to school.

This stuff is so cute!! Thanks for the giveaway!

100

Definetly some great ideas!

101

Linda

My granddaughter just started middle school and this would be great to help her learn to stay organized.

102

Love anything to do with office supplies… Peter Walsh is great.

103

I would love for a chance to win this.

104

I am a “mature” college student. I love the giveaway! Hope I win. I also LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your organizing information! A MUST for anyone these days.

105

Katie

I would love to win, Thanks!

106

I’m not going back to school myself, but who doesn’t want school supplies in the fall??

107

Tia

I just found your site. It has lots of great ideas. Maybe this give away chance and ideas I found will move me from this couch. We start school on this Tuesday.

108

Kendra

What a great giveway! Thanks for sharing all your wonderful ideas!

109

Great Giveaway! With 3 it seems like I am never organized.

110

Eilish

I sooooooooooooo need to organize and help my son learn to organize himself!

I have MS and it is starting to worsen – he is 13 and better learn sooner rather than later!

111

Karen

I adore Peter Walsh and his genius ideas;)

112

Having moved in with chaos 3 years ago, leaving a career, attempting another, and finding myself in transition yet again, I so completely need help in my ‘home office’. I’ve even asked friends for help. Please, help me Peter Walsh! I’d love to win this give-a-way!

113

Kim

I love kids being involved in organizing their school stuff at home! Cool giveaway.

114

Heather

These items are so adorable. My girls would love them for back to school!

115

My kids (2 out of 3) have been back in school since August 12th and I still have school papers to go through from LAST year. I need all the help I can get

116

I’m am Elementary School Counselor who is teaching and preaching organization for success to all my students & to my teachers also!! Your tips are some of the best I’ve seen ever. Thanks Peter for offering your assistance to a clutter-filled world. Would love to be the winner of more fun office products~ LeAnn in Jax

117

I heart Peter Walsh!

118

Awesome giveaway!! Thanks for doing this!

119

I’ve loved Peter Walsh since Clean Sweep. Fortunately, they’ve been rerunning the episodes when I’m getting ready for school in the morning. I’ve used a lot of his techniques and ideas for organizing my house and my rooms at school…one that I just got back for the first time in 6 years. I’ve discovered that storage that appeals to me like decorate file folders makes me happier and helps me be more on top things for the almost 700 students I teach.

120

I just found your blog today…and love all I’ve read so far! I am hoping to apply your tips for home to clean up our rooms as we’ve rearranged our house recently and are starting to homeschool. Thank you!!

121

Anna

Those are great tips. I’m trying to work with my kids on putting away something when they are done, etc. But I’m easily distracted and not all that great about it myself. At least we are learning together.

122

cute stuff!

123

As a homeschool Mom, I am always looking for new ideas to keep papers and supplies in.

124

Kathryn Bell

I really hope I win! We always need school supplies!

125

April

I could use all the organizational help available. I am still working on getting my brain back after the last pregnancy.

126

Fun giveaway!

127

Amy Lapain

Looks GREAT! i love your blogs.

128

Mrs. Sprinkles

What a cute line! I love the blues.

129

Melynda Hache

Thanks for all of your tips! I need a ton of help and your ideas are prefect for starting out! Thanks!!!

130

Wishing your family a great school year!

131

Great tips! Thank you!

132

Back to School Organization saves sanity.

133

Oh Goodness, the challenge of teaching two grade oners that on the floor in a pile is not organized! Back to school has been a good way to give them manageable organizing tasks – empty backpack and lunch kit, wash and dry dishes from the the lunch kit, review agendas and prepare lunch for the next day. It’s been going very well for the first three days of school – I wonder how long BEFORE it gets boring for them? two more days?

134

Some great tips, thanks!

135

Cindi

Great Stuff! By the way, can you get Peter to come to my house???!!!???

136

I definitely need to get my boys involved in the process more. I love to organize but always try to do it on my own. Thanks for the advice.

137

NerdMom

I love Peter Walsh and wish I knew where to find him on tv still! As a homeschooler, I would love to win this! I am redoing my office and trying to organize all of us and it is hard!

138

What great stuff. I need to figure our how to be more organized with the school info sent home and all the stuff my daughter is bringing home. I can’t believe all the paperwork that is sent home!

139

Krisi

Love all things organizing and would love some new items to switch up the school stuff organization.

140

Shannon

I love being organized for all aspects in my life, I only wish the rest of my family saw it my way! Great post!

141

Wow…I would love to win!

142

Eos Mom

The supplies look very cute, I’d love to win!

143

Peter Walsh is great! Would love to win the supplies Very cute!

144

Becky Lowmaster

I love Office Max. Any school supplies I win will go to a friend’s children. She’s a widow with 5 children. I helped her these past few years by buying some school supplies for them. Every little bit helps.

http://grandmabeckyl.blogspot.com

145

Looks great! I’d love to win the supplies!

146

Susan

I would LOVE this – wonderful supplies, and Peter’s wisdom has inspired me more than once. Thanks!

147

Margery

I’ve recently begun following your site, and am looking forward to a better organized home.

Blessings.

148

I definately NEED these, they look terrific. Thank you for the chance to win!

149

Thanks for sharing. Very cute stuff.

150

Tami

I would use all of this! Peter is great, isn’t he!

151

I have never seen this line of products! Neat! It would be great to win with two kids going back to school this year.

152

BusyJulie

How cute! Cupcakes!!!

153

Jenny

I should make cupcakes this week, that’s a good idea.

154

I would love to win these organizational helps…thanks so much for the tips!

155

Jen

Love these products! Office Max is great! Your tips are so helpful!

156

I love shopping for school supplies. It is a definite perk to being a teacher.

157

That would be so cute for homeschooling! I will have to look for those cupcake things.

158

I would love to win. My daughter is in 1st grade this year and has been bringing home homework. She started school the 20th of Aug and nightly homework is more stress on me then her. I can never find a sharpened pencil!

159

Dawn Y.

I love back to school!! Four kids and me in school this year. Lots of stuff to get organized.

160

Great tips! I need Peter Walsh to come to my house! LOL!

161

So thrilled to have our command center ready and kids made their “clothes people.” Back to school it is! Thanks for the tips.

162

Amy Buchanan

What cute office/school supplies.

@googoobuybuy
amyjbuchanan@gmail.com

163