One of the most dreaded necessary-evils of going back to school is knowing that homework is now an evening occurrence. I don’t know how things are in your house, but in my house, homework is almost always a fight. My kid hates homework. I hate homework. And the battle that surrounds homework is just plain ugly. Every new school year I make changes to help this portion of our day go as smoothly as possible.
This year, my daughter and I made this easy DIY homework caddy to help her keep all of her homework necessities in one easy to find place. We do homework at our kitchen table, so I needed something that was easy to transport from its storage spot to our homework spot and back again so that cleanup is fast and easy before dinner. The handles on this caddy makes that transport easy. Additionally, we painted the caddy with chalkboard paint so that she could make note of weekly reminders.
Making a DIY homework caddy is inexpensive and easy – all you need is a recycled drink holder. Mine happens to be made from bottled sodas, but you can also use a drink holder from a carryout eatery as well.
Here are the easy steps to follow to make your own chalkboard homework caddy:
Supplies needed: Recycled drink holder, primer (optional), masking or painters tape (if your container has gaps on the bottom), chalkboard paint, brush or sponge.
1) If your holder has gaps on the bottom, use masking or painters tape to tape it off. This prohibits your pencils and small items from slipping out. 2) If you choose, use a primer to cover your holder. 3) Use your brush or sponge to paint on the chalkboard paint. If you don’t use a primer, be prepared to paint on extra coats of the chalkboard paint if your holder has a logo or writing. 4) Let dry. That’s it!
After your chalkboard paint is dry, you’re ready to write memos and fill your homework caddy with school supplies. This would also make an awesome art supply caddy! If you don’t have chalkboard paint on hand, you can always use acrylic paint or spray paint in a fun color and let your kids decorate with stickers or other embellishments.
What is your biggest challenge for getting homework completed at your house, and how do you solve it? Please share your homework tips in the comments – I would love to know what works for your family!
Happy back-to-school organizing, DIY’ers!
~julee~
