Organizing Your IEP/504 Information
Hi, my name is Jocelyn Stuart, owner of JS Home Editing. I am a professional organizer and loving mother of two boys based in the South Bay of Los Angeles. Being a mom I know what a struggle it is to be organized and stay organized. While it comes naturally to me, I cannot say the same for the other members of my family. If you are anything like me, you are always looking for fresh ideas for keeping your family, home and routines pulled together.
Both of my boys have ADHD. Finding solutions for the mounds of IEP and 504 paper work has made my life so much easier. I have a few tips and solutions to share with you to help you get organized. These tips are useful for all paperwork, artwork, keepsakes and more. I’m going to include a few links below of my favorite organizing systems and solutions. What works for you may not work for someone else. Personally, I stay organized with folders and files over digital organizing.
(Print these suggestions out for easy reference.)
IEP or 504 Binder
Get a three-ring binder that you dedicate to materials related to your child's 504 or IEP. The following items will be helpful:
Tab dividers, labelled
Three-ring pocket folders
Three-ring page protectors, which save you having to punch holes
Extra paper for taking notes
Zippered binder pouch to store a hole punch, highlighter, pen or pencil, sticky notes, etc.
IEP or 504 File Drawer
It's amazing how fast reports and other paperwork accumulate! Your binder will fill up quickly. You may need a file drawer or even a whole file cabinet for storing old documents. Here are a few things you might want to use:
Dedicated file cabinet drawer or plastic file box
Labeled file folders
Hanging file folders
Portable box to hold folders for an IEP or 504 meeting
Digital File-folder System
Paper documents also can be done electronically. Create a folder on your laptop or phone and add subfolders as needed.
Name or rename files with titles that you will recognize easily.
Organize documents into folders and subfolders with appropriate names and labels. It can be helpful to include the time period that is covered in each folder.
Put your collected documents and downloads in places where they logically belong.
Back up your documents frequently!
Have documents on a thumb drive or cloud drive so you can access them at a meeting.
Color-Code and Label Everything
Color-coding your materials is a visual cue that allows you to easily see what belongs together. Placing labels on these items can help your organization by giving everything a designated place.
Here are a few of my favorite things:
Bins | File Boxes | Binders | Labels: They are pre-printed! They come in a huge assortment of categories
Back in 2006 when Jocelyn and her husband were purchasing a new home, she hired a fantastic interior designer to help her bring her vision to life. In working together, she was curious who kept their house so organized. She asked Jocelyn if she’d be interested in helping her clients as a professional organizer, and thus a career was born. She hired her for multiple jobs which led her to start her own business and, since that time, she’s devoted her life to helping others get organized. Jocelyn recognizes everyone’s needs are different and she always approaches a space, it’s things and people without judgment. She believes living an organized life is a process; it’s never one and done. Her specialty is to see you through the clutter and help enhance your well-being.
“My goal is to create systems and solutions that transform your home and simplify your life.”
Jocelyn Stuart Home Editing
310.351.7070 | info@jshomeediting.com
https://jshomeediting.com/
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