For the jackets, umbrellas, backpacks, and purses that pile up this time of year, take a cue from restaurants by installing double ceiling hooks underneath a shelf.

Stocked with everything a student needs, this hideaway is an inviting place to pore over homework. Two store-bought bookcases are filled with handy, stay-organized tools such as a calendar for upcoming school events, an ''in'' box for unfinished assignments, and an ''out'' box for finished homework to be checked by Mom and Dad.

Allow kids to bring their homework anywhere with this portable desk. Equipped with writing materials inside, productivity never has to suffer.

Just because there isn't enough room in your child's bedroom for a desk doesn't mean they can't have their own personal study space. Using a twist on under-bed storage, the area below a store-bought loft bed becomes a welcoming small-scale study.

Allow kids to complete their homework at the kitchen table while you finish dinner. There's no need to worry about them becoming distracted, because this homemade study center fashioned from cardboard will keep them focused even in the busiest of rooms.

With the start of the school year, children will begin their after-school activities and consequently spend more time in the carpool. A canvas shoe bag is just right for keeping toys tidy and easy to reach in the car.

With umbrellas, hats, and sunglasses near the door, making the morning bus on time will be much easier without those last-minute searches. Keep the entryway organized despite school year traffic with these crafty metallic bins for all members of the family.

A neat row of Shaker-style pegs reinforces the idea that knapsacks and totes need to be hung up, rather than thrown on the floor.

Kids may be more likely to eat their lunch if they help choose the menu. When they use this magnetic chart to map out their meals for the week, it saves time and helps make grocery shopping easier.

Give a personal touch to the brown-bag lunch with these fun stickers and labels.

A felt board can be both a pretty addition to a young child's room and an educational tool. Play games like tic-tac-toe or work on spelling and counting with cut-out letters and numbers.

A frieze of alphabet flash cards in the nursery encourages your child to engage in word and picture play and to have fun with color.

Encourage an interest in science outside of the classroom with this project: Kids can watch small plants grow in jars fit for decorating shelves.

Preserve the artwork of budding young artists with these tips: Label mailing tubes, available at office-supply stores, by semester or year, and fill with rolled-up stacks of artwork, or showcase the pieces with the help of a large collage display.

This lovely artist's organizer is the perfect way to easily store all of your children's art supplies for use at home or on the go.

Encourage your children's creative aspirations by providing them with small, portable worktables of their own. Equip the tables with conveniently mounted rolls of paper, and no matter where they are, your kids can portray their surroundings.