Lock and Load

Back to school...what an exciting time! You have the good (back to a routine, back to friends, back to the potential for a little free time for momma), the bad (homework, tons of activities, poor little siblings seem to live most of their waking hours in the car) and the ugly (the trauma that is the locker).

It doesn't sound that bad to those of us who don't have middle-or-high-schoolers yet, but for the 12 year old who is faced with having to switch classes and books for the first time, the locker is a huge deal! I went on a quest to help out some friends and here's what I've found...

Pottery Barn Teen's Locker Organizer and Dry Erase Board provides a shelf to make a cubby in your locker for stacking and a magnetic dry erase board for your locker door (a magentic mirror is also available in place of the dry erased board). Available for $25 from pbteen.com in tonal gray and gray/pink.

Another great organizer is the lockermate from containerstore.com. It adjusts from 8-13" wide and up to 25"high and is constructed of steel. Grab one on sale now for $28.49 (regularly $37.99).

Check out these shelves from amazon.com. This flexible organizer hangs inside the locker suspended from hooks, a rod or the locker shelf. It expands usable space and would work for the smaller child who has trouble reaching the higher shelves. $29.74 at www.amazon.com.

A magnetic pencil cup & memo center keep pens, magnets and paper easily at-hand. Make your locker personal and functional with fun border frames from www.stickyprints.com and magnetic letters & numbers from pbteen. Don't forget a fun memo pad for writing notes!