It's hard enough to control your own belongings. Now add backpacks, lunchboxes, library books, gym clothes, homework and permission slips - all courtesy of that back-to-school time of year.

In the midst of organizing household responsibilities and various family activities, you now have to contend with backpacks stuffed with who-knows-what.

The adage "a place for everything and everything in its place" can ease school-generated clutter.

Katherine Maack, a Gilbert, Ariz., mother of four children ages 2 to 12, says that after installing a cubby system last year, she saw a major improvement.

"Huge," she says. "I can't say enough about it. If kids don't have a place to put their stuff when they come in, it ends up on the kitchen counter. Now they each have their own cubby for backpacks, jackets, hats and umbrellas."

Now sharpen your pencils and take notes as parents and professional organizers suggest creating these three organization stations.

DROP STATION

Mesa, Ariz., professional organizer Nancy Nemitz of http://createthespace.com says kids may not put things away because they claim it is too difficult. As in, it's too hard for them to march upstairs or down the hallway to their bedroom to toss their backpack.

"This station needs to be where they are coming into the house," Nemitz says. "Look where kids are naturally dropping things now."

You need: A modular cubby design.

How it works: Every child is assigned his or her own cubby (multiple cubbies if necessary). There they may place backpacks, shoes and sporting equipment.

Buy it: The Expedit Bookcase, $79.99 at Ikea, can be used vertically, or horizontally if your children need a cubby nearer the floor. Target and Wal-Mart also sell cubby units.

Tips:

• Many cubby bookcases can be stacked. If you think your family's needs may outgrow one bookcase, check to see that the cubby unit purchased is stackable.

• Use one of the cubbies for library books.

• If your foyer or garage area is too small, consider using hooks and a shoe rack instead for backpacks and shoes.

• Insist all items taken from the cubby are back by bedtime so they're ready for the next school day.

INCOMING-PAPERWORK STATION

Create an area for papers coming from school that you need to see. This would include notes from a teacher, trip slips and report cards. Using the paperwork station daily helps teach children responsibility and organizing skills.

You need: A tray, box or hanging file folder.

How it works: When emptying their backpacks, children place the papers in the box. Parents read, sign and return any papers to the backpack.

Buy it: The Eldon Optimizer, $31.99 at Office Max, provides four letter-size trays and slots for important papers.

Tips:

• Pick an eye-catching color or something attractive to hang, not just functional. "If it's ugly, people don't use it," Nemitz says.

• You can also try this, suggested by Megan Nordgren of putogether.com: Buy the child a special folder to hold graded papers and anything else the parent needs to view or sign. Get students into the habit of dropping those papers in the special folder while at school.

"It can take working with the children some at first, but then you have everything organized in one folder that you can take out and return," Nordgren says.

IMPORTANT-RECORDS STATION

You may need year-round access to certain papers such as a school calendar, teacher contact information and district policies. Keep these in their own space.

Regina Davis, a Cave Creek, Ariz., mother of sons ages 7 and 9, recently purchased the Mom's Notebook to help her keep track of bus schedules, classmates' phone numbers and the school supply list.

"I can really see how it's going to keep things organized this school year," she says. "Before this, there was no organization. This is helping me to not create piles all over the kitchen."

You need: A three-ring binder or a file folder that stands upright, preferably without the flap. "The less steps in organizing the better," Nemitz says.

How it works: Place all those papers in a three-ring binder and store near a phone. The binder keeps everything together and can easily be referenced with tabs. "The downside is ... everything must be hole-punched," Nordgren says. A file folder is easier because papers can be dropped into a slot, but a binder allows you to create as many categories as needed.

Buy it: Mom's Notebook, $20, created by Phoenix area professional organizer Susan Stewart and available by e-mail at Susan@perfectlyplaced.org or 623-202-9199. Or check out the Life.doc, $29.95 at http://seejanework.com. The Expanding Desktop File, $19.95 at http://yourmo.com, has 10 pockets and a task bar that holds photos, business cards and papers.

Tips:

• Consider a separate binder or box for keepsakes, artwork and schoolwork. This pile can end up taking over the whole book.

• Buy plastic covers with holes already in them if punching holes in papers proves too much of a hassle.