Keep papers in their place with a family pin board

If you’re bracing for the start of the school year, you’re probably already waist-deep in backpacks, markers and brand-new sneakers.

And you’ve probably already started thinking about where all that stuff, and the papers of varying degrees of importance that go with it, are going to wind up once school’s in session.

We’ve tried various ways of corralling and organizing for the school year, and this year’s version is a return to the tried-and-true, with a twist or two.

It’s also a testament to a little reality check: If you want to be dead-sure you don’t forget that field trip permission slip/ticket to the play/map of the bike paths, you might have to stick it directly into your line of sight — in other words, on the wall.

Enter the trusty pin board. Put one up, dress it up a little bit and embrace the fact that life comes with reminders, sometimes of the paper sort.

Go for one that covers the wall space you can devote to it — the bigger the better.

A classic corkboard can easily be dressed up with patterned paper (try wallpaper) or fabric to give it a look that suits you.

Treat your kids to some novelty pins. They’re everywhere from office supply stores to gift and craft stores. Our latest favorites look like paper airplanes stuck into the board.

You can attach a pocket for each person to serve as an inbox for stuff that doesn’t need pinning.