Keeping Kids Organized
Teaching kids how to be organized is a life skill like good manners and gratitude that will serve them the rest of their lives. Nobody is born knowing how to organize or to say “thank you” so it must be taught. You may say you’re not organized but I am sure you are more organized than your child.
Teaching them to be organized will help you to stay that way and vice versa. Teaching and modeling an organized home pays off for everyone!
Here are some tips to get kids organized and teach them those skills at the same time.
Clean up is the final part of playtime. Dumping toys from a container is pure bliss; putting them back is less so. However you can teach kids that putting them away is part of the process. Take 5 or 10 minutes to help them put those toys back when playtime is over to reinforce the pairing of activities.
Create a game of clean up. Reward them for putting trash in the trashcan or for who can put away 10 toys first. Gamification isn’t just for online marketing. It’s a huge part of parenting.
Let go of perfection. Their version of neat will not be on par with yours but learning how to get there is part of the process. Reward the attempt and keep showing them how it’s done.
Purge toys, clothes, and books regularly. If it is not being used, especially if it doesn’t fit, donate or give away. You can try rotating toys that they don’t actively play with. More options is not necessarily better.
Keep their toys and clothes easily accessible. You can’t expect nor do you want them climbing shelves or cabinets to get to their toys, books, or clothes. When it is accessible to them then they can at least attempt to put it back!
Label, label, label. This alone eliminates the “I don’t know where it goes” excuse for not putting things away. If your kids are not reading yet, use colored containers and pictures as labels. Labels are helpful also for babysitters or visiting family members to know where things go.
Store like items together. Activity books go together as do pencils, markers, crayons, and paper. Short sleeve shirts get stored together, as do shoes, and books. When you store like items together, you don’t have to look multiple places to find what you need.
Being organized is a lifestyle, not a one time activity. Some spaces are easier to organize than others but they all take effort. Teaching kids that being organized is a process and ongoing as well as setting up systems will go far in making their lives easier.
It won’t happen in one day but one day it will happen. 😁
Happy organizing!