Have you ever had one of those days where you walk into your child’s bedroom after you’ve just spoken to them about putting their clothes or toys away and the items are still not where they are suppose to be? You then become frustrated and take your frustration out on that child, but is it really their fault?
As a Professional Organizer, I am often asked questions about how to keep kids organized. From their bedrooms, to chores, to school work it can be a daunting task for any parent. Often times we as parents tend to become extremely frustrated when it seems that the systems we’ve set up to create structure in our homes just don’t seem to work. However, when we take a step back and evaluate the situation we may realize that the systems may be flawed. Keeping our children organized requires training, consistency and discipline to be successful. It also requires us to understand the “why” behind the disorder.
Sidebar: we cannot expect our children to be tidy all the time, the goal is to create order and stability so they can thrive doing the things they love instead of always having to tidy up!
When I think about how I tackled organization with my 3 children, I can tell you that it has been a journey filled with much trial and error. Each of my children have their individual strengths and weaknesses and equipping them with the necessary tools to address those weaknesses has been key. Also of utmost importance is setting an example that they can follow. I can’t expect them to keep their rooms clean or do their chores consistently if I am not being consistent with my responsibilities or creating an environment that is not chaotic.
Here are 3 tips that I think are important when it comes to keeping your children organized;
- Designate a specific space or area for them to place their things and be sure to label them. The idea that everything has a place rings very true. Using bins or baskets is a great way to keep their things contained but don’t go overboard with the containment.
- Be consistent!!! Make sure that your children are following the systems that you implement; putting things back where they belong or following the schedule you create and establish consequences when the systems are not followed. It’s definitely a process, however there should be clear guidelines as to what is expected.
- Finally, don’t overwhelm them with too many things. Our children really don’t need a ton of clothes or toys, if they have less that they are responsible for it will make it easier for them to keep their space tidy. Limiting the amount of stuff you keep in their space really makes a difference with kids and organization.
If you want to learn more about how to create systems that will help your children get organized schedule a complimentary consultation with me!