TEACHING CHILDREN TO
ORGANIZE
Organizing is something that many people are born with, yet those
who aren?t need not despair. Organizing is a LEARNED SKILL and
one that kids and adults alike can pick up at any time. Here are
some ways to organize a kid?s room, and teach the principles of
organizing at the same time.
OLD FRIENDS
If the child has a lot of stuffed animals that he/she has outgrown?but just
isn?t ready to part with yet?use a HAMMOCK or a net that hangs way up in
the corner of the ceiling. The toys can be put up there and they can still
be seen but they are out of the way.
SETTING UP CATEGORIES
Kids can organize their toys by category (cars and trucks together, dolls together,
specific types of games together, etc) in big bins or baskets. If the child
can read, LABEL the bins to help them remember which bins are for which category.
LIDS are usually too much for kids to deal with, so get containers without
lids, or store the lids elsewhere for when the kids aren?t using the bins
anymore.
GET IN THE ZONE
Set up ?zones? in the room for DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES?art & craft zone, reading
zone, puzzle zone, and a large play area to play with blocks and whatnot. Get
the appropriate TOOLS for each zone, such tables for the child to work at in
the art and craft zone, shelves for puzzles and games in that zone, and a comfy
chair and a bookshelf in the reading zone.
GO UP
Because kids need a good amount of floor space to play in, use the WALL SPACE
for storage. Hanging sturdy shelves or wall bins at a height that can be
reached by the kids, clear plastic wall pockets, or stacked milk crates work
well for kids to do their own organizing. Container Store is great for shelves
if you have one in your area. Their Elfa shelving system is totally ADJUSTABLE,
so when the kids grow taller, just snap out the shelves, and snap them in
higher up on the tracks! It?s the only shelving system I use with my clients,
and I love it.
A HOME FOR EVERYTHING
Teach kids the benefit of CONTAINERIZING items by category or by the activity
that required?for example, things you build, things you read, things to draw
with/on, or toys with wheels. Teach them how organizing makes their things
easier to find. So much of what we call clutter is just stuff that has no
home, and even kids can ASSIGN homes to all their stuff and be taught how
to put things away when they?re finished.
DRESSING IN A SNAP
For kids clothing, install shelving in their closets that they can reach and
use lots of hooks and HANGING SPACE. If kids clothes are in a folded pile
or in a drawer, they are more likely to just wear what?s on top, rather than
looking through the pile, so hang as much as possible.
DISPLAYING THEIR ARTWORK
Hang a clothesline along one wall of the child?s room, a few feet down from
ceiling level, and use CLOTHESPINS to display artwork that kids bring home
from school. Once it?s been displayed, if the child can?t part with it, use
clear UNDERBED containers for longer-term storage.
Kids can be taught organizing concepts and tactics, which will
serve them well through school and into their adult years. And
who knows?with their creative little minds working, you might learn
something new about organizing from them!
Monica Ricci has been an organizing specialist since 1999, and
her motivational presentations teach effective organizing and simplifying
techniques for home and work. She also offers free email tips and
ideas on how to make life simpler and more organized. Her topics
include clutter control, paper management, time management, organizing
space and procrastination.Contact Monica at 770-569-2642 or Monica@CatalystOrganizing.com .
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