Teaching Kids the Art of Organizing

Before you assume that my kids’ rooms are perfectly organized, let me just say - they are definitely not! Our kids have a much higher threshold for disarray than my husband and I do, and we try our best to work with that. Just because it is what I do doesn’t mean that it translates into my entire life. If only, right? I try to let their rooms be theirs. That being said, being able to declutter and organize is a life skill that they will take with them as they grow up and live outside of this house. So how can we as parents guide, encourage, and teach our kids how to take it in their own hands and live in a space that they are proud of?

Set Yourself (and them) up for Success

Picture this. You are 6 and you’ve been told to “clean up the playroom”. You walk in the room that’s full of a gazillion toys. Literally a gazillion. How does that feel? As an adult, we can look at the mess and know there is a solution. As a child, most will see an overwhelming and impossible task.. Now picture your 6-year old self walking into the playroom with 50 toys. I’m not going uber minimalist here with 10, but let’s say 50. What’s the difference? It feels more manageable, right? This is how we set our kids up for success. If as a family you limit the amount of toys available to play with, not only will you limit the mess, but also the overwhelm, decision fatigue, and boredom. I posted last fall about how fewer toys can result in more creativity in your kids play. If you haven’t read it yet, I encourage you to give it a read.

Set Reasonable Expectations

What does “clean up the playroom” really mean? Does everything have to be put exactly in the spot it belongs or does it just need a quick tidy? Do you want it vacuumed and dusted or simply picked up? Being clear about your expectations will minimize confusion and maximize productivity. I find that giving my kids a time limit helps to remove any feelings of dread as to how long it will take. I ask them to tidy for “3 songs” for example, so they know that there is an end in sight!

Let them watch you

Whether they know it or not, our kids are observing us on the daily. How we treat our spouse, what we eat, and how we take care of our home. Even under one, kids are able to observe and understand what we are doing (to a certain extent). I realized this when my youngest would start bringing me broken toys or games he no longer played with, asking me if he could throw them away or donate them to another child who might love them. It was an eye-opening moment for me! If you are new to decluttering, you too may find that other members of your household will begin to follow suit.

Walk them through the process

When you are doing a major declutter or a seasonal change in your home, invite your family to join you. Show them how to sort items into like piles, decide what stays and goes, and put things away. Just like inviting kids to help you clean, if you make it fun they are much more willing to help! Give them a box of toys and ask them to count how many are in the box and then to choose some to pass along. When school shopping comes around, look through their new purchases and ask them to find pieces that can be donated while being replaced with the new stuff.

As for organizing what is left, work with your kids to discuss how and where they use the items they have. Does it make sense to have art supplies in their room if they do all their creating at the kitchen table? Is putting away laundry a sticking point for them? Perhaps giving them permission to stop folding their underwear/pants/pajamas is what they need in order to make it happen each week. Organized doesn’t always mean what we see on Instagram! Organized means, among other things, being able to find what you need when you need it. Perfectly folded pants look great, but they are just as organized as a bin of leggings that have been tossed in. Everyone has a level they are comfortable with, so listen to your kids and together decide what makes the most sense for them.

Set a routine

Consistency in a routine of tidying up, making their beds, decluttering toys and clothes, and learning that sometimes a little work can go a long way will keep them on track. Regularity of tasks will result in established habits.

Celebrate what you accomplish

Finding something right where you first look for it can feel so…good, am I right? Celebrate that feeling with your kids! When they are looking for that game or toy or shirt and it is actually where it belongs - how cool is that? Alternatively - when you can’t find something you are looking for, talk through the situation with your child. “Hmmmm, we can’t seem to find that dress you love so much. I wonder if we put our laundry away instead of leaving it on the floor or in a basket…maybe we would have been able to find it by now?”. I know I’ve had this conversation many times with my littles. It is a tough lesson to learn when it’s an “emergency” but that might be just the time that it really sinks in for them.

What do Kids Think?

I thought it would be fun to ask my kids a few questions about organizing. Here are their answers:

Q: What does organizing mean to you?

George (7): Like, you make something clean.

Fiona (10): Organizing means to keep things tidy, and to basically know where things are.

Harriet (10): It means to put stuff in places where you know they are going to be. And lots of clear areas. Sorting things.

Edward (12): Having things neat and where they are supposed to be.

Q: How does being organized make you feel?

George: I actually feel really excited because when it’s done it looks so clean.

Fiona: It makes me feel happy and not stressed.

Harriet: I feel pretty good but sometimes I need help remembering where things go.

Edward: Like I’m being clean and not a slob

Q: What is your advice for someone who is wanting to get organized?

George: It’s about focusing. Start thinking about what you’re going to do first and then do that.

Fiona: First, look at the big things you don’t want anymore. Then, move to the little things. Then put the rest in the places that make the most sense.

Harriet: Start by picking an area of a room, taking all the things off, putting it in categories like books, drawing supplies, electronics. Then you find containers and put the categories in each container.

Edward: Contact Amie Davis Organizing (gotta love a tween haha!!)

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