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A Bakers Dozen, Thirteen Tips To Help Get Your Kids Organized WORD COUNT: 687 WRAP: 60 We all know that we want to be a good example to our kids. What habits will they grow up with as they watch our Organizational behaviors? If we don’t respectfully put away our things, why should they? It’s not difficult to get them involved. They want to improve the rooms they live in. Ask them if they would like a new paint color and watch how excited they get at the choices you just gave them. Choice is at the heart of it all. They want to be able to decide. They love being given that authority. Lets encourage that! 1. Let Them Help! Let them tell you what they are ready to get rid of. Often it is the adults that are more attached to the memory of the item than the child. Keep only those things that you both cant live without. 2. Sort, Toss, Donate. They should be a part of the organizing process. When purging items, have kids pick out their favorite toys and discard the old, out grown or broken ones. Give good used toys to a local charity. Kids love knowing they are helping someone else. Donate clothes too. 3. Use clear plastic containers with hinged lids, for storing small toys. Make the storage age appropriate using labels with pictures instead of words for young children. Let them help make the labels. Use filing boxes for awards, cards and reports. Make one file for each child. 4. One In / One Out. Utilize this important organizing rule. One in One out simply means, if you bring home one new toy or one new pair of shoes, you should be willing to give one of the same away. 5. Use low sturdy shelving for toys and books. Create separate areas for toys, games, books, art supplies etc... let your kids tell you what works best for them. Containerize and label it all clearly. 6. Use Hanging Systems. Install low shelving in closets or rod hanging systems for clothes they can reach themselves. Use a hanging sweater keeper to decide on outfits for each weekday in advance. Your child only needs to take the clothes off the shelf to be ready. No searching. No stress in the morning. 7. Store Keepsakes. Everything doesn't have to be displayed all at once. Some items may be rotated in and out of long term storage. Store these and out of season clothes high up on closet shelves in clear boxes. 8. Buy A Hamper. Place a laundry hamper inside your child's room. There are many fun and decorative hampers on the market today. Let your child choose one that matches their rooms decor. Expect it to be used. 9. Use Hooks. Install low-hanging hooks for clothes, backpacks and accessories. Install on the back of a door or inside a closet wall. This helps to lessen the visual clutter that kids rooms are known for. 10. Honor Their Accomplishments. Use interchangeable acrylic frames to highlight artwork or good reports from school. Kids love to see that you are proud of them. Change out the pictures periodically and keep the best pieces in your keepsake file. 11. Use Vertical Space. Use shelving one foot from the ceiling all the way around the room to display those things that are fragile or collections. Periodically reevaluate the items to see if they need to be transferred to long term storage or donated to charity. 12. Utilize An Action Center. Use an In and Out Box system for papers that need signed, or their invitations to events. Kids learn quickly where their papers need to go in order for them to be signed. They experience less stress and so do you. 13. Time Them. Use a timer and small rewards to motivate kids to tidy their spaces. Make it a fun time for you all. Encourage them to keep it tidy by allowing them some control on how the room is set up. The color, the theme and the age range. Let them tell you what they are ready for and work with them to make it happen for them. ___________________________________________ This article is free to use in print and on line publications. The author byline below must stay intact when reprinting this article. © Annie Thomas-Burke (2006) Annie Thomas-Burke is a versatile Freelance Writer and business owner of Reclaimed Spaces Services. http://www.designsbyannieb.com/ keywords: organize, kids, storage, sort, tidy, home, children, parents, reclaimed spaces, organize, redesign, Annie, Thomas-Burke, author, freelance, memoirs |
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