As a professional organizer, people always ask me why I do this work. Sometimes I ask myself the same question considering I work in cluttered, dirty and chaotic conditions with people who are often stressed out, depressed and overwhelmed. Then I have a rewarding experience with a family and I’m reminded why I do what I do. It’s for the kids. Do you want to get organized for your dids?
Get Organized For Your Kids
I’ve seen, firsthand, the negative impact clutter and uncleanliness have on kids. For some kids, like those with autism, even a small amount of disorder can be disruptive in their lives.
Besides affecting their self-esteem and sense of security, they often have anxiety, sleep issues, unbalanced energy and struggle in school. But in order to help the kids, I know I have to help the parents first.
Parents are the role models that show their kids how to keep a home, how to think and feel about stuff and the value placed on things. They learned from their parents how to do the same.
Even conversations about things can have a long-lasting psychological impact. Telling your kids grandma will be mad if they got rid of something can cause them to feel guilty about letting things go. Guilt often leads to clutter and indecision.
Organizing For and With Kids
When a parent finally decides to reach out for organizing help, it’s usually because they realized the damage their home conditions are having on their kids. Often, they tell me how they grew up in clutter and don’t want to make their kids suffer like they did.
Working with families are my favorite projects. Watching the transformation in their kids when their homes, especially their bedrooms get organized inspires me every time. If the kids are present, even better.
They love helping and learning how to organize.
A five-year-old little girl who was separating paper clips for me cried out when being put to bed, “But, I don’t want to go to bed, I want to stay up and organize with Tracy.” That’s why I do what I do.
With that being said, here are some some tips and tricks to organize kid spaces.
Tip #1 Play/Toy Rooms
Set it up so they learn how to clean up and organize after themselves. Making it easy for them to find and put away their own toys will teach them the importance of putting things back when their done with them.
Teach them how to do activity based playing like arts and crafts conditions them to playing in a calm and productive environment instead of taking everything out at once and creating a chaotic environment.
This will also exercise their focus muscles.
Tip #2 Kids Bedrooms
Another space that in my opinion is the most important space to have organized is their bedroom. More specifically their sleeping space within the bedroom. A disorganized and cluttered bedroom can create feelings like overwhelm, feeling stuck and even feeling depressed.
All parents want their kids to start the day off on a good foot. The best way to achieve that is when they have a good night’s rest.
Believe it or not, even the position of the bed can be disruptive to their sleep. For kids especially, some need the bed all the way up against the wall for them to feel safe and cozy. You also want to find out what’s working or not working for them in their bedroom by asking them, “What do you like and not like in your room?”
You might be surprised to find that they have more of an opinion than you realized. Setting up their room so it works for them will go a long way to helping them get a good night’s sleep.
Tip #3 Clothes Organizing for Kids
Nine times out of ten when I’m asked to organize a kid’s room, the bulk of the clutter tends to be their clothes.
The main reasons why clothes are a clutter issue is because they typically have more clothes than they have space, or they are trying to use outdated storage solutions that make it difficult for them to find and put away their clothes easily like a dresser that’s been passed down through the generations.
Or the system to manage their clothes doesn’t fit with the way they think or operate. For instance, some kids would rather fold their clothes instead of hanging them.
Set up their clothes management system so it works with the way they think, operate and prefer to manage their own clothes. Get them storage solutions that are easy to use and conveniently accessible. Have not only a dirty hamper in their room but a hamper for clean clothes that can be staged and ready for them to put away. And do be sure to make frequent (at least once or twice a year) purging part of their clothes management process.
Tip #4 Kitchen Kid Zones
Setting up kid friendly zones in the kitchen will help teach them the skills they need to operate in the kitchen in a clean and organized way.
The zones you want to set up for them are snacks, lunches and breakfast. Setting things up in zones will make it much easier for them to find their food and more importantly put things back.
Make it easy for them to see and grab their food by storing at an easy to reach level and use organizing products like acrylic cereal dispensers and pantry bins.
Tip #5 Homework Zones
Setting up a clean and organized homework space for your kid is crucial to their success in school.
The trick to setting up their homework space is to have sufficient lighting, be comfortable which means it may be on their bed or on the couch, make sure their school supplies are easily accessible and close by and placed in area where they have the ability to focus.
If you clean, organize, declutter or all of the above any of these spaces, I can almost guarantee you will see a positive improvement in your kid’s lives. Especially when it comes to their school studies, their physical energy and their mental health.
I encourage you to have a conversation with your kids and ask them what they like and don’t like in the spaces they use as well as what they need and don’t need. Some of your kids might be too young to be able to answer those questions. But, I’ve had these conversations with five year olds and their parents are usually surprised that they have an opinion at all.
So if you need a reason to get organized, do it for your kids and watch the whole family prosper.