Your child can organize. I promise. Picture the first time your child had a cubbie, perhaps at preschool. They dragged you over to see their cubbie. They knew exactly what went in it. If you looked around the preschool room, you’d see the toys are in bins, the books on the shelves and chairs pushed in to the little tables.

 

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In part, a preschool room is organized because there is a space dedicated to each item. But, it is also organized because the teacher has taken the time to teach the children where each item belongs.

At home, we need to model our kids’ rooms after the preschool. Have a place for each item. Tidy up with your child, working so that they know where each item goes. Little people forget things … and fast! Be sure to add labels. Grab your digital camera. Shoot pictures of the items and print them out to create labels for non-readers.

Sometimes as parents, we forget to recognize that a child’s physical space is much more difficult than our own room. We may have clothes and books but they have clothes, books, homework, sports equipment, hobbies, computers, games, and toys of all descriptions crammed into their one space. At our house, my husband and I have games but they are in the game closet. We have sports equipment in the garage and computers in the office. Kids end up with it all in one room.

In order for a child to keep order, they need some good basic organizing essentials in their room. Without places for easy storage, the words “clean your room” are simply overwhelming.

Does your child’s room have the basics? Here is a great solution checklist.

 

___Shelves for books
___Bins of different sizes for different size toys
___Shelves for board games
___Low rod in closet for young children to reach clothing
___Shoe holders for shoes
___Labels on drawers (picture of item for younger ones)
___Lots of coat hooks for jackets, robes, sports equipment/uniforms
___Information boards - the bigger the better, 2 or 3 in a tight row is great unless you love having them tape and tack to the wall. Give them lots of space and they will use it!
___File crate or small file cabinet to handle paper clutter
___Hamper for dirty clothing
___A box, hamper or bin for out-grown clothing. This happens on a daily basis so give them somewhere to toss the clothing when they put it on and it is too small.

Help them have success in organizing their room. Giving them the essentials of great storage helps.

 

About Lea Schneider

Professional Organizer Lea Schneider’s organizing advice has appeared in Woman’s Day, Natural Health and Better Homes and Gardens Kids’ Rooms magazines. She is the Grand Prize Winner of the Rolodex Office Makeover Challenge. Her team of professional organizers, at Organize Right Now, provides organizing assistance through her Organize Online program. She is the author of Growing Up Organized: A Mom-to-Mom Guide. Learn more at www.organizerightnow.com.