ORGANIZING YOUR CHILD’S ROOM

By Karin E. Fried, CPC

An organized adult usually starts out learning to be organized as a young child. Chances are that if you aren’t taught organizational skills as a child you will probably not be an organized adult. By starting when your child is young you can teach them skills that will be useful to them for their entire life.

Having an organized room lets you find things easily. It helps reduce your stress because you aren’t constantly searching for things. Organizing a child’s room is a little different than organizing an adult’s room in that you will need to use more “visual” aides and labels.

For toys:

Use plastic bins (clear works best because they can also see through them). Label each bin with what’s inside. For example: Cars/trucks, building blocks, games, puzzles, books…

For toys and things that have a lot of parts, get smaller containers to house those parts so that they have a place to go after they are done playing with them.

If you child is not old enough to read or if your child is more of a “visual” thinker….you can cut out pictures of whatever is in the bin and tape it to the outside.

The same idea can be applied to their clothes. Put a picture of “pants” or “shirts” or “socks” on the outside of where you want those clothes to go.

Get down to the child’s level !

If a child can’t reach the hangers or the bins to put their things away…the clothes and toys will just end up on the floor.

Closet

For a child’s closet you need to hang things at their level (and as they grow you should be able to adjust their shelves to a higher level….which will also give you more room on the bottom). If you keep a child’s closet at the standard “adult” height and they can’t reach it….they won’t be able to put their things away themselves….and they will always expect you to put everything away for them. And you just set yourself up to be their maid.

Under bed storage.

There are a variety of great under the bed storage bins (some come with wheels) that can take advantage of the room under their beds. Toys or extra clothes (not in season) or extra blankets….can all take advantage of the wasted space under the bed.

For school age children have a place set aside in their room for their books and homework. When they are done with their homework have them put it into their “school spot” so that they are ready for school the next morning.

Conclusion

Start the teaching process for good organizational skills when the kids are young. Very young. As soon as they can start walking…they can be taught to put their things away. By having a place for everything and having pictures or labels on it so that they know exactly where things should go…they will get into the habit of putting things into the correct spot. And before you know it their rooms will be “organized” and clean.