5 Ways to Raise Organized Kids

Even if your kids aren’t organized now, it’s not too late to teach them these important skills.

Raising kids who respect organization and time management will not only benefit your own home but will give them lessons that they can apply to every aspect of their life. I realize, though, it’s hard to implement organization when you’re guilty of a mess yourself. Start off by helping your kids get organized and you’ll start falling into place yourself! 

TEACH KIDS HOW TO PLAN
Planning is the number one rule for being organized. Focusing on what needs to be taken care of will keep you in check and more situated to accomplish your goals. How to implement it:

• Each night have them lay out their outfit
• Teach them to take out a pen and paper and make lists. It’s is a great visual tool to help stay organized.

TEACH KIDS HOW TO PIVOT
Knowing how to plan is great, but when things don’t go your way, you need to know how to pivot. Pivoting is a lifelong skill that the most productive and efficient people use to move forward. Getting stuck in a situation is inevitable, so teach your kids the art of keeping their eyes on the prize and finding another way of getting there. How to implement it:

• When saving up for a new toy is taking too long, figure out ways to meet the goal faster.
• After organizing your room see what systems are working and which aren’t. Change what is still an obstacle.
• When homework is a struggle every night, have your kids figure out a new way of tackling it. Could be a new space to work at, or maybe a new homework time.

CREATE ORDER
Routines can eliminate thinking, and that’s a good thing! When you’re on auto-drive you can be confident that you are doing things right and in an orderly fashion. Setting up good habits can keep you organized without feeling like you’re working for it. How to implement it:

• Find a simple system that works for your daily routine. The less complicated, the better.
• If something isn’t working, change it. If you find your morning routine a disaster, revamp it. Get everyone up 20 minutes earlier or make everyone fun checklists.
• Things should not only look nice but they need to function. If your child always forgets their lunchbox at home, figure out a new way for them to get into the habit of remembering to grab it before they run out the door. If something is repeatedly not working for you then you need to change that habit.

EVERYTHING HAS A HOME
If you’ve ever cleaned a room where each item has a designated spot, it feels like you’re on auto-drive. The messiest rooms can be cleaned in no time. Making sure everything has a home also creates an environment where you treat things with respect and value money. A space that has chaos shows a lack of respect for things, money, and your time. Having a spot for everything avoids that. How to implement it:

• Start with a small project that requires no emotional attachment, like a junk drawer. Buy containers and keep it organized. Once you fall in love, you’ll move on to the next area you want to tackle.
• Invest in containers and label makers. These things can keep you in check.
• When buying a new toy, ask your children where they will store it. This is great practice for learning when you bring something new into your life, and into your home, it needs to have a place.

OWN LESS
If you or your kids are swimming in stuff it can cause a very stressful environment. A cluttered room creates a cluttered mind. Clutter is also a big stumbling block for efficient use of time. Go through their belongings and teach them how to throw things out. Show them that throwing things out is actually respecting things you keep.  Keeping so much of anything shows that nothing is special because you can’t select. It also sends the message that over-indulging is better. How to implement it:

• Clean out your kids’ rooms. These are their spaces and they should learn that it should look and be maintained a certain way.
• Take anything out that doesn’t belong in their room (Your simcha gowns, camp sleeping bags, Pesach dishes)
• Show by example. Start ditching your own things that you never use, or that you hate.

HAVE YOUR KIDS USE THE WORD “TIME MANAGEMENT”
When one of my daughters was moving slowly one morning as they were getting ready for school, my other daughter was getting increasingly frustrated. She told her off by saying “You have horrible time management.” Sure, there was a part of me that thought I should tell her “you’re not the mom” (a line I use frequently). Then, there was another part of me that was so happy that lacking good time management was an insult in my house. “Time management” is a great term for kids to understand that they need to do exactly that, manage their time. Managing your time can make you more productive and efficient. How to implement it:

• Use a timer or a clock to teach the value of every moment.