Being organized does not just pertain to adults.  It benefits children as well.   

Did you know that you can actually boost your child's confidence, their ability to learn and their maturity level by helping them to create order in their life? 

Being organized is more than just a clean room.  For adults and children alike, it is essential for learning.  If you don't have the materials you need to ace a test or you are surrounded by clutter, it affects your ability to focus.

Organization encourages responsibility.  For children, it can be as simple as cleaning up their toys and putting them into clearly marked containers.  When your child is organized, they become more independent and their frustration level is reduced.  If they know what they want and where to find it, they can do more things on their own, which gives them a great sense of independence and self-esteem.

A few habits is all it takes to help your child develop organizing skills.  There are techniques that work for younger children as well as older children.  

1.  Neatly storing their things:

Younger children can get involved with cleanup. Make it fun by setting a timer and creating a pick-up game that lasts about 10 minutes. If you have more than one child, get the entire family involved.  Get your child used to cleaning up as they go and doing a final sweep at the end of the day.  By the time your child reaches grade school, they will be able to keep their toys organized on their own.  Using simple containers set up by category and labeled with pictures of the type of toy or game will make clean up a breeze. 

When it comes to older children, pointing out their successes will encourage them to do more.  Your grade schooler or tween can clean up toys and games, help clear their dishes off the dinner table, dust and hang up their jacket.  Show them examples of what they are already doing and what else they could also be doing. Make it easy for them to be successful.  When your child sees that they already know how to be neat, the task will feel more doable to them.  

2. Time Management and Routines:  

Younger children do not have a concept of time. However, that does not mean they cannot be taught promptness; it's just a matter of creating routines. For example, every night is "bath, book, bed". If it is verbally stated before the routine is to start and implemented each night, they will get accustomed to staying on schedule. 

Older children need to learn not to procrastinate. This can be taught by requiring your child to lay out their clothes the night before or plan out a long-term school project a week or so in advance.  

3. Completing the task: 

Younger children can learn this concept as young as 1 year old.  Read them a story from beginning to end at bedtime.  They are taught that things have a beginning, middle and an end. Referring back to what I mentioned above, having your child put away a toy after they play with it before pulling out another toy will teach them task completion, as well.  When they are working on a larger project, like a Lego structure, however, you might decide it's okay to leave it for another time to complete.  This will teach them how to manage long-term projects.

Older children need to learn rules and limits.  Older children get distracted by technology, which is a big hindrence for teens when it comes to completing homework or a chore around the house. Set up tech-free zones in the home and create a quiet place for your child to study. Set time limits as to how long and when they are permitted to use a gaming device or their phone for texting.

Lastly, practice what you preach.  Children learn by example, so be sure to follow the rules when it comes to these areas.  

If you are overwhelmed with your own clutter or your child's, I can help.  I work with busy moms to organize their homes and their time, as well as working with their children to create an organized bedroom or playroom and create time management plans for the family.  Don't hesitate to contact me to discuss your particular clutter issues.

In a few months, I will be celebrating another birthday.  As I get older and reflect on my life, I recognize how much we, as adults, evolve and change.

Our ideas about how we want to live our lives, our priorities and other decisions we are confronted with as we get older naturally change.

One of the ways we change, and might not recognize, is our priorities.  Think about it.  It is not only about who we socialize with, live with, spend time with, things we want to do or achieve, but the items we feel we want to hold on to.

Our priorities change as to what we want to keep.  

When working with my clients who have gathered items for a long period of time, I find it interesting how we go through those items and they find that some of what they felt was so important to hold on to, is no longer that important.

Sometimes, it's not the item itself, but the number of items we keep.  For example, do we need to hold onto such a large number of a particular item, or is it possible to pare it down to a smaller number which can be appreciated and perhaps still evoke a fond memory of the person it once belonged to? 

Interestingly enough, my son created a Memory Box when his father died. He was six years old at the time. We make a habit of reviewing that Memory Box once a year.  Not only does he get to go down memory lane, but he sometimes finds that there is an item or two that no longer hold the same significance as they once did, and he can part with them.  

I once had a client who had held onto a box of handkerchiefs that belonged to her deceased husband's deceased parent.  When we found the box on a shelf in her coat closet, we opened it up and she looked at the handkerchiefs she had not seen in years.  When I asked her why she had held on to so many, she said because they belonged to her late husband.  I explained that now they belonged to her.  What connection did she have to them?  Did she need to hold on to almost 100 handkerchiefs?  She realized she did not and reduced the box down to ten of her favorite, instead. 

Is it possible that you have items in your home that you have been holding on to for years and have not looked at for a long time that do not carry as much significance as they once did? Have your tastes evolved? 

The next time you are decluttering and organizing your home, take this into consideration.  Are you ready to participate in an "evolution revolution"?  If so, you will find that those items you are saving will take up a lot less room if they are pared down to what means the most to you.

If you need assistance in determining what to keep and what to donate or trash, don't hesitate to contact me. I am here to help.