Throughout the professional
organizing community, January is being celebrated as “GO (Get Organized)
Month”. Chapters of the National
Association of Professional Organizers are holding GO events in locations all
around the U.S.
Following a recent
presentation, an attendee approached me to ask if I ever work with
children. He expressed regret for
not being taught some of these basic organizing principles at an early age and
having to struggle to catch up in adulthood. This question and its many forms is not uncommon in my line
of work:
“How do you get your kids to
keep organized?”
“Are some people just naturally
organized?”
“I think the organizing gene
skipped me!”
Lament, nostalgia and guilt are
all part of the package of thoughts and emotions that get us and keep us in our
messes in the first place. Teaching children in their formative years to make
decisions about their stuff and supporting them in taking actions to set up and
add order to their personal spaces can lead to feelings of ownership and
capability, a much more freeing and positive alternative to the former.
If you have children,
grandchildren or students in your life, here are some activities I suggest to
support the development of good organizing habits.
Sorting. Notice how so
many baby toys are designed around sorting? Sorting objects by shape or color teaches young toddlers to
recognize and categorize by common characteristics. Rather than leaving these sorting activities aside as
children grow, keep them going by applying them to articles more relevant to
their age group. Kids can sort
their clothes by color. This can be done with dirty laundry or with the clothes
in their closets or drawers. They can sort their toys. Crafts go with crafts,
books with books, games with games, electronics with electronics, etc. They can sort groceries to put away. Breakfast
foods go together, jars and cans, pastas, drinks. Want a pantry shelf
organized? Ask your 7-year-old. They’re great at this.
Purging. Have kids
decide what pieces of artwork they’d like to keep. Designate a display area and
a folder or box for each child. Let them choose what work they would like to
display and what works can be taken down. Then let them decide if the older
work is something they want to keep or if it’s time to throw it out. Remind
them that their storage space is limited and they should be choosy. During
winter holidays and again at the end of the school year have children go through
their writing supplies. They can get out some scrap paper and test each pen and
marker and they check each pencil for a working eraser. Whatever your criteria,
the ones that don’t pass get thrown out. These same times of the year are also
perfect for kids to go through their clothes. Often they have received new
clothing for the holidays and may also have experienced a growth spurt. Have them choose one drawer a day to
empty out, try on and decide what they like and what still fits.
Donating. Kids can
also be taught from a very young age that they don’t need to keep everything
they own forever. Help them let go of excess showing them how and where to make
donations. At least four times per year, have them gather toys, books and
clothing that are still in good condition that they would like to pass on to
someone who doesn’t have as much as them. Choose a place that you find
convenient to bring donations—your church or synagogue, a local center such as
Good Will, or a collection drive in your area. Let your child bag up their
items and take them along to make the donation.
Overall, the most important
thing to remember about having children sort, purge and donate is that you are
helping them to take responsibility for their own environments. They will learn
to keep what they use and love and what to do with the rest: a gift of
empowerment to last a lifetime.
* Annette
Reyman is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers and
its Philadelphia Chapter. View her Web site at www.allrightorganizing.com. To
contact Annette for organizing work or speaking engagements in the Greater
Philadelphia area call 908-361-7105 or email her at annettereyman@gmail.com.
About Annette Reyman
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