The Kid's Approach to Getting Organized!

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Written by: Karen S. Augustine, Professional Organizer, Neat Niche by Karen, LLC
www.Neatnichebykarenllc.com, Neatnichekaren@gmail.com, office/cell-614-301-8718.
All rights reserved. September 2014
“An Organizer of Lives Not Just Stuff”
“The Kid’s Approach to
Getting Organized!”
Little ones should
be taught to be
neat and tidy at an
early age!

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Introduction
Children are a gift and they are under our care. What we teach them and show
them is what they will remember and execute for many years to come. It is our
job to instill in them good values, morals and beliefs. We need to instill good
behaviors, lifestyles, practices and habits.
Along with these traits children should be instructed in the area of their
possessions. We need to teach them in regards to ownership. How we teach them
is by explaining the financial value. They need to realize the responsibility of
having possessions. Making them realize how fortunate they are shows them the
value of their possessions. Also, they should be made aware that possessing items
is not all about instant gratification, but being patient in acquiring possessions
through rewards and hard work.
With all that being said they need to learn how to be organized, orderly,
systemized and neat. They need to be made aware that their lives include systems,
processes, routines and structure for living an organized, non-chaotic lifestyle.
These are essential in the growth of children.
I am offering this eBook especially designed and created for your children. This
tool will assist in teaching your children the techniques of organization. It will
assist them in living an organized, clutter free, non-chaotic lifestyle.

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Preface
As a Professional Organizer, in my many years of organizing, I have seen parents
who are frustrated and stressed due to their children being clutter bugs, untidy
and disorganized. They are exasperated as how to maintain an organized lifestyle
when it comes to their children. Their ongoing questions to me are, “Karen, how do
I get my child to clean up their room?” Karen, “Why is my child so messy?” “He
does not respect his stuff.”
There are many reasons and issues that need to be addressed and uncovered.
Easy as 1, 2, 3, there are three major steps to use with your children:
1. Get organized.
2. Stay focused.
3. Get it done!
The trouble for kids is that each of these steps is actually a lot of baby steps.
Figuring out how to accomplish them is a skill that will benefit them in school and
throughout life. Kids have many things to do each day and each one of them follows
this 1-2-3 process.

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There is a Plan for Your Child!
Proverbs 22:6 – “Train up a child in the way that he should go, and when he
is old he will not part from it.”
Denoting: Train your children in living a godly life. Teach them good values and
morals. Be a role model when it comes to consideration, respect and
trustworthiness. Educate them on how to be a good citizen and humanitarian.
Prepare them for future responsibilities and adulthood. Create for them a
balanced, harmonious, happy, healthy lifestyle.

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Table of Contents
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………….. II
Preface………………………………………………………………………………………………... III
Is Your Child Too Busy……………………………………………………………………..…6
Assisting a Child with Learning Disabilities-ADD/ADHD………….10
Teach Children to Value Their Possessions………………………………….18
Hold Kids Responsible and Accountable For Their Space…………21
Create an Eco-System for Your Child’s Success……………………….24
It’s Family Team Effort…………………………………………………………………….25
Implement Systems and Processes……………………………………………..…28
TEACH - Train, Encourage, Achieve, Cultivate, Hum…………….34
Allow Them to Ask Questions………………………………………………………….39
Congratulations!..................................................42

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Is Your Child Too Busy?
Do your kids complain that they are too busy? Do the parents complain because
their kids are too busy? Some kids have too much to do and not enough time to do
it. It’s hard to determine if it's due to parental pushing or kids trying to compete
with their peers.
Whatever the reason, one thing's for sure — something has got to give.
Why Are Your Kids So Busy?
Some parents feel it's more productive to keep their kids constantly occupied
rather than leave free time for playing, exploring, and learning on their own. They
might also feel that their kids will miss out on key experiences if they aren't
participating with other kids.
Usually parents just want what is best for their kids. Intentions are good but kids
can be overscheduled and overwhelmed. The pressure to participate in a handful
of activities all at one time can be physically and emotionally exhausting for
parents and kids alike.

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Signs That Kids Are Burning Out
Sooner or later, kids who are too busy will begin to show signs.
They may feel tired, anxious, or depressed. They complain of headaches or
stomach aches, which may be due to stress. Missed meals or lack of sleep may be a
sign as well. Falling behind in their schoolwork, causing their grades to drop may
occur.
Overscheduling can also take a toll on kid’s friendships and social lives. Family life
can suffer when parents are driving each child to a different activity. As a result,
some families rarely eat dinner together, and may not take the extra time to stay
connected. Consequently, when one area of the family suffers there is a trickle
affect which burns out the whole system.
Tips for Busy Families
Even those parents who try to help their kids cut back on some activities can run
up against coaches who won't tolerate absences and kids who want to keep up with
their friends. However, it's important for parents to step back and make sure
that their kids aren't burning out.
The key is to schedule things in moderation and choose activities with a child's
age, temperament, interests, and abilities in mind.

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Listed are a few simple suggestions:
 Agree on ground rules ahead of time. For instance, allow one sport per
season, or limit two activities to two afternoons or evenings, during the
school week.
 Know how much time is required. For example, know how much time is
allotted between practice lessons. Keep in mind that soccer practice is
twice per week. Will practice be right after school or around dinner time?
Be aware if homework time will suffer and schedule accordingly.
 Keep a calendar to stay organized. Display it on the refrigerator or other
prominent spot so that everybody knows the scheduled events. If you find
an empty space on the calendar, leave it alone! Use that as a rest period.
 If kids sign up for the season of an activity, let them miss one or two
sessions. Sometimes taking the opportunity to hang out on a beautiful day is
more important than going to one more activity.
 Try to balance activities for all of your kids and yourself. It hardly seems
fair to expend time and energy carting one kid to activities. Give equal time
to each child. Also, take time for you to enjoy activities, but also include
family time.

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 Know when to say NO. If your child is already involved in 2 or more
activities, but wants to add an additional activity, discuss dropping one of
the others to make room for the new choice. Reap the most value from the
favorite sport.
 Remember the importance of downtime. Children do need to relax and just
enjoy some downtime to do nothing. Young children can be overly stimulated
and their brains cannot process as fast as an adult. This puts undue stress
and frustration on them. Slow down! Parents need this downtime as well.

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Assisting a Child with Learning Disabilities
(ADD/ADHD)
Every parent with a child having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD,
sometimes called ADD for short), has learned through painful experience that poor
organizational skills come with this type of disorder.
From an early age the tasks of organizing are difficult. This usually is identified
at the early stages of a child’s life. As the child grows up, these symptoms
translate into chronic problems with forgotten or lost homework assignments,
clothing and possessions buried in piles of clutter, and difficulty maintaining any
consistent routines.
All children need structure, but children with ADHD need it more consistently.
Families living with ADHD know that trying to keep such a child organized is a
source of frustration bordering on hopelessness, although there is hope. There
are steps and actions to assist with this type of disorder.
1) The first part in the quest for organization is to help an ADHD child
overcome a natural aversion to it.

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2) The second involves finding the right tools for meeting the specific needs
and goals of the child.
3) The third, and most crucial part of the equation, is making a long-term
family commitment (think months and years, not weeks) to using the required
systems and strategies.
OVERCOMING THE RESISTANCE
Unless a child can see meaningful benefits to becoming organized, the battle is
lost before it even begins. It takes time and effort, and at some point all routines
become boring. This is a low tolerance for children with ADHD.
On the plus side, all children are motivated to succeed. By maintaining an
enthusiastic and encouraging approach to getting organized, and making a child feel
like a participant rather than a victim, there’s a good chance he or she will agree to
at least try it.
Helping an ADHD child cooperate in an activity, identify specific goals that are
important to the child. Begin my asking questions. Ask what items or activities the
child wants to organize. Talk about the problems organization can prevent, and
what benefits will come from it. Monitoring and discussing the frequency of how
often disorganization causes problems, will improve the child's awareness of the
situation and become inspired to change the behavior.

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It’s incredibly important to keep a positive attitude and repeatedly stress the
benefits of being organized. Nagging a child about being disorganized leads to
avoidance behavior. Providing incentives (for example, a larger weekly allowance)
for following the system is great and very motivating for the child.
WINNING THE BATTLE OF
THE MESSY BEDROOM
In the messy bedroom, “clean your room” conversation, much complaining and
arguing takes place. It’s a battle! The goal for managing ADHD children in this
area is to create a system, making it easy for them to find what they need when
they need it. Be realistic in your expectations!
An ADHD child’s room needs to be organized into logical sections. By placing the
bed perpendicular to a wall, rather than against it, the room is divided into halves.
One half of the room can then become the designated area for doing school work
and for school work only.
A second section of the room can be designated as a play
space with storage for toys and hobby materials. A third spot, organized around a
dresser and closet, would be reserved for clothing and getting dressed. Use

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labeled sections dedicated to specific items such as a sock and underwear drawer,
or, a shorts and T-shirt drawer, a sweater drawer, and so on.
The golden rule for maintaining order in a child’s room is that everything has a
place where it belongs. If there’s no room for an item to have its own place, it
belongs in the basement, attic, storage shed or recycling bin—anywhere but the
ADHD child’s room.
THE POWER OF ROUTINES
All children benefit from learning routines to promote consistent behaviors.
Infants and preschoolers are healthier and exhibit better-regulated behavior when
there are predictable routines in the family. For the ADHD child, routines are
indispensable. They make daily activities manageable by allowing a child to focus on
one thing at a time.
Not every activity needs to be, or should be, turned into a routine. The routines
are most important for accomplishing essential tasks and keeping daily life
manageable. Due to symptoms of high distractibility, physical and mental
restlessness, and a low tolerance for boredom and frustration, this places a huge
demand on the child to self-regulate. Completing school assignments on a daily
basis is very difficult and frustrating, so a regular consistent schedule for
homework provides the structure needed to achieve consistent results.
To make a system of organization truly effective, it needs to be viewed as a way
of life. Progress is often slow, frustrating and incremental. Success is measured
in months and years. The work is hard and extremely trying at times. However,
the benefits for a child will last a lifetime.

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HELPING A CHILD MANAGE CLUTTER
 Assign every object in a child’s room a designated “home” location.
 Establish a daily, five or ten minute routine for a child to tidy his or her room,
returning all items to their proper home.
 Every few months, help your child sort and purge unneeded possessions. If
the child uses the item, place them on shelves or in storage bins. If not, then
donate or dispose of it. The less distractions the better and more focused.
 Provide reminders, gentle pushes and supervision, but don’t do the child’s work
for them.
 Be positive and supportive, no criticizing. Staying organized is harder for kids
with ADHD than for most children. Frustration and discouragement are effort
killers.

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THE “GET OUT THE
DOOR” MORNING ROUTINE
 Rise and shine at a set time and head straight for the bathroom.
 Wash face, comb hair, brush teeth, etc.
 Get dressed with the clothing that was picked out the night before.
 Eat a healthy breakfast. No computers or TV while eating.
 Put on a coat and grab the school bag, which should be waiting by the door.
 Be walking out the door at an established time.
THE HOMEWORK ROUTINE
 Since most children with ADHD need a mental break after school, allow at
least 30 minutes to an hour of downtime for playing or watching TV.

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 Establish a regular place and time for doing homework.
 To help with the transition to doing homework, give the child a 10 minute
warning.
 Help the child review the assignment and make sure needed materials are
handy.
 Allow the child short breaks as needed. Getting up and walking around for a
few minutes reduces restlessness and can work wonders in clearing the mind.
(But be watchful and ready to redirect the child’s focus, or answer questions
as needed.)
 Praise the efforts, not just the results. Praise motivates!
 Check the completed work. Criticize or correct gently!
 Gather all assignments and supplies needed for school the next day. Put
everything in the school bag and place it by the front door.
 Do something fun and relaxing together after homework is completed.
THE DINNER ROUTINE
 Whenever possible, schedule a regular family dinner time.

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 Have the child assist in preparing the meal, and cleaning up after, by assigning
age appropriate tasks.
 Keep dinner conversation pleasant. Save discussions about work, school or
family problems for another time.
 Keep the TV off.
THE SCHOOL NIGHT BEDTIME ROUTINE
 Cue the child five or ten minutes before the start of the bedtime routine.
 Turn off the TV or computer. Put away toys.
 Allow the child to have a healthy snack, if hungry.
 Select and lay out all clothing for the next day
 Bathe, brush teeth, put on pajamas and get into bed.
 Read a book together or talk. (The goal is for the child, and the parent, to
unwind from the day.)

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Teach Children to Value Their Possessions
All possessions were well taken care of when your child received them. As time
goes by, the possessions get tossed into the toy box or drawer and never seen
again. This story just might sound familiar to many parents. It is a fact that many
kids don't know about placing value on their possessions. What they know to do is
ask for more or for replacements, if their current toys are broken, or they get
bored with them. Normally, what parents do is show anger towards their kids if
their toys or possessions get lost for the 10th
time, or there is repetitive damage.
Without thinking of consequences the parents remind the kids to be more diligent
and more careful next time.
This kind of discipline technique has been proven to be ineffective for many
generations of parents. Many parents believe that children will always be children
and that most of these parents don't have the conviction of reprimanding their
kids because they've already spared them of guilt. One can't expect children to
show responsibility at a very tender age. However, one shouldn't think that kids
can't be responsible either.
Children will know how to value their possessions if this is taught consistently at a
very young age. This is one very important value to instill in kids. Advertisements

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are focused on children. They will focus on the newest, latest and greatest
updates, more advanced and sophisticated than before. It is unfortunate that
parents spoil their kids by buying more of these fancy toys and gadgets.
It's become a habit of many parents to replace old toys with new ones impromptu,
without even considering if the old can still be repaired or mended.
Action the parents can take:
1) Teaching children to value possessions is not like teaching an adult. Kids will
forget lessons you have taught them in regards to value so be repetitious.
Over time the behavior will improve. Don’t expect instant results!
2) Lead by example. If you don't role model value towards your possessions as a
parent, your kids will mimic this same attitude. Consistently show your kids
neatness and practice in caring for their possessions.
3) Children are very observant, control your impulses. This is one strong force of
learning. Don't be extravagant in your purchases because your kids will think
this is proper behavior. Always justify the need before purchasing anything
that is out of the norm for your spending habits.
3) Teach children to be tidy. Show them there has to be a specific place to
store their possessions. The items should be organized and stored properly.
Don’t organize for them let them attempt to do it themselves. Your

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organizing techniques and theirs may be totally different. Let them do what
works for them.
4) Explaining reasons why you purchase an item will show the child the value of
money. They should know that money is a reward or benefit for working hard.
Explain that it's not always easy to earn money where they can luxuriously
spend. Teach them how to save for future purchases, and no instant
gratification.
5) Hold your child accountable for damaged goods. If kids help pay for
possessions they learn a valuable lesson about valuing what they have. Knowing
this will not allow them to assume that someone else will simply "buy another”.
Explain your actions, but expect your child to help make things right.
6) The value of sharing should be taught to your children. This teaches them
good morals and standards. If they no longer play with a toy or item explain
the value of donating. This will make them realize how fortunate they are and
also realize there are those who are less fortunate.
7) The rules for children in regards to handling their possessions should be clear
right from the day of acquiring. Teaching children to value their possessions
means equating irresponsibility with losing privileges. Explain that if they do
not care for what they have, or tidy up what they have, things will be revoked,
and they will receive no additional items. Discipline is the key.

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Hold Kids Responsible and Accountable For
Their Space
A child's room is their personal haven, their personal space within the household.
It is not only where they sleep, but where they play and live and retreat. It is
important that your child be held responsible for the general state and appearance
of that room. They are the ones using it and messing it up, after all.
Teaching your child to clean their own room at an early age is something that can
be rewarding for you and your child over time as it will also help them gain
important skills. Skills such as cleanliness, organization, structure and systems will
be able to transfer and apply to other tasks in the future. It will help your child
begin to take on responsibility and accountability within the family unit.
Teaching your Child to Clean their Room
It is not enough, as a parent, to simply demand that your child clean their room
and expect them to do it. A dirty, messy bedroom can be overwhelming even when
you know what you are doing, so it is important that you provide your child with
some direction and guidance. Depending on how young your child is, they may even
need a little assistance. Begin early to teach your child habits of responsibility

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when it comes to their space and their belongings. This will instil in them good
habits, cleanliness and routines into their adulthood.
Even a toddler can learn the rule of putting one toy away before taking another
one to play with. If you can instil that concept early then you will be on the right
track. As your child grows engage them in an age appropriate way, in cleaning and
tidying their rooms.
Once they are old enough to maintain their space then hold them responsible for
cleaning their room on a consistent, regular basis. Before you hand over the reins,
take the time to properly teach your child to handle their responsibility. Allow the
room to get good and messy and then walk them through the process of cleaning it.
At the end of the task you'll both feel a sense of accomplishment. Once the task
is completed celebrate with a reward of some type. You want your child to
remember the positive feelings that come with a clean room since you will be asking
them to clean their space regularly from now on.
Learning Lessons of Accountability and Responsibility
Having regular chores can help your child learn to be responsible in small ways.
Make sure that when you decide to ask them to clean their rooms that you hold
them accountable for completing the task. Set a regular deadline for the chores
to be completed and hold your children to that timeframe. In time, they will learn
to meet that deadline without your interference. This will help them to take
control of their space and be responsible for their actions within it.

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Skills learned by regular room cleaning include organization and prioritization-two
very important skills for when they start school and need to manage their
homework responsibilities. These and other simple skills can be taught just by
asking your child to clean their room and expecting them to do it.

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Create an Eco-System for Your Child’s
Success!
Create an environment for your children that is clean, tidy and organized. Their
environment must have rules and habits implemented. This teaches them to be
disciplined and self-controlled. Children should be taught time management skills.
This will help them set priorities and keep them on task. They should feel safe and
secure in their environment, making them feel peaceful, comfortable and calm.
Tidy Environment
Habits
Time Management
Peace/Calm

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It’s A Family Team Effort
Developing good organizational skills is a key ingredient for success in the home
and for the family. Organization affects the entire family system and the entire
family function; this then carries over into the school, social life, personal and
professional life. Systems, processes and structure can be easily implemented in
assisting the family coming together as a team.
Listed are 10 steps to assist the family in creating a team effort in the organizing
and maintaining of the household. These steps will keep the household organized,
orderly, non-chaotic and under control.
1) Use checklists. Be a family that gets into the habit of keeping a "to-do"
list. Use checklists to post assignments, household chores, and reminders
about what activities and events are taking place in the family. Cross the
task off as it is completed, giving a sense of accomplishment.
2) Assign tasks. Each family member should have assigned chores or tasks.
Of course tasks should be age appropriate. Set a time of day and implement
a schedule to accomplish these tasks. 15 minutes before bed time is a good
time to rally up the troops and tidy up the house. Waking up to a tidy home
and space will assure a calm environment and quiet morning.

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3) Designate a space for each item or possession. Every item you own should
have a home or resting place. If it does not then maybe you don’t need it.
Teach your children that if they remove an item from one place and take it
to another; they need to return the item back to its original home. This will
eliminate having to pickup later on.
4) Set a designated study time. Set designated times for your children’s
studying and doing homework. Allow children to unwind after school for a
little while. Even if they don't have homework, the reserved time should be
used to review the day's lessons. Use this time to read for pleasure, or
work on an upcoming project.
5) Keep an organized notebook for each child. Having a notebook or binder can
assist in keeping your child’s school papers, activities and notes in an orderly
fashion. This will help them find things easily and reduce the stress of
trying to find lost papers. Find a central place to keep this notebook so it is
easily accessible when needed.
6) Conduct a weekly cleanup. On the weekend gather up the family and
conduct a cleanup party. Again, make the tasks age appropriate. This helps
prevent things from getting out of hand from the week and the household
becoming overwhelmed. This could be a fun family time if you are creative.
With work come rewards!
7) Create a household schedule. Establish and stick to a regular dinner time
and a regular bedtime. This will help your children fall into a consistent

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pattern of behaviors at home and school. Keeping children on a routine
schedule will assure they are going to school well-rested and not cranky. Try
to limit television watching and computer play to specific periods of time
during the day. A little downtime for these activities is acceptable but keep
them to a minimum as they can be overly stimulating.
8) Keep a master calendar. Keep a large, wall-sized calendar for the household.
List the family's commitments, schedules for extracurricular activities, days
off from school, and major events at home and at school. This will help
family members keep track of each other's activities and avoid scheduling
conflicts.
9) Prepare for the day ahead. Before your children hop into bed they should
review schoolwork and pack their book bags. The next day's clothes should
be laid out with shoes, socks, and accessories. Lunches should be prepared
as well. Doing these tasks will cut down on morning confusion and chaos.
Discuss any last minute concerns.
10) Provide patience and support while you are teaching your children to become
more organized. Help your child develop organizational skills by creating
checklists and schedules, and then taping them to the refrigerator. Gently
remind them and hold them accountable in filling in calendar dates and
keeping papers and materials organized. Most important, set a good
example.

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Implement Systems and Processes
In order for your children to be organized, they must have systems, processes and
techniques in place.
Label drawers identifying to children what is
inside the drawer. This will also show them where
to return the item when finished using it or
wearing it.
Teaching children how to organize their closet
will keep their items neat and easily found.
Items used infrequently should be on the higher
shelves. Items they need to easily access should
be on the lower shelves.

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Listed are a few samples of charts, checklists and worksheets to teach your
children systems and processes in order to stay organized. This will also add fun
and be challenging at the same time. As well, this will empower them, build their
confidence and heighten their self-esteem.
Fun Charts, Checklists, Worksheets and
Puzzles
Daily To Do Chart
Date Time Task Estimated Time
to Complete
12/3/2013 2:00 pm Study spelling 30 minutes

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Goals Chart
Goal Deadline
Read 10 books in one week 1/10/2014
How do I achieve this goal?
Read 2 books per day for a week.
GOALS!!!

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Sample Checklist
Compile a list of tasks to do in the morning and evening. Check off each task
as it is accomplished. This will give your child a sense of accomplishment.
Suggested AM Checklist
- Wake up at 7:00 am
- Make Bed
- Take a bath
- Eat breakfast
- Feed Fido
- Read bible for 15 minutes
- Brush teeth
Suggested PM Checklist
- Eat supper
- Put on PJ’s
- Wash face
- Read over homework
- Ready for bed at 8:00 pm
- Pray
- Brush teeth

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Sample Worksheet
Compile a time record of how your child actually spent their time. Be honest!
Time Activity
7:00-7:30 am
7:30-8:00 am
8:00-8:30 am School
8:30-9:00 am
9:00-9:30 am
9:30-10:00 am
10:00-10:30 am
10:30-11:00 am
11:00-11:30 am
11:30-12:00 noon Lunch
12:00-12:30 pm
12:30-1:00 pm
1:00-1:30 pm
1:30-2:00 pm
2:00-2:30 pm
2:30-3:00 pm
3:00-3:30 pm
3:30-4:00 pm After School
4:00-4:30 pm
4:30-5:00 pm Dinner
5:00-5:30 pm
5:30-6:00 pm
6:00-6:30 pm
6:30-7:00 pm Homework
7:00-7:30 pm
7:30-8:00 pm
8:00-8:30 pm Bed time
8:30-9:00 pm

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A fun puzzle. Challenge your child. Unscramble
the words.
1) crsheo
2) dyti
3) necal
4) ganiroze
5) edwrar
6) rawdre
(Answers at the bottom and no peeking.)
1. 2. 3.
4. 5. 6.
Answer to puzzle:
chores, tidy, clean, organize, reward, drawer

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TEACH
-Train-Encourage-Achieve
Cultivate-Hum
Train your children. Most children learn by
watching, listening and performing. Today’s children are engaged in the media
and other sources that think for them. This is a very passive form of learning and
training. This does not allow them to use their own mind, senses, or body.

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Allowing children to use their own muscles, as well as their unique senses in
play, they develop healthy, strong, and complete neurological connections in
their brains.
Training them and directing them in the areas of organization, arrangement
and structure will develop their muscles and their minds. You might try
puzzles, games, crosswords, color schemes, or building blocks.
Encourage your children to live an organized
lifestyle. Explain the benefits and advantages of living this type of life. Your
actions will encourage your child. Encourage them to do and be the best they can.
They will not always do things properly from the start, so don’t expect too much
too soon.
If you educate, encourage, and empower your child in establishing routines, habits
and structures, not only will they grow, but this will trickle into your life as well.
From the time your child is old enough to understand the world around them, your
job is to set them up for success. Giving your child the encouragement they need,
you are setting them up for success, strength, and spirit. Continually guide them in
the right direction.

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Achieve It is very important that you instill the
right mindset in your children. If the mindset is of achievement, then so shall it
be. Help your child to achieve their very best in life. Achievement in your child’s
life rewards them with high self-esteem, confidence and a sense of worthiness.
Focus on their strengths and encourage them in these areas. Acknowledge them
when they improve or accomplish a task. Give praise when there is an opportunity.
This will motivate them towards achievement.
Take an interest in what your children are doing and learning. If they sense you
think something is important, they will think so as well. Empower them by listening
tentatively when they express a concern, no arguing or judging. If you give them
this attention at home, they will be more apt to be an achiever in the classroom.
Cultivate Cultivate an interest in organization
in their lives. If your child has a particular interest, encourage them to create and
organize whatever the interest happens to be. It can be something easy and free
such as rocks or a stamp collection. This will teach them to sort, classify, and
arrange.

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Cultivate ways to develop your child’s organizational skills such as assigning chores
that involve sorting and categorizing. Introduce checklists as this will help them
develop their ability to strategize tasks and organize their time.
Focus on ONE task at a time! Think of how hard it is to change one of your habits.
If you try to change too many things at once, success is elusive. Identify one or
two behaviors and focus on those first. Then build on those as they are cemented
in.
Your child may find organizing a challenge, so give them a prize for a job well done!
Reward and provide support with organizational tasks.
Hum and dance with your children. Yes, I said hum,
sing and dance when doing chores or unpleasant tasks. Make cleaning and
organizing a fun task. Singing, dancing and acting silly will make the tasks less
tedious, boring and monotonous.
Music in children’s ears makes them happy and joyful. Play their favorite upbeat
and happy music. Sing and dance around even if they don’t know the words. The
adrenalin will surely start to flow. The important thing is to have fun!
Laughter is a great way to make your organizing and cleaning projects more fun as
well. There are many health benefits as a result of laughter such as decreasing

38
stress and frustration. Everyone's mood will be altered by laughter and it is
definitely good medicine.
Make organizing and cleaning a team effort. Recruit the entire family and get
them on board. This causes a family bond to form in a positive way. Everyone is
engaged in laughter, fun and just having a good ole time together.

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Allow Kids to Ask Questions
When teaching and assisting your children with organizing there may be
differences in techniques, ideas and learning styles. Be open and receptive to
their ideas. Allowing your child to participate, give opinions and ask questions
validates their ideas and feelings. This lets them know that what they say or do
is important and has value. Don’t let the organizing and cleaning sessions be one
sided, hear them out and REALLY listen. Give your child freedom to express
themselves as this space is theirs and this is where they spend most of their
time. Questions or concerns they may have may sound something like this:
Question: My mom is really messy yet she tells me to clean my room. This makes
me angry. What should I do?
Answer: Since your mom is messy maybe you can combine efforts and work
together to clean the house. You can find techniques that work for both of you.
Maybe you could drop subtle hints that an organizing book may be helpful for the
two of you, such as this eBook. The important thing is that you get organized.

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Question: When I clean my room my mom and dad say it is still messy. How do I
explain that it is really clean?
Answer: Maybe your room really is messy. Have your parents make a checklist of
what they consider clean. When you do clean your room, make the noted
adjustments and check them off your list. Perhaps you can strike a deal as to
what is or is not messy.
Question: What do I do? I have posters on my wall that my parents to do not
care for. I love them.
Answer: Explain to your parents that as you get older you would like to have
posters that are YOU, and are acceptable and not offensive. Ask them what the
real issue is with these posters. Are there too many? Are they ruining the walls?
Are they off-color? As long as the room is neat the posters should be
acceptable.
Question: My parents don’t allow me to do anything at home. I feel left out. I
want to participate in family cleaning activities. They tell me I am too young.
What should I do?
Answer: Tell them you feel left out and want to do more. Pick a chore that you
know you can tackle and suggest that they let you do it. You can also volunteer to
help them with a chore and this will help you to learn.

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Question: What do I do, I share a room with my messy brother?
Answer: Age appropriate, teach them how to put things back when they are
finished playing with their things. Tell them how you feel about the mess they
make. You may need to remind them a few times. Make room rules and agree on
things that can and cannot be done in your room. Maybe they can find other
places to play.
Question: My mom forgets to sign my notes for school, and she
also gets angry at me when I ask for money for lunch or school trips. What
should I do?
Answer: You should leave forms and reminder notes where your mom can see
them. Designate a specific area where these things can be placed and where she
can easily see them. You can also purchase a special vertical file for placement of
these forms. As far as the money issue, if you know in advance how much you will
need, ask her immediately, allowing for a “heads-up”.
Question: I have no room to put anything in my room. What can I do?
Answer: Move things from your room that are not special or you do not use. Look
for options of hanging things on walls or doors. You may also use under-the-bed
storage bins where they will slip in and out easily. Most importantly, go through
your things to see if there is anything that can be sold or donated.

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CONGRATULATIONS!
You have just learned “The Kid’s Approach to Getting Organized.” I hope these
skills and techniques will facilitate in the growth, accomplishment, and knowledge
of your children living and maintaining an organized lifestyle.
I took great pleasure in writing this eBook and my hope is that you have fun
utilizing it in your own family.
After all their Future
IS in your hands!
Please contact me for additional information, or with questions or concerns. I look
forward to assisting you and your household with your organizing needs.

The Kid's Approach to Getting Organized!

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