Age Appropriate Ways to Get Kids Organizing

KIDS CAN ORGANIZE (say it louder for the people in the back)! When I share pictures of my kids helping with dishes or packing their lunches, people always seem to think it’s just a setup for the picture. But it’s NOT. I’ve been involving my kids in organizing and clean-up since they could walk. Just the other day my friend sent me a text with a picture of her 3-year-old helping to put away dishes with the caption “just trying to be like the Boerger boys!” This shouldn’t be the exception, it should be the rule.  I always say we can implement systems that will help organize your home, but getting your whole family on board will help maintain the systems we set up.

Some tips before we get started:

• As with all things parenting, patience is key.
• Be consistent and start small. Start with one routine and make that a habit before starting more.
• Keep storage simple and at kid-level (more on this later).
• Have realistic expectations. It may not be done perfectly every time and that’s ok!

Toddler, Pre-School, Kindergarten

Start them young! As soon as your kids can really play with toys, they can also assist in cleaning up. There are a few ways to encourage this:

• Keep organization simple. Labels are key to this. For you, clearly label bins but the trick is to not make them specific enough that they are hard to maintain. For kids this young, picture labels are ideal so they know what should go in each bin. This also works great for their closets and dressers. Keep storage at kid-level. For example, if they are helping unload the dishwasher or set the table, keep their dishes in a low drawer or cabinet so they can reach them and put them away.
• Make it fun. If your kids are resistant, add a little fun through a song or game! Kids these days are obsessed with CoComelon, turn on The Cleanup Song and tell them they can find and put away the toys the song says or for however long the song is. Turn it into a game or challenge: the first one to pick up 10 items wins! Or throw the blocks into the basket like a basketball, the one with the most baskets wins!
• Learn as you go. You will figure out what works for your child and adjust accordingly but you can also help your child learn and organize! “Find all of the red cars and put them in the bin.”

Specific activities for toddlers/pre-school, kindergarten:

• • toy cleanup
  • putting laundry away
  • putting their dishes in the sink after eating and helping to put clean dishes away
  • hanging up their coats and backpacks and putting away shoes

School-Age

As kids get older, we want to keep building on what we’ve established when they were younger and clearly establish routines. Ideally, we are fostering independence and the idea of contributing to an organized home. There are a few ways to encourage this:

• Create routines. Asking your children to make their beds each morning or lay out their school clothes the night before creates less work for the parent and encourages independence in school-aged kids.
• Set expectations. Expect your children to pick up after themselves, whether it’s putting markers and art supplies away after coloring, picking up toys, or parking their bike where it belongs in the garage.
• Encourage independence. A great way to engage kids is to ask for their help while packing lunches.  Having a well-thought-out lunch packing system in the kitchen and pantry make school lunches a breeze to prepare.  You can also involve kids in decision-making about what art projects or school work to keep.

Specific activities for school-age:

• • setting out their clothes for the next day
  • making their bed in the morning
  • helping to put groceries away including unboxing/decanting
  • keeping their room tidy
  • picking up after themselves
  • cleaning the dishes and loading them into the dishwasher
  • helping to pack their lunches (picking their fruit or snack)

Middle School & High School

Your kids should be pros by now with the foundation you’ve set up for them! In addition to all of the previously noted activities, they should be encouraged to take on more independently.

Specific activities for middle school & high school:

• sorting and folding laundry (and hopefully washing as well!)
• independently packing lunch
• keeping a planner and organizing their school calendar and activities
• putting school paperwork in the appropriate place

Our ultimate goal is to create routines from a young age that will ultimately simplify your daily routine, keep your home organized, and set your kids up for success! If any of these suggestions work for you or you have other ideas, we would love to hear them! Leave a comment below.