'how
to organize your kid's room' -
book review
by Ramona Creel of OnlineOrganizing.com
Keeping your kid's room in order can seem like an insurmountable
task. You put things away, and they just end up in a pile on the
floor again. You set up systems, and they become unused over time.
You create a neat environment, and it just gets torn apart. You
could spend your life cleaning, straightening, and tidying your
child's room -- and never see any improvement. What is a parent
to do?
The hard part for most parents is understanding that there is a
difference between "neat" and "organized." Many people just want
to be able to walk through the house without stepping on Barbie
shoes, toy soldiers, and library books. But your children do not
learn valuable organizing skills when you simply straighten their
rooms for them. The trick to helping your kids get organized is
to involve them in the process -- organizing WITH them rather than
FOR them. This means working together, explaining the logic behind
the systems you set up, and letting your kids have a hand in deciding
where things should be stored.
But, creating an orderly environment with your children is easier
than ever -- thanks to Susan Isaacs's wonderful book entitled "How
To Organize Your Kid's Room." She suggests that parents must look
at kids' rooms in a new way -- one that matches their schedules,
activities, and lifestyles. Kids have more "stuff" than ever before,
they play inside more than out, most have their own rooms, few have
a stay-at-home parent, and they all live very fast-paced lives.
It's important that you take these SOCIETAL FACTORS into account
when designing the right systems for your kid's room. And Susan
Isaacs can show you how -- it's like having your own personal "kid-friendly"
Professional Organizer at your disposal!
CREATING A PROFILE
The first step to creating an organized environment for your child
is understanding his or her needs. Organizing is a very personal
activity -- and if any system is going to work (for a child or an
adult), it must be CUSTOMIZED. Children can learn to be organized,
as long as the methods and materials suit their personalities and
abilities. Susan Isaacs suggests asking the following questions
about your child's habits before beginning:
- WHAT ARE YOUR CHILD'S INTERESTS?
What activities does he currently enjoy? What is he losing interest
in?
- HOW ARE YOUR CHILD'S PATTERNS CHANGING?
Starting / finishing a school year? Moving away from toys? Toward
adult activities?
- WHAT KIND OF PERSONALITY DOES YOUR CHILD HAVE?
Introverted? Extroverted? Laid-back? Tense? Easy-to-please? Difficult?
- WHAT DOES YOUR CHILD'S SCHEDULE LOOK LIKE?
Lots of activities? Not much free-time? School? Extra-curricular
activities?
- WHAT IS YOUR CHILD'S ABILITY LEVEL?
Can he open drawers? Reach the closet rod? Read? Understand categorizing?
- WHAT ARE YOUR CHILD'S SOCIAL HABITS?
Lots of friends over to visit? More time visiting friends? Socially
active? Loner?
- WHAT HABITS HAS YOUR CHILD DEVELOPED?
Throwing clothes on the floor? Picking up before bed? Collecting
Beanie Babies?
- WHAT ARE YOUR CHILD'S PRIORITIES?
Spend less time cleaning? Have a big space to play? Be able to reach
everything?
As Susan points out, once you identify your child's behaviors, attitudes,
habits, and way of maneuvering through the world, you are more likely
to create systems that "synch" with these behaviors -- and more
likely to make lasting organizational changes with your child.
DEVELOPING CENTERS
One constant in organizing kids' rooms is the creation of centers
-- setting up distinct areas within a child's space for each kind
of daily activity. If you've ever sent your child to a Montessori
school, you will recognize this concept as a great way to teach
kids how to categorize objects, supplies, and activities. And this
ability is the basis for developing good organizing skills later
in life, as an adult.
Susan suggests breaking your child's room into four areas. The GROOMING
area would be centered near the closet and contain the dresser,
a hamper, and any additional grooming supplies (hairbrush, accessories,
etc.) The PLAY area might contain games, active toys, and a large
floor space or table space to spread out. Your child's REST area
should be free from "stimulating" activities (busy or noisy games,
the TV, etc.) You might want to put bedtime story books on the nightstand
and a soft light nearby -- whatever your child associates with relaxing
and winding down for the night. And finally, the WORK area will
contain a desk or table, office and art supplies, a good light,
and perhaps a bookshelf or computer (as you see fit).
You might also decide to set up other more specialized centers for
your child as you see fit -- a "reading" center (with a lamp, bookshelf,
and a comfy chair), a "dress-up" center (with costumes and props
and a big mirror), or an "art" center (with crayons, paper, paint,
clay, and a big drop-cloth for making a mess!)
DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS
The final task in helping your child create develop good organizing
skills is understanding his or her abilities and skill level. Nothing
frustrates a child more than being given a task or responsibility
that is beyond what he or she can handle -- intellectually, emotionally,
or physically. Susan Isaacs points out that you must design your
systems that take your child's size, strength, and mental faculties
into account if you ever hope for your organizing efforts to succeed.
And she illustrates her point beautifully with proven and appropriate
organizing methods for each age group. For example, TODDLERS (age
1-3) operate according to the belief that out of sight equals out
of mind -- so you must use open containers and exposed shelving
if you expect them to put things away where they belong. PRESCHOOL
(age 3-5) kids are ready to start dressing themselves, but have
a hard time manipulating drawers and reaching high closet rods --
so low rods and open crates are best for them. SCHOOL-AGE (6-11)
kids know how to read -- so labeling shelves and containers is a
good method for making sure their belongings end up back in the
proper home. And ADOLESCENTS (age 11-17) can be made responsible
for more complex organizing jobs -- like cleaning out their closets
and deciding which clothes / toys / books to donate to charity.
By customizing your organizing efforts to your child's developmental
level, you are one step closer to success!
Ramona
Creel is the founder of OnlineOrganizing.com
-- offering "a world of organizing solutions!"
Visit OnlineOrganizing.com
for organizing products, free tips, a speakers bureau -- and even
get a referral for a Professional Organizer near you. And if you
are interested in becoming a Professional Organizer, we have all
the tools you need to succeed. (Copyright 2000, Ramona Creel)
