Book Review: How To Organize Your Kid's Room
by Ramona Creel

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? Sarting / 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 a Professional Organizer and the founder of OnlineOrganizing.com -- a web-based one-stop shop offering everything that you need to get organized at home or at work. At OnlineOrganizing.com, you may get a referral to an organizer near you, shop for the latest organizing products, get tons of free tips, and even learn how to become a professional organizer or build your existing organizing business. And if you would like to read more articles about organizing your life or building your business, get a free subscription to the "Get Organized" and "Organized For A Living" newsletters. Please visit www.onlineorganizing.com or contact Ramona directly at ramona@onlineorganizing.com for more information.

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