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Blog: Can We Have Some Order Here?
 15-Minute Organizing Ideas -- With Kids
One of the biggest roadblocks my clients face in trying to get (and keep) their children organized is scheduling -- finding the time to clean out toys they no longer play with, keep their school supplies in order, and shovel through the messes that accumulate in their bedrooms. Big blocks of time are hard to find, so you're better off breaking your kid-organizing into tasks that can be completed in 15 minutes or less. Think that's impossible? Let me show you how it's done!
A Faster Way To Get Kids Organized
Contrary to popular belief children were not put on this planet to perpetuate chaos -- hell-bent on undoing your housework and leaving piles of clutter trailing behind them. Kids actually thrive on order, but it's not something they can easily maintain until you teach them how -- and children have short attention spans, so you can't expect a 6-year-old to stay focused as long as an adult might. You'll get a better response (and your children will experience a greater sense of achievement) if you ask your kids to complete just one small task at a time -- something concrete and specific. With the right action plan, there will be no misunderstanding about what you expect from your offspring, and your kids will soon be picking up after themselves without you even asking! Have your kids:
- sit down with you to draw up a chore chart for the week
- help prepare a week's worth of packed lunch "basics" (veggies, cookies, crackers, fruit, etc.)
- collect up all their scattered pairs of shoes and coats to put away in their closets
- go around the house, gathering their stray toys from each room into a basket
- put away any games or toys as soon as play time is over
- sort their dirty clothes into "whites," "colors," and "darks" on laundry day
- put away their newly cleaned laundry
- clean out all the broken crayons and used-up paint in their art supplies
- go through their school supplies and clean out anything they no longer use in class
- label each of their drawers with a picture of what's stored inside (shirts, pants, undies, socks, etc.)
- sort their craft paraphernalia into separate tubs (for beads, glitter, markers, construction paper, etc.)
- pull out any toys that are too childish for them to donate
- try on last year's school clothes and get rid of what no longer fits
- go through their art papers and pick only those favorites to hang or put in a scrapbook
- go through their school papers and pick only those favorites to keep as memorabilia
- choose their school outfits for the next week
- gather up everything they need for school the next day and sit it by the front door
- group their books together by author or type (coloring, picture, story, etc.)
- put all their CDs, DVDs, and software discs back in the correct cases
- sort their sports equipment into containers according to the game and label with pictures
See how easy that was?
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posted on: 12/1/2011 11:30:00 AM by Ramona Creel
category: General Organizing Tips
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Can We Have Some Order Here?
by Ramona Creel
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About Ramona:
I have been a Professional Organizer for more than 10 years, I am a NAPO Golden Circle member, and I was the original founder of OnlineOrganizing. I have worked one-on-one with scores of clients and have trained dozens of newbie organizers as they got started in the industry. I provide both hands-on and virtual coaching to help clients improve their organizing skills and simplify their lives. I invite you to visit my website at http://www.RamonaCreel.com, and I challenge you to find one new idea that you can put into practice in your life, to help you become better organized, starting TODAY! I am passionate about coaching folks toward a more balanced, productive, and enjoyable life -- and I firmly believe that if I can do it, so can you!
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