Are you looking for ways to keep your kids’ stuff organized? If you’re tired of finding toys in every drawer or constantly hounding your kids to clean their rooms, then you’re in the right place.
Families are great but talk to any parent, and they’ll tell you about the struggle to stay organized. Kids love “things.” Just take them to Target or some other store, and most kids will beg you endlessly for toys, markers, or some other trinket. They act like getting that one thing is life or death, no matter what it is. The problem is, they usually play with something once or twice, and then it ends up in a pile with the rest of the Legos or Barbie toys you’ve collected over the years.
Staying organized makes it easier for your kids to stay clean, and you’ll get more use out of the money you spend buying things for them. Instead of screaming at them to just “clean up!” they will have a system in place and know what to do when it’s time for their chores.
Here are some fantastic ways to keep your kids organized with effective storage solutions available to everyone.
1. Use the Space Under the Bed
Beds in kids’ rooms are often underutilized. It’s either an empty space or a messy catch-all for everything they don’t want to pick up. Instead, you can use the space under the bed as a terrific storage spot. Buy some clear plastic storage bins. Usually, you can find some with wheels that slide in and out or stack easily.
2. Use Labels!
Whether it’s those plastic storage bins or shelves in the closet, using labels is helpful for everyone. Once a kid can read, they can decipher labels and know where to put things when it’s time to stay organized. They can have a space for shoes, hair products, coats, toys, and whatever else is cluttering up their rooms. You can buy a custom label maker or just use something like masking tape with a marker. It all depends on how much time you want to use and how visible the storage is.
3. Consider a Storage Unit for Seasonal Items
One of the challenges of staying organized as a kid is that you’re often limited to smaller spaces. They don’t get to decide what goes in the basement or the garage. A lot of families have considerable organizing success by renting a storage facility to keep seasonal items like winter clothes. It gets the stuff out of the house, which means there is less to organize. You could even store winter toys, bikes, and scooters, along with other things your kids don’t use all year. Just pop over to the unit when you need them and change them out for something else you can stow away for a while.
4. Purge Regularly to Get Rid of Stuff
Kids accumulate things and then grow out of them. Eventually, you’re going to have a child with clothes, toys, books, and other stuff they are too old or mature for. It’s time to get rid of that stuff! You can always donate them or pass them along to a friend with younger kids. But if not, don’t be afraid to just throw it all away! It might be hard to let go, but you’ll feel so much better once you’re through.
5. Door Racks Are a Big Help
Does your kid have a lot of shoes? There are racks that hang on the back of the door, with room for a ton of shoes. It’s a great, discreet way to manage storage and stay organized. They’re affordable and easy to find only or at your local home goods store.
6. Chore Charts Work
Staying organized isn’t all about stuff. A routine is a big part of the structure that kids need to feel productive and learn responsibility. You can DIY a home chore chart or buy one of a million charts online that outline what they need to do before school, when they come home, and on the weekends. For most kids, staying organized is a habit you need to develop. They’ll resist initially, but once they get in the routine, work will become automatic.
7. Build a Shared Family Calendar
It might not work for little kids, but as you kids get older, schedules need to sync to make things run smoothly. Build a free online family calendar through your phones and other devices where you and your kids can create and edit events. This will help you know who needs to be where and manage all of the logistics of sports, clubs, jobs, and other kid commitments.
8. Do Things On Time
It may not seem like a big deal, but kids love routines. They like knowing that breakfast is a family thing on the weekend or that chores must be done before playtime after school. Create a routine and stick to it. Have dinner at roughly the same time every evening. Do chores all together as a family on Saturday morning. It will help you keep things organized, and children feel more secure when they know what to expect.
9. Trust But Verify
Most parents want to help their kids become more independent. It’s nice when your kids start telling you what time soccer practice is on Thursday. Just remember that they’re new to this. They may not always get it right. Just in case, make sure to connect with their teachers, coaches, and other people to stay on top of their schedules. The last thing you want is that end-of-semester freak-out when you realize they’re way behind on their schoolwork. Follow up with their commitments and stay up to date as much as possible.
10. Reward Good Behavior
Children, like adults, respond best to positive reinforcement. When your child does the right thing, even if you had to ask them a million times, tell them that you’re proud of them and that you know they can stay organized. Help them keep up the good work, whether it’s picking up their toys or getting good grades at school. They’ll come to recognize that certain behaviors (in this case, staying organized) is the way to unlock compliments and other forms of praise.
11. Don’t Wait Until Morning
Mornings are usually rushed when you have kids. When you’re trying to get to school or drop the kids off before you head to work, there is not much wiggle room for forgotten chores or missed assignments. Ideally, all of that stuff will happen at night before bed, so mornings are less stressful.
After dinner, you can check in with your kids to make sure they’re doing their homework, the bag is packed, lunches are ready, and all other chores are complete. Then, you and the kids will go to bed relaxed, knowing everything is sorted for the next day. Then, all you have to do is grab things on the way out the door.
Keeping kids organized will help them focus better, do well in school, and feel confident knowing everything is in its place. With kids, the challenge of staying organized is multi-faceted. It would be best to keep stuff organized and track things on a schedule. It takes time and commitment on your part to see that they develop the habits now that will make them successful in the future. Keep at it, and eventually, everyone will get it!
Armor Storage | 517 E. Industrial Blvd. Pueblo West, Colorado 81007 United States
If you’re looking for a storage facility to store your belongings, Armor Storage has got you covered in this department. Here at Armor Storage, we offer a wide range of unit selections and top-notch security. To learn more about our self-storage facility, please check out our website at http://armor-storage.com/.