organization

5 ways to help get your kids organized

Before we begin, decide what you want to organize. I don’t know about your kids, but my kids are notorious for never putting things where they belong and then cry they can’t find that one special toy! My kids function best on routine. So this is strictly from my experience. 

• Our oldest is one who takes her time. Always.  Almost to the point, I’m ready to just do whatever task she’s doing to just hurry up the process. But I do not. If I did that I would not be helping her learn to do this on her own.
• Our second is very obedient and rarely takes his time to do what he needs to do.  He is usually one that will run at “super sonic speed” to show how fast he can do the task he’s been given.  
• Third kiddo lives in her own world and is usually the one that ends up in time out for not listening. She needs a lot of work.
• Forth babe is walking and traveling EVERYWHERE, but is learning to put things back where they belong.

Routine. So as little people are supposed to be, they are their own people. They have their challenges. They need help to figure out what they need to do in their routine efficiently.  The most important thing we need to do as parents to be patient.  Sometimes it is absurdly difficult… especially when we are in a hurry.  As mom, we tend to be in control of all things the kids need wherever we are going. We’ve gotta think about the “what ifs” and almost always run in for the “oooh I almost forgot; I need xyz…” 

1. Regarding school…Create a routine. Same thing every day in the same order. This list pertains to kids physically attending school.
   1. Wake up at 7 am. Go to the restroom. Brush teeth. Get dressed. Get shoes on. Sit down for breakfast. Grab the bag and out the door. 
   2. Get them home and have them do the following: Empty their lunch box and pack their snacks for the next day. {I want to pause here to say you need to show them what snacks are appropriate. Taking some Halloween candy from last year and crackers aren’t the best, although tempting.   Try to make sure they are getting nutritionally good snacks like organic apples, oranges, carrots, or bell peppers. Make time for this. It is crucial to establish responsibility, but most importantly to establish good eating habits.}
   3. Have them change their clothes.  The majority of germs coming home will be on their clothes so it is important to change it out. After they change, have them prep clothes for school tomorrow. Trust me. It saves time, especially with snoozing alarms in the morning. 
   4. Have them do their homework, if any.
   5. Let them play while prepping dinner and then shower before bed. The majority of the time, a shower or bath will help my kiddos relax and help them rest well. You can also use this time to have them help you in the kitchen. 
      1. Have them help set the table with utensils, napkins, and plates
      2. Get drinks pulled out for everyone
      3. Wash dishes so it isn’t that many to wash later on
   6. We let the kids sleep in on Saturday unless we are going to go do something with them. Use it as their rest day. They are growing and need that time to rest. Sundays are our church day and get up early, although it is not as early as weekdays.

Toys.  Toys can be great things to help your kids establish developmental skills and it can be a great time for building their imagination.   Toys can also be a hindrance because they have collected so much over the years. Occasionally, it is okay to get a few trash bags of toys to donate while they visit grandparents for the weekend.   Other times it is best to have them sort through what they are willing to give away and help them understand helping others is a great way to be used as God intended.

1. So we have already established weeding out the problem, let’s discuss how to keep it organized.
   1. If you have a bookshelf, go to Dollar Tree to get some of the plastic bins, and label them with a permanent marker. You could even buy stickers to have them put on the box to help them remember what goes inside {Dinosaur stickers for the dinosaur box}. 
   2. Have them help you organize instead of doing it while they are gone.  If you get them involved hands-on, it really helps them know how things should flow in the room.
   3. Make sure everything has a place and once they get it out, have them get in the routine of putting it back where they got it before getting something else.

Books. Do your kids like books? Mine love books and it seems like everyone outside our family knows that because we tend to get plastic bins full of books at a time.  Needless to say- we’ve learned to weed out those too and switch them out with boxes in the shed, so the books are rotating amongst the kids as they grow.

Clothes. I have 2 girls who love to dress up.  We have been blessed with friends who have passed on their clothes to our girls. I have never had to buy any clothes for them.  They go through phases. One whole week one will only want dresses and the next week she will want shorts and a T-shirt.  They both love to dress themselves and change at least twice before going anywhere {p.s. Just because you tried on a shirt and didn’t like how the colors didn’t match with your cute skirt does not mean it is dirty and should thus be put back where ya found it}.  

1. Clothes are fun but they need a place to be
   1. I tend to hang the dresses up and anything that is considered “Sunday best.”  Everything else gets a place in the drawer of their dresser.  We do not have much space in this department so whatever works for your family.  We tend to try to keep their collection of clothes to a minimum, but sometimes that is difficult.  Take time every quarter of the year to see what they have outgrown or what they just “do not like anymore.”  It helps keep it organized and not overflowing the drawers.
   2. Once laundry is done, have them help fold the clothes- teach them how to do this. No, it will not be perfect and yes, it could take a while for them to catch on, but it will be worth the outcome.  Have them put their clothes away and learn that responsibility. 

Shoes. They grow sooooooo much in their first years that it is a bit ridiculous to buy anything new.   They get new shoes for their birthdays and Christmas from grandparents and when I forget to keep up with how their shoes are fitting.  Our oldest has their second toe growing in a different direction than the others.  I seriously think it is because I left her in shoes that were too small for her feet too long. I cannot stress this enough- take the time. 

1. Shoes are fun, but do we need that many?
   1. With 3 of our 4 in shoes we need to keep the collection to a minimum. Have a goal to have 2 good tennis shoes for school, dress shoes for church and special occasions, 1 pair of sandals, a pair of tennis you don’t mind them destroying when playing outside while home, and maybe some rain boots if you get a lot of rain. That is it. No more. Maybe less if you do not need that.

I pray this is a blessing to you and that you can apply some of my tricks to your routine. I would love your feedback and anything that works for you! I am always looking to learn from other mamas! 😊 

Love in Christ, 

Sara Gama