Teach Your Kids a Valuable Life Skill: Organization

I once saw a bumper sticker that really made me giggle; it read “Organized people are just too lazy to look for things.”

I thought this was funny and partially true. I think I am a pretty organized person and I definitely do not like to spend time looking for things, especially daily necessities like keys, glasses and cell phones.

However, I don’t like looking for things, not because I am lazy, but because I simply don’t like wasting time. 

Over the years I've learned that some people, by nature, are more organized than others. Setting up a system or creating a “home” for everything comes easily to me. Being organized helps me function better as a person and as a mom. It really never dawned on me how important this little skill or trait was, until I became a school counselor, that is. 

Organization is an important life skill. Statistics tell us that organized people are more successful, have higher self-esteem and are ultimately happier. I am not sure if all those points are true, but one point I can attest to is, kids who are more organized do better academically. 

As a school counselor, I saw that confirmed time and time again. In fact, I spent a great deal of time as a high school counselor helping kids and parents to be more organized academically. Unfortunately, by high school, it was harder for kids to be taught new techniques and break old habits. So I say, start young and start today.

For a few kids organization can come easier, but for most, this important skill is learned over time through modeled behavior and trial and error. With some help and practice, kids can develop an effective approach to getting stuff done and become more self sufficient.  

So, if you are tired of lost lunch boxes and misplaced jackets and baffled by why your child spends hours doing homework, only to forget to turn it in the following day, then some of these tips may just help you help your child. 

Keep in mind, there is no right system – every family functions differently, but consistency and structure are proven to work best for everyone. Find that certain system that works for you and your family and make school days easier and less stressful and put an end to the nagging and shouting about lost items and you and your child can have a happier, more relaxed relationship.

Here are five simple tips to help your child become more academically organized:

1. Make a list and check it twice: This technique isn’t just good for Santa Claus, it can useful for everyone. 

Last year, my son started forgetting his lunch box; it wasn’t every day, but it was enough for me to see he needed an organizational strategy to help remember his lunch box as well as other items. So, we decided to set up a coming home checklist. We called it the “5 Finger Checklist.” There was one item for each finger on a hand. Once he made sure those five things were packed up, he was good to go. 

This system worked for him and he adapted quickly. Sure, from time to time I had to remind him to check again before leaving school, but after a few weeks, he no longer forgot any of his “5 Finger Checklist” items.

2. Give homework a home: This is a good habit to start as early as Kindergarten. If you haven’t done so already, this tip is quick and easy to implement.

Try and establish a “working” spot. It doesn’t have to be a desk, especially during elementary school ages. I found that often times my kids need help or have questions during homework and so for my family, having them sit at the kitchen table makes this task more efficient and easier for all of us. 

When the homework comes out, so do our makeshift desk items. I find keeping items needed to complete daily homework assignments handy allows my kid to work more independently.

I use an art caddy I got at Target, but you can use anything like a shoebox or an old Tupperware bin to hold your goodies. Filling this “caddy” with homework necessities like binder paper, pens, pencils, erasers, glue, a ruler, scissors and even a stapler can help turn a kitchen table into an instant desk. Once homework time is over, I just put the caddy away until tomorrow. I save tons of time looking and gathering these necessities on a daily basis. 

Finally, remember to have your student put everything back into the proper folders and back into their backpacks as soon as they finish their assignments.  This way no one is scrambling to find completed homework and notebooks the following morning. For my family, these simple steps help make the homework task run smoothly.

3. Pick out clothes the night before school: This can save tons of time in the morning and even help with before school battles. 

With two girls, I had to start this rule as soon as I saw my older daughter deciding to switch outfits five minutes before we were leaving on morning. In fact, most weeks we pick out a few different outfits — enough to cover the entire week if possible.

This seeming less preparation helps me make sure desired items are washed and ready to wear and special dress days, like PE are not overlooked. I found this to also be helpful with our ever-changing weather patterns. If it turns out to be a colder morning than expected, they just grab one of the other outfits for later in the week. New substitutions can always be added after school if necessary.

We go as far as even setting out underwear, socks and selecting which shoes to wear for each outfit. This saves us oodles of time every morning and we certainly do not miss the morning arguments over what to wear each day. 

4. Set up a “base camp”: You may not be climbing the Himalayas every morning, but it can sure feel that way when you are searching and scrambling to find daily school necessities like backpacks, library books and musical instruments.

Instead of leaving these items all over the house and then rushing to find them five minutes before you leave each morning, try setting up an old laundry basket in a downstairs closet to act as a locker for school things. Place all the school stuff needed throughout the week in this bin as soon as it is unloaded or completed. 

Having a central location or “base camp” to keep school gear in is a big time saver and helps make the morning rush a bit less chaotic. 

5. Keep a “What’s Happening Today” chart: I’m not talking about the crazy, confusing calendar filled with weird shapes and symbols the school districts send out. I’m talking about a simple grid with days of the week and events that occur on those days for each of your children throughout the year. 

You can get fancy with the computer or go old-school and make a handmade chart. For example, make a small chart with the days of the week across the top. Underneath each day put whether or not the child has something that he or she may need particular items for, like PE, library or music. Hang these charts on the door or wall of your “base camp.”  

This way, when your child is grabbing his backpack every morning, he can independently look at the chart and see if he also needs to grab additional items, like library books, PE shoes or his trumpet. 

Most classrooms have a set weekly schedule for the entire school year, so once you know your child’s class schedule, you or he can make a “What’s Today” chart to start checking each morning before leaving the house. This system will help your child reduce his stresses about forgetting or leaving behind important items needed to be successful at school that day. Check out this link for a sample chart.

If running late or behind in the morning is more your family's struggle, here’s a tip I learned just this school year. 

Try setting your alarm 10 minutes earlier than usual. You will be amazed at how much more in control that 10 minutes will make you and your children feel.  Also arriving even five minutes early to school takes away an enormous amount of stress and will put your children in the right mood for school each day.

Making sure that your kids feel comfortable and in control before they get to school gives them the best possible start to each and every day. Once your family gets used to these new routines and strengthens these organizational techniques, morning hassles and nighttime battles will hopefully become a thing of the past. Happy parenting!