Organize + Energize: 4 Areas to Organize With Your Kids Before They Go Back to School

Organize + Energize: 4 Areas to Organize With Your Kids Before They Go Back to School

The back-to-school season will be here before you know it!  It’s time to start thinking about getting your kids organized for a stress-free school year.  Start planning and preparing now to get back into your fall routine. I know you still have time before they head back to school and you want to enjoy every last drop of summer, but it’s important to plan and prepare. Don’t wait until the last minute.

Bedroom. Start with their clothes. Take everything out of closets and bureaus and get rid of anything that doesn’t fit.  Also get rid of things you know they’ll no longer wear. After that, talk about how they want to grab their clothes and create simple systems. Next move onto other non-clothing areas in the bedroom and follow the same decluttering and organizing process.

Bathroom. Why should you organize the bathroom? It’s so everybody can become more efficient during their morning routine.  Create working organized systems in the bathroom to decrease time spent in the bathroom. Declutter, categorize, itemize and contain everything to make mornings easier.

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Paper.  I can already hear the moans about the paper that arrives during the school year. You have to have a system to control this paper. Everybody functions differently so not every system is created equal.  The key is to create a simple system that can be maintained throughout the year. Decluttering this system at the end of each semester or school year is also crucial. Don’t forget to keep a memorabilia container to store all of the important and meaningful items that they accumulate throughout the year.

Desk. Talk to your kids about how they want to function this year with their homework. Do they want a quiet desk space in their room away from the distractions in the kitchen? Wherever they choose to function, set them up with all of the supplies they will need to be successful. Categorize and itemize their school supplies and create systems for them to easily maintain.

With all of these areas, get your kids involved in the process and talk with them about how they’d like to function. This is their space and you want them to become independent in this space. The simpler the systems are to follow, the more likely they’ll be able to maintain. In turn, it will be less stress and aggravation on your part.

Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, is an organizing & efficiency expert and owner of Organizing in RI. Kristin teaches her clients that living an organized lifestyle will save them time and money, decrease their stress levels and help them become more efficient and productive. Her articles have been published in local and national magazines. She has also given over 70 presentations throughout the state. Watch Kristin LIVE every Thursday at 3pm here on GoLocal LIVE with Molly O’Brien.