Teens: Organize Your Bedroom!
By Jodi Granok
How many times have you fought with your parents over the condition of your room? How many times do you lose your cool because you keep spending money to replace things you can't find? Are you read for a change? Let's bring in some "Organizing Magic" and make your stress disappear!
The key is to follow 5 steps: 1) Take it out and group it; 2) Assess your items; 3) Create activity areas; 4) Make and label your "homes"; 5) Maintain what you have done.
Step 1: Take everything out and group like items together.
You need a clear spot in the room, such as the floor or the bed, to review your items. If there is no open space, go into a hallway or another room. Look at the items you have and start grouping them together. Examples of groups are: books, schoolwork, arts and crafts, toys, and clothes.
Step 2: Review items and decide what to keep, what to donate or sell, and what to throw away or recycle.
Right away, you should be able to identify items that are broken, missing parts, damaged beyond repair, or duplicated. You may also find items that you have outgrown.
Besides having a "keep" pile, you need one pile for donations, one for trash, and one pile for items that belong in another room. Having that pile keeps you from going all over the house returning things, and getting distracted from your original project.
Remember: The things that you have outgrown, don't use anymore, or have in duplication can help other kids who are less fortunate. Suggested donation sites are: hospitals, day care centers, schools, homeless shelters, and houses of worship.
Are you reading this article and thinking "I can't do this myself!" Have your parents visit my website to learn how I can come to your home and help you get organized!
Step 3: Create specific activity areas in the room where like items will be stored.
Now that you have selected what to keep and established your groups, figure out the areas in the room where you use these items. Examples: books stored in a bookcase by the bed; schoolwork stored at a desk; arts and crafts in containers on an open shelf. Store items based on usage: lower shelves for frequently used items, higher shelves for collections or rarely used items.
Set limits on collections of items. If you have 40 stuffed animals, pare it down to a favorite 5-10, and donate the rest.
Step 4: Move kept items into their identified areas ("homes") and into appropriate labeled containers.
The key to good organization is that everything needs a "home", a specific place for specific items. To accomplish this, use bins, boxes, shelves, drawers, etc. The important thing is to keep like items together, and then label each container to ensure items find their way "home" after being used.
Step 5: Maintenance
Your room is organized and awesome! How long can it stay that way, you wonder? Fear not - you will keep it organized by doing just a bit of daily maintenance. When your room is organized, maintenance should only take 5-10 minutes each day; because now everything has a "home", and you know where those "homes" are! Choose a set time each day to maintain organization - after dinner is an easy choice. Put on your favorite music, and put things back where they go.
Plan on reviewing all of your stuff twice a year. You can do this over winter and summer vacation, or before birthdays and winter holidays (the two times when you are most likely to acquire the most new stuff). Remember that each "home" has a size limit, so every time your get new stuff, if the place where you keep it is full, you need to let some old items go.
Now that your room is organized, you will be amazed at what you have accomplished: a new respect for personal items, increased self-esteem and pride, and a big reduction in family nagging and stress. Enjoy your new space!
© Organizing Magic, LLC - 2011. All Rights Reserved. (return to the article archive)
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