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Help Teens Get Organized

by Maria Gracia Updated October 1, 2023 Join our newsletter to be notified when new content is added to our website. The eye roll. The dead give-away sign that your teen has now gone into “brain, shut- down mode”...and anything you tell them will go in one ear and out the other! Despite the challenges associated with parenting a teen, adolescence marks one of the most influential and impressionable periods of a young person's life. It's through  self-discovery and exploration that a teens’ personality really begins to develop. Teenagers often do things differently than adults. Sometimes the best thing parents can do is “bite their tongues” and let their children discover mistakes on their own. Other times, parents can offer sound advice…with nagging or lecturing. One of the best things a parent can teach their teen is how to become more organized…sneaking organizing tips into their teens’ daily routine. Here are some of my favorites… • Make it “their thing.” Give your teenager ownership of his/her space. That includes letting him choose the paint color, helping to paint the room, and allowing him to make furniture choices and wall decoration options. The more input a teen has in his space, the more compelled he is to accept responsibility for the upkeep and maintenance of that space. • Create sufficient storage possibilities. Teenagers are accumulators. They like to keep everything. Give them a decluttering rule that’s easy to follow…like one in, two out. Help them create more storage space by agreeing to add a shelf or two, or installing a closet system with extra shelves, an additional clothing rod, and cubbies to effectively utilize all their closet space.  Help them hang shelves, a bookcase, and a bulletin board to display pictures, ribbons and other special papers. A desk with plenty of surface area and spacious drawers also channels in their personal belongings. • Give a little, ask a little. If your teenager asks for spending money, to make her lunch for school, or for a ride somewhere, ask her for something in return like emptying the dishwasher, vacuuming the living room, or folding a load of laundry. All in all, parents assist their children in millions of ways. Asking them to return the favor teaches the importance of team work and responsibility. • They need a student planner. A daily student planner or personal calendar will help your teen remember important academic and social due dates. If your teen has access to technology, their daily planner can be managed through their Smart devices. Google and Apple provide several apps to assist teenage learners. If you sync the devices, parents have access to their teens’ calendar as well. • Allow them to create their own routines. I know…this is a hard one, especially when YOU want the laundry folded RIGHT NOW. Give them a list of things you need done around the house, and get your teen to come up with his or her own schedule, including days and times when all of these will be done. Even if your teen comes up with a schedule different than you would have put together, roll with it, and give it a chance to see if it works for your family. If not, have your teen tweak it. This is a perfect planning lesson for your teen that will help for a lifetime. Back to Organized Kids Index