Organization is NOT a skill we are born with, and as parents, it is our responsibility to teach our kids both the importance of being organized and how to control the clutter before it controls us.  Unfortunately, explaining to kids how to eliminate clutter is not something parents can successfully accomplish in one, or even two sessions.  Like most things in life, it is a learning process.  With continuous instruction, guidance, and practice, however, it is definitely a skill that kids can achieve; even at a young age.   One of the first steps toward helping kids understand clutter-control is to help them understand what it means to PRIORITIZE.

In its most simplistic form, when it comes to cutting the clutter, it really boils down to prioritizing the IMPORTANCE of your stuff. Regardless of the size of your home, bedroom, closet, or garage, we all have a limited amount of space in which to store our possessions.  And there is no reason to take up this precious space with items that are not important to you; your space should only include things you LOVE, NEED, or USE.

Now, that’s all well and good in theory, but how do we get this message across to our kids so that they understand this principal AND apply it when it is time to de-clutter those messy and disorganized spaces they call their own?

One way to teach kids who are at least 6-years-old about the art of prioritizing is to let them have total creative control with your digital camera.

Most kids will jump at the chance to become your family photographer for a day.  If your child is old enough to accept responsibility for your camera, let her be in charge of taking pictures on your next family outing.  Let her know from the start, though, that she can only save as many pictures as ONE memory card will hold (just make sure it’s a relatively small card!)

Most likely, she will start out by taking pictures of anything and everything (the clouds in the sky, the dead dandelion on the sidewalk, her brother’s left ear).  RESIST THE URGE TO DIRECT HER TOWARD MORE APPROPRIATE PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES!  In no time, the camera’s screen will read "CARD FULL" and that’swhen the lesson starts.

Begin by showing your child how to view the pictures on the camera screen and how to delete unwanted ones.  Be sure she understands that once she hits delete, the picture is gone for good.  As you view the stored pictures with her, point out the ones you think are worth keeping, explaining why they are good, and guide your child toward making her own choices about what makes a good picture and what is better off moving to the "trash."   Just be sure to let YOUR CHILD determine the criteria, or in other words, to PRIORITIZE, what pictures are worthy of taking up space on the memory card.  As you go about your outing and your child takes more pictures, she will have to become more discriminate, both with the pictures she takes and which ones she keeps.

If she gets discouraged about erasing pictures, remind her of what makes a good picture, what she would like to remember about the outing, and what is not relevant.

When you return home, the day may have ended, but the decision-making has one more step:  tell your budding photographer that she must now reduce the number of pictures on the card by 50%.  After the groans and moans have subsided, sit down with your child and reiterate what makes a good picture and which pictures tell a story about your day.  Once you choose the pictures that make the final cut, reward her effort, both as an A+ photographer AND a prioritizing guru, by developing the pictures for her to add to her own scrapbook.

I wish I could say that I guarantee this isolated activity will make your child rush up to her bedroom and prioritize/declutter her stuffed animal collection.  Or, that your son will now reevaluate the importance of his massive stash of action figures and refrain from asking for more. But you wouldn’t believe me anyway!  Nevertheless, it is DEFINITELY a start toward learning life-long organizational skills.  And with more practice and implementation in other areas of their life, it is sure to become a natural way for your child to think about clutter and excess.

So now it’s YOUR turn:  How do YOU teach your kids to control their clutter? 

Simply yours,

Related posts:

1. Benny’s Book of Sorting: A Different Way of Teaching Kids to Organize
2. Growing Organized Kids By Fostering Self-Reliance
3. Benny’s Book of Sorting: A Different Way of Teaching Kids to Organize
4. Conquer Kids’ Clutter, One iPod at a Time
5. Rules to Grow By: Helping Kids Learn the Basics of Organizing