Admit it — your children probably don’t want to help you tidy up or organize around the house. For them, it’s much more fun to flip the place upside down. But teaching kids the value of being tidy and organized is a genuinely useful life skill, and it’s one they’ll carry with them well beyond childhood.
Here are 5 simple ways to teach your child how to get organized:
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#1. Set a good example
If you only wash the dishes once a week, your table is permanently loaded with paperwork, or there are more clothes on the floor than in the closet, don’t expect your kids to be any different.
So first things first — try to be organized yourself, and explain to your child why it’s worth the effort. A shared family calendar or task sheet, where you write down daily jobs together, is a simple way to make organizing a normal, visible part of family life.
It also helps to explain the real-world consequences of a messy room — for example, that someone might trip or get hurt stepping on small toys left on the floor.
#2. Your house can’t be perfect
As much as we’d all love our homes to look like something from a magazine — tidy and polished throughout — let’s be realistic. That kind of perfection is very hard to achieve with kids in the house.
But having a place for everything is a great starting point, and you can encourage your child to build this habit by finding a proper home for each of their toys.
Point out that if everything has its place, they’ll find what they’re looking for much more quickly — and the house will naturally start to look neater too.
- Try shoe boxes with labels — it also helps develop reading skills.
- Back-of-the-door shoe organizers are great for storing small toys, art supplies and pieces of Lego.
- Invest in a few colorful storage boxes where kids can keep their things.
Recommended Reading: Don’t Miss These 10 Hacks for Organizing Toys
#3. The perks of lists
Calendars, day planners, and simple task lists are genuinely useful for the whole family — and they can help children feel organized too.
You might keep a chore list your child works through, ticking off each task as they go. Some parents prefer a simple morning routine list — wash face, get dressed, eat breakfast, brush teeth, pack the schoolbag, and so on.
Lists help teach kids that being organized is achievable step by step, and there’s real satisfaction in checking things off.
Recommended Reading: 40 chores for kids depending on age
#4. Help children learn how to take care of things
This is a great way to show your child how to look after their belongings — and how to recognize when it’s time to pass something on, whether they’ve outgrown it or simply stopped using it.
- Each evening, help your child put away their toys, clothes and shoes. If you do it for them every time, they’ll never learn to do it themselves.
- Once a month, go through toys or clothes together to see what’s still used and loved, and what isn’t. Unwanted toys can go to a children’s hospital, and clothes to a charity shop. Some schools also run clothing collections as fundraisers — a good way to help your child feel positive about letting go of things, because they’re helping someone else too.
- Teach your child that looking after their things means they last longer and stay useful for longer.
- Try a “one thing in, one thing out” rule to stop toys or clothes piling up.
#5. Be patient
If you’re naturally a very tidy, organized person, remember that kids have a completely different sense of order and cleanliness to adults. Give them the time and space to learn at their own pace.
Don’t expect your child to instinctively know how to be organized. If you have a particular way of storing things or doing tasks, patiently show them your method so they can learn it properly.
By working alongside your child and showing them the right way, they’ll gradually get the hang of it — and become more tidy and organized over time.
Recommended Reading: 10 Positive Parenting Techniques
Over to you now — do you have any tips for helping kids learn how to be organized? Share them with us in the comments below.
Frequently Asked Questions
At what age should I start teaching my child to be organized?
There’s no fixed age — even toddlers can start learning simple habits like putting a toy back in its box. Keep expectations age-appropriate and build on small wins as your child grows.
What if my child resists tidying up?
This is completely normal. Start small, keep tasks simple and specific, and involve your child in setting up the system (like choosing labels or boxes) so they feel some ownership over it.
Should I reward my child for staying organized?
Praise and encouragement usually work better long-term than material rewards. Acknowledging effort — not just perfect results — helps build the habit naturally.
How long does it take for organizing habits to stick?
It varies by child, but consistency matters more than speed. Patient, repeated routines over weeks and months tend to work far better than one big tidy-up.
You Might Also Like
- Don’t Miss These 10 Hacks for Organizing Toys
- 40 Chores for Kids Depending on Age
- 10 Positive Parenting Techniques Every New Parent Should Know
Save These Ideas for Later
Not ready to put these tips into action today? Bookmark this article or save it to your favourite parenting board so you can come back to it whenever you’re ready for a tidy-up refresh.
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