I organized with my 15 year old just after Christmas. She had a ton of stuff. This picture is less than a third of it. There wasn’t room to get it all out at one time.
I’ve organized things with her and taught her her whole life, so this was not new to her, she just needs to do it. My role was to be her advisor.
I told her what the boundaries were and let her decide how to work within them. Like: All craft supplies need to fit in the drawer. Or choose the 10 skirts that you like the most.
I sat in the room with her but didn’t make any decisions for her. When she was done going through one type of item I got out the next things for her to go through. I also put things away that belonged somewhere else.
And yes, she packed her drawer full, but that’s way better than what it was before. It’s about compromise.
When you let the container set the boundary, like you can keep the papers that fit in this box, then it’s the container that is enforcing the organization, not the parent.
Younger children obviously need more help when going through the process. When working with younger kids I help by separating things into categories and breaking down tasks so they don’t get overwhelmed.
For example, I’d set out 6 papers and have them pick their 3 favorites. Then set out the next 6 papers to look at.
If you or your child/teen want one-on-one help organizing a space, call me at 208.736.3306 for a free consultation. I’d love to help you on your organizational journey. Virtual options are also available.