Help your children get organized now to nudge them into school-year routines that'll help ensure that when their workloads get heavier, they don't spend half their homework time cleaning their rooms.
Jill Pollack, organizational expert and host of the new HGTV series "Consumed," offers plenty of great tips to help your children learn the importance of staying tidy and organized.
1. Break the summer routine and start fresh
As summer comes to an end, it's important to ease your kids out of their vacationing habits and get them excited about going back to school.
Start implementing new organizational routines about two weeks before summer break ends. This ensures there's less scrambling when the school year starts and they're too rushed to put things in the right place.
2. Reduce the number of items you give your children
A clutter-free home is key to staying organized so consider whether or not you can cut back on material things. Limiting the number of items you buy for kids helps alleviate the stresses of organizing their possessions later.
"Give kids experiences, not toys," says Pollack. Though a new mini race car may make your child happy temporarily, taking him on a picnic or to an amusement park during the summer will leave him with experiences that he can share with his friends when school starts.
3. Teach your kids the value of money
While helping your children avoid a cluttered workspace or play area, you can also teach them to appreciate what they have, and impart that money doesn't always come easy.
"Take them to a homeless shelter and have them give away old toys to children who are less privileged," suggests Pollack. This allows them to get rid of unused playthings while helping them learn a valuable lesson.
Page 1 of 3 – Find out how to set a good example for your kids on page 2.
