Teens are our future leaders and need the necessary organizational tools to succeed in business, education, politics and more. What they learn today will follow them for the rest of their lives. Setting them up with basic life skills ensures that they will flourish both in their home and in the workplace, not to mention in school.
Teens should start by figuring out the zones they want or need in their bedrooms and map those out on paper. These could be the sleeping area, where they study, a reading nook, a place to enjoy their hobby, a music and technology section, and a space for clothes. Once they’ve decided on those areas, they will need to separate everything in their room to where it belongs. For example, clothes don’t belong on the bookshelves, and art supplies shouldn’t be thrown on the floor.
For safety reasons, the floor must always remain clear. An unlidded hamper is best for those who prefer to toss dirty laundry. A lidded bin, basket or box can be used to store incomplete art or hobby projects. Underbed storage bins on casters are perfect for items that don’t fit anywhere else. Use risers if their bed is too low for the bins.
The desk should remain clear of anything that is not being used at the moment. If they are working on math, LEGOs should remain in their container until math is completed. It should not be used as a catch-all or a dumping ground for random stuff.
Store books on bookshelves in an orderly fashion; don’t leave them on the chair where they were sitting. Some people prefer to organize their books in rainbow order, but this should really only be done by children, not teens on their way to adulthood. The bookshelf should look similar to the system in a library, sorted by genre and then by size or author.
Their bed is a place for sleeping and reading. It should be free of anything except pillows and stuffed animals.
A chair or beanbag for reading is ideal, but extra pillows on the bed will encourage leisurely reading and daydreaming.
Make sure that clothes don’t end up on the bed and are instead hung up by type and possibly by color. All clothes should fit well, and outgrown clothes should be donated. All hangers should match to ensure that clothes look tidy and are easy to hang up. Donate wire hangers to your local dry cleaners, and store empty hangers to the right of the rod until needed.
Dressers are perfect for items that can’t be hung up. If it doesn’t fit, donate it. You can’t magically make more space. Dedicate one drawer for underclothes, one for T-shirts, etc. You only need one dresser per person. You don’t want to crowd the space or your mind.
A tidy room equates to less stress and more energy to accomplish amazing tasks in their lives.
Los Altos Hills resident Lyn Rogers, a professional organizer, is owner and CEO of Lyn At Your Service. For more information, visit LynAtYourService.com.
