If you find that they haven’t cleaned up or they’ve lost something again, say nothing for five seconds. Remind yourself they’re not doing it on purpose.
Quick tip 2
Don’t get personal.
Don’t get personal.
Comment on the situation, not on kids personally. Say things like “This desk is messy” instead of “You’re messy.”
Quick tip 3
Break down tasks.
Break down tasks.
Kids who struggle with organization often have trouble putting the steps of a task in the right order. Break it down into smaller, sequential chunks. For long-term assignments, make a deadline for each chunk.
Quick tip 4
Make a checklist.
Make a checklist.
Make a visual or written checklist of what they need to do and when. Color-coding, like using different colors for different kinds of tasks on a calendar, can also help.
Lots of kids have messy rooms and cluttered backpacks. Most will eventually organize their things because they can’t stand the mess or don’t want to get in trouble.
Then there are kids who are never neat or organized no matter what the consequence is. Their things are all over the place, and they don’t clean up even when they’re told to. Why does that happen?
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Some people see this behavior and assume it’s laziness or defiance. But many kids really do struggle with organization and all the skills that go into it. So do many adults.
Organization isn’t just about keeping track of things. It’s also about organizing your thoughts, managing your time, planning, and knowing how to get things done. It means being able to set goals and do things in the right order.
People struggle with organization for different reasons. A common one is difficulty with a set of skills called executive function. No matter the cause, there are strategies that can help at every age.
Dive deeper
Some signs of organization problems are clear, like a workspace that’s always messy. But others are harder to recognize. Here are some examples:
Forgetting to take important items back and forth from school, like homework
Forgetting to gather the right materials for an assignment or project
Not keeping things in a regular place so they’re easy to find
Struggling to think about or do more than one thing at a time
When young kids struggle with organization, it may just be a matter of development. Kids develop organization skills at different rates.
Not getting enough sleep can make it hard for kids to focus and stay organized. Stress, anxiety, and trauma can also play a role.
But as kids get older, the main cause of organization problems is trouble with executive function. This group of mental skills allows us to organize, plan, focus, and prioritize.
People with ADHD typically struggle with executive functioning skills. If you’re concerned, explore signs of ADHD in kids and adults.
Organization skills can improve with help and support. There are many strategies you can try to help kids get and stay organized — at home and at school.
Also, showing empathy can improve kids’ self-esteem and motivate them to work on organization skills. (Scolding can make them feel like they’re “bad.”)
Kids benefit the most when parents and teachers work together. Reach out and set up time to talk. Share what you’re seeing and strategies you’ve tried.
Pediatricians can also help. If you’re a parent or caregiver, talk to your child’s health care provider about what’s happening at home and at school.
Count to five.
