Organization plays a vital role in a teenager's functional abilities.
Teens may find the concept of getting organized to be a foreign one. Sadly, recent decades have found teens relying on their parents for things they really should be accomplishing themselves. By putting some simple tips in place, teens may find that getting organized truly streamlines their lives, allowing more free time for fun activities.
Home
Teens should start by organizing their space at home. Even if they are gong away to college, an organized "home base" carries over into other aspects of their lives. A set of storage boxes or bins that may be labeled are the best way to start the organizing process.
Label the boxes or bins accordingly. Some labeling ideas include Seasonal, Storage, Sports, Music, and Miscellaneous. Place out-of-season clothing in the Seasonal box or bin and put it away until the appropriate season. Place memorabilia and precious keepsakes in the Storage bin and store it in an attic or basement. The Sports and Music bins should be appropriately filled and stored in a bedroom closet or shelf. Miscellaneous speaks for itself and simply helps find a home for odds and ends that might otherwise clutter a bedroom. Keep this box in a handy spot for quick access as needed.
School
Whether the teen is going away to college or attends school while living at home, that facet of his or her life requires organization in order to fulfill responsibilities and achieve the most that education has to offer. A work/study area should be set up in the bedroom for school supplies and paperwork to be fully organized. File folders and a small crate for filing should be placed near the desk, and a new habit should be put into place immediately. Whenever papers come into the room, they must be immediately filed under Bills, School, Work, or Urgent. This way papers don't clutter the work surface or bedroom, and important papers may be located as needed.
Family and Social Responsibilities
Teens live far more active lives these days compared with teens a several decades ago. For many, there is a need for organizing their family and social responsibilities. Many teens like to perform such organizational techniques using electronic devices like PDAs, computers or cell phones. This is fine, but many teens perform better when all details are laid out plainly in good old-fashioned black and white. That's where a system of two planners works. Purchase a large day planner that remains on the desk and a smaller one for a handbag, backpack or pocket. Detail all scheduled events on the large planner and copy the schedule into the small portable planner on a weekly or biweekly basis. This allows the teen to prevent double booking and overscheduling, as so often happens in this busy "go, go, go" society.
These tips should help most teens become organized. With careful planning, each system may be altered to better fit the personal life of each teen because no two people function exactly alike. In addition, these tips are designed to spark unique ideas, ones that will work perfectly for each individual.
Tags: away college, boxes bins, getting organized, large planner, organizing their
