What we’re experiencing with the Coronavirus is unprecedented.
Many of us are on lockdown. With children. My kids are 13.5 and almost 10. They’re great kids who play well together (most of the time), take their new online/distance learning education seriously (it’s week 1…), and have a basketball hoop outside to help them shake off some energy. I spend my mornings shuttling between their two bedrooms answering questions, assisting with technology, and I even learned a new skill–how to highlight text in Google Docs.
‘Online school’ in our town will be from 9am-1pm Monday through Friday for at least the next two weeks. After lunch and some ‘chillaxin’ time,’ the plan is to use part of the afternoon for what I call ‘Electives.’ This afternoon my kids will be taking ‘Home Economics’ and helping me make meatballs. Yesterday, my youngest son and I explored watercolors during ‘Art’ and tomorrow he’ll practice his xylophone during ‘Music.’
Besides the basic school electives, I could not call myself a Professional Organizer if I didn’t at least try to engage my kids in a little organizing while we are house-bound. It’s an important life skill and we’ve got the time to practice it!
Life with kids regardless of their age can be hectic. Over the past few months, my husband and I have been juggling our workloads, our two kids on three different basketball teams, volunteer work for religious and professional organizations, family and friends, with little time to tackle some organizing projects that have needed our attention (Familiar with the whole ‘shoemaker has no shoes’ saying?).
You may have experienced a similar weekly/monthly time crunch. As long as no one is ill in your household, this would be a good time to have your kids sharpen their organizing skills after completing their schoolwork. It will teach them a life skill, help keep your home in order, and keep them busy with a productive activity when the day feels like it may never end.
Here are some ideas on where to begin and tips to make it as painless as possible…
Three areas of organizing to focus on with your kids are: organizing time, organizing space, and organizing stuff.
Organizing Time
For many kids, their online schooling will take place in the morning. But afternoons, evenings, and weekends are wide open. Let’s work with them on some time management skills…
Promote the benefits of sticking to a basic schedule – Kids thrive on routine. It gives them a sense of security and predictability. School-aged kids follow a schedule in school–create something similar in your home. During this period of time spent at home, it’s imperative for your child’s well-being for them to know what’s coming next in their world in the days and weeks ahead.
Create a visual schedule of their days
Work with your kids to create a paper-based or digital schedule for weekdays and weekends using the concept of Time Blocking. From the website Doist.com: “Time blocking is a time management method that asks you to divide your day into blocks of time. Each block is dedicated to accomplishing a specific task, or group of tasks, and only those specific tasks. … With days that are time blocked in advance, you won’t have to constantly make choices about what to focus on.”
Together with your kids, create a list of everyday and weekly tasks, to-do’s, projects, and fun to plug into their daily at-home schedule. Tweak as necessary.
Help them prioritize tasks
Prioritizing is all about figuring out what is most important. Assisting your child with the art of prioritizing gives them a life skill that prepares them for the future. Take that list you made with your kids for Time Blocking purposes and use it help them make decisions as to what’s most important to accomplish during a ‘school’ day and on the weekends while at home. Be flexible–this unusual time isn’t easy for them or us.
For more on the how time management can make your life and your child’s life easier, read…
The Top 10 Life Benefits of Time Management
Organizing Space
An organized space is key to one’s physical and mental well being. Your kids are already being forced to stay indoors for most of their day and may be stressed about the global pandemic. This is the time to help them make sure their personal space is clean and orderly.
Bedroom/Playroom
Stand with your child in the room and together determine the categories of items that need to be organized. Basics are books, toys, clothes, electronics, etc. I don’t recommend purging much more than any trash that might be around the room. This is a challenging time for everyone and keeping the space in order is more important at this point than getting rid of what you think your child doesn’t need anymore.
Online learning workspace
Your child(ren) will be engaging in online/distance learning for at least a few weeks–it’s important that their space be organized. This may include laptops, Chromebooks, scrap paper, pens/pencils/crayons, a spot for a snack, etc. Talk to your child(ren) about their needs and help them set up and organize their temporary school space for success.
Organizing Stuff
Oh, the things that can be organized when you’re at home for weeks on end!
Books, Toys, Art Supplies, School Papers
Like I mentioned above, no need for much purging unless something is broken and beyond repair. Just keeping each category of items all together in one spot will be sufficient. The phrase, ‘organized enough’ is one to keep in mind as the days turn into weeks.
Clothes
Spring is coming! After we ‘flatten the curve’ and we’re safe to go back to our usual lives it’s going to be too warm (in many parts of the country) to wear the clothes we wore in March. This is the perfect time to try on shorts and bathing suits and take inventory of what clothes your kids will need for the Spring and Summer.
*Tip: I park my kids in front of the TV to try clothes on them. It keeps them occupied, I hear less complaining, and it gets the job done fairly quickly and painlessly!
Pantry
Do you have a space in your kitchen where your kids can get their own snacks? If not, this is the time to make one. You’re most likely trying to work–the fewer interruptions you have, the better. Talk to your kids about what snacks they’d like to have accessible in the fridge and pantry/cabinet. Set up a bin, bag, or shoebox (whatever you have handy) and place the snacks where they can reach them themselves.
*Tip: Know your kid–if they can’t be trusted alone with a baggie of Cheerios when you’re not in the same room, stick to something less messy or one or two of something like a Fig Newton or a granola bar.
Helpful Tips
Group Like with Like
Most kids as young as preschoolers can follow this basic organizing principle. Dolls with dolls, all socks in one drawer, all copies of Captain Underpants live together on the shelf, etc.
Break it Down
Keep organizing projects short and sweet. No more than 15 – 30 minutes a day for everyone’s sanity! One shelf. One drawer. One bin of Hot Wheels cars. That’s it. Do more tomorrow. Or wait for the weekend.
Put things back where they belong
This is a basic organizing principle that is used in schools and is beneficial at home, too. Take 10-15 minutes a day to do a sweep of toys, books, school supplies, etc. and put them back where they live. This will make it easier for your kids to find what they need next time they need it–and less likely for them to need to interrupt you while you’re TRYING to work from home.
Plan for tomorrow
Planning is another important life skill. Have your kids think about what they want to eat for lunch tomorrow, what they might want to wear (most likely pajamas), and who they might want to FaceTime with after their schoolwork is done. Planning ahead helps kids to make decisions and focus on their future needs.
Not About Organizing, But Still Helpful Tips
• While you’re cleaning out your drawers/cabinets/shelves if you find something a local friend or neighbor could use, drop it off at their apartment or front stoop (and call/text/email them to let them know it’s there!). Kindness goes along way during a pandemic…
• Organize video playdates for your kids. It’s not really organizing but it does take planning and effort. My youngest son has had two already and it has kept him happy and in touch with his friends.
• Stay as calm as you can with EVERYONE home ALL THE TIME. Here’s a great Youtube channel with relaxing music that I listen to when I’m feeling stressed: OCB Relax Music.
• Engage in some adult and kid coloring for stress relief. It’s a relaxing group activity and goes very well with the relaxing music I just mentioned. If you don’t have any coloring books in the house, type ‘adult coloring book printable free’ into Google–pages of hits appear. Do the same for your kids, print a few pages, and relax a bit while coloring.
• Buy (if you can find any…) these Clorox wipes that smell like a piña colada. Who couldn’t use some of THAT right now? Am I walking around disinfecting my house or am I walking on the beach? (I’ve heard being sequestered can make one delusional…)
Resources
5 Tips for Navigating the Online/Virtual Learning Process
Sample Schedules for Kids Home From School During Coronavirus Outbreak
What If Coronavirus Means Your Kids Are Stuck at Home? 29 Indoor Activities for Kids
How to Prepare for Extended School Closings–And Not Lose Your Mind
Art for Kids Hub
GoNoodle – Get Moving
PBS Kids
We’re living in stressful times but getting your home and kids organized can help reduce that stress. Be safe. Be healthy. Please do your part to ‘flatten the curve.’ Together we can save lives.
Stacey is a Professional Organizer, Virtual Organizer, and Author in Bergen County, New Jersey specializing in home organizing, time, and paper management. She is the author of The Organized Bride’s Thank You Note Handbook: Let Systems and 101 Modern Sample Thank You Notes Take You From Overwhelmed to Organized.
Contact Stacey to Get Started!
We were travelling for a month and I homeschooled my kids. It was fun but took organization to teach 3 grades at once. I did Home Economics with the kids too. One made lunch, one made supper. It was helpful to them and me. They all help with laundry at some point when it wasn’t food preparation day for them. One of my favourite art activities was shaving cream finger painting. Spread shaving cream on the counter and draw pictures in it with your hands. The counters were so clean and smooth after that activity. Your suggestions are great for teaching kids lots of skills they may not get in the classroom.
‘Home Economics’ is a very important life skill that we don’t always have time to pass on to our kids. My husband and I have tried to practice those skills with our kids over weekends or school vacations when we’re not rushing out the door. Sounds like your organization skills came in very handy while you were traveling!
I definitely need to get some pina colada wipes LOL! These are super practical and helpful tips. I LOVE the idea of putting kids in front of the TV while trying on clothing. Nobody enjoys this task, and this will help distract them while getting something done. I also find your idea of “electives” so powerful, as everyone needs to feel a bit of control at this moment. If a child can choose from a few options, it gives them a sense of having a voice. Wonderful post Stacey!
Thanks for your kind words, Seana. I have found that organizing my kid’s clothes every season is the organizing task I like the least in my house. My boys are great but it takes time and energy to make sure they have what they need for the next season. And it’s really only bottoms–I hold the shirts up to their chests to see if they fit and that works for all of us! TV watching while trying on clothes helps ALL of us get through the task!
Reading your post gave me such a sense of confidence and calm. Your kids are so lucky to have you as their mom and guide during this time of crisis. Most of the parents I’ve been in touch with have stressed the importance of having a schedule and routine. I love the way your helping your family with this. And I’m with Seana on the pina colada wipes. Wow! If only there were wipes (any scent) in the stores right now. But this will be something to look forward to on the other side. Be well. Stay healthy. And thank you for the inspiring post with just the right tone of positivity needed right now.
Your words brought a big smile to my face! Schedules and routines are important for adults, too. It’s part of what will keep us all grounded during this time of ‘lockdown.’ Be safe and be healthy. Your readers need your positivity, too!
It sounds like you and your family are making the most of this situation, and I’m really glad for that. Thanks for sharing your tips with others who may be struggling right now.
Great post. Sounds like your organizing skills are making your household run well during this time.
Thanks, Janet. I’m trying. I think all moms and dads are using whatever skills they have to get through this time with their kids–including me and my husband. We’ve done some organizing of the house and this weekend, we’ll be moving forward with organizing our garage and our son’s mudroom closets. They’re going to love that! (Ha Ha!)
Having extra time to enjoy doing real-life skills is a blessing! When I homeschooled my 3 children for 13 years, we looked at life as a wonderful learning experience. I remember using colorful charts with time blocks similar to what you suggested. I still have the index cards made when they were toddlers of different activities for the day. Sweet memories!!
Between ‘distance learning’ and now being a camp counselor, I have integrated ‘life skills’ into my kid’s daily routine. Simple tasks that we as adults take for granted–how to test to see if pasta is ready, knife skills, how to throw a frisbee, cleaning mirrors–are important for our kids to be aware of, learn, and master (laundry, too!). It’s wonderful that you’re able to look back fondly on your time as a homeschooling mom. Thanks for stopping by to comment!