5 tips to teach him how to tidy his room

Does your child's room look like a battlefield and it drives you crazy? Don't worry, you're not alone: tidying up is often a source of conflict between parents and children, regardless of their age. We give you some tips to teach them how to tidy their room.

Adapt the furniture to your child's size

How to organize your child's room to make it as functional as possible? First, it's essential to adapt the furniture to your child's age and size. Start by squatting down to their height so you can better see which storage is difficult for them to reach. Make sure the drawers are easy to open. Store all clothes by category and create compartments, with small boxes for socks and underwear, for example. Also, install hooks at child-height so they can hang their sweater or bag when they come home from school.

Prefer open boxes

Are you wondering how to help them tidy their room properly and how to teach them to put away their toys? The easiest way is to provide them with baskets or transparent bins. Choose ones that are neither too big nor too heavy, so they can handle them without difficulty. You can dedicate each box to a specific category: one for building games, another for puzzles, one for small cars, etc. Stick a visible label on each box, using a photo for children who cannot yet read. It is much easier to tidy up when you know the exact place for everything. Reserve the boxes with lids for games that are used less frequently.

Involve the child according to their age

Parents generally find it quicker to tidy up themselves rather than entrusting this task to an unmotivated child. However, the ideal is to involve the child from a young age in tidying their room to instill good habits. But you wouldn’t ask the same of a 2-year-old as you would of a 5-year-old. At what age can they start tidying up their toys? From 12 months, start tidying their room in front of them to set a good example and encourage them to do the same. By 2 years old, you can tidy up together. Between 3 and 5 years old, let them gradually gain independence while continuing to offer your help to encourage them. Whatever your child’s age, don't forget to praise them and celebrate their efforts to motivate them to do it again.

Create routines

Children are very sensitive to small routines, as they reassure them. So, don't hesitate to establish a routine, with a list of things to do every day, and another for tasks to be done on the weekend, such as on Saturday mornings. You can print your list and hang it in their room so they can more easily remember what they need to do. For example, in the morning, they can make their bed and put away their pajamas. In the evening, they should put their clothes in the laundry basket and return their toys to their respective boxes before going to bed. Once a week, you can ask them to tidy up their room for a bit longer, while you vacuum. Point out that if tidying is done regularly, it takes less effort each time.

How to tidy up your room while having fun?

If you present tidying up as a chore or threaten punishment, it’s normal that your child won’t show much enthusiasm. What if you turned tidying up into a fun and shared moment? Here are a few tips to tidy up your room while having fun: for example, you can suggest tidying up while listening to their favorite music. You can also play a game to see who can tidy up the stuffed animals the fastest, using a stopwatch. The child can also sort their toys by color, with one box for blue toys, another for red toys, etc. For younger children, invite them to put their dolls in a box every night by telling them they are going to bed to sleep.