The Teen-Girl Zone – Tools to Organize Teen Rooms
Website design By BotEap.comSo you have bravely decided to roam where the faintest of mothers dare not: the Teen-Girl Zone, aka your daughter’s room! You want to help your teenage daughters get organized, but you don’t know where to start. Well, as a professional organizer and mother of four teenagers, I have some tools to help you organize your teens.
Website design By BotEap.comLet me encourage you by reminding you that learning any skill requires repetition, reward, and training. I also have a word of warning: if you’re having a rocky relationship with your teenage daughter, this could turn into a power struggle. You don’t want to get between his mess and his emotions. I suggest you do some research and determine what “organizational type” your daughter is. Organizing for Your Brain Type by Lana Nakone is a valuable resource to help you decide if your teen is a people person, an innovator, a supporter, or a priority. Knowing how you need to organize can reduce your struggles in the Teen-Girl Zone! What is the most fun time to get organized? Get in the Zone!
Website design By BotEap.comIn the zone
Website design By BotEap.comWhen helping a teen organize her space, start with a few questions:
Website design By BotEap.com1. What do you like about your room?
2. What do you not like about your room?
3. What things are in the right place that you definitely don’t want to move?
4. What are you doing in your room? (Sleep, dress, read, do homework, etc.)
5. Do you like the color and general layout of your room? Website design By BotEap.comKnowing the answers to these questions helps you get in the zone and guides the organizational process, helping you see how you can avoid the fight. These questions also give you the opportunity to discover potential areas of incentive. Would your daughter like new bedding or paint in her room? She may be able to offer you those prizes when she has arranged her room and kept her for a month. Website design By BotEap.comArmed with the correct information, you will be successful in the field. Website design By BotEap.comzoning Website design By BotEap.comTo a local government, zoning means determining how an area will be used or developed; that’s the kind of zoning you’ll help your teenage daughter with. You know what zoning means to the average teenager! It’s your job to help your teen use these organizational tools to transform teen zoning into space use zoning. Website design By BotEap.comZone one: the sleep zone Website design By BotEap.comIt may seem obvious, but your daughter will sleep in the sleep zone, which includes the area immediately around your daughter’s bed. You should ask her what she needs to sleep well. Make a list of those items and make sure those items are in her sleep zone. Website design By BotEap.comSome elements to take into account in the rest area are: the bed, the pillows, the blankets, the alarm clock and the bedside table. Depending on your daughter’s clothes, she may need a good lamp on her nightstand for reading; reading material; fabrics; a glass of water; paper and pencil; and chapstick. If there is no space for a nightstand, consider providing your daughter with a basket that she can store the things she needs and that she can store under the bed or on a nearby shelf. A floor lamp or a lamp that can be attached to the head of the bed can be good alternatives for lighting. Website design By BotEap.comHere’s a tip that can instantly make your daughter’s room look tidy: Have her make her bed every day. If this is a habit she has never developed, you could offer to buy her new bedding if she consistently does it every day for a set period; a month is usually enough to establish a new habit. Website design By BotEap.comThe last area to work on in the sleep zone is the space under the bed. Take out anything that might be lurking there. Sort out what should be kept in the sleep zone, what should be stored elsewhere, and what can be thrown away. My daughters store bulky items like sleeping bags, overnight bags, and folding chairs under their beds. Website design By BotEap.comZone two: the clothes zone Website design By BotEap.comThe clothing area will probably take longer than any other area in your teen’s room to organize. Make sure you have time to complete this project in one sitting; It could take up to three hours to organize, depending on how many clothes your teen has. You will need storage boxes or bags and cleaning supplies. Website design By BotEap.comI’ve created a process to help you organize your teen’s clothes. Here are my seven steps to clothing zone heaven! Website design By BotEap.comStep One: Get all your clothes out of your closet and dresser drawers and create categorized piles. Website design By BotEap.comPile 1: This season’s clothes, shoes, and accessories that you’re wearing right now. Keep only clothes that fit you well and that you like and wear. Website design By BotEap.comStack 2-Clothes, shoes and accessories out of season that you are sure will look good on you next year and that you like and will continue to wear. Website design By BotEap.comPile 3-All clothing, shoes, and accessories that are too small, you don’t like, stained, or beyond repair. (Pack up items to give to a sibling or friend. Or you may want to take usable items to a thrift store or charity. Throw away anything in unusable condition!) Website design By BotEap.comStep Two: Take out all the games, keepsakes, toys and such. Decide what will stay and what can be given away. Anything that is in poor condition or has missing parts should be thrown out. Website design By BotEap.comStep Three: Give cabinets and drawers a good cleaning while they are empty. Wipe down the walls and shelves, and then vacuum the floor and any cobwebs along the ceiling. Website design By BotEap.comStep Four: Put this season’s clothes, shoes, and accessories back in your closet or dresser drawers. Hang or fold all clothing neatly. Make sure jackets are buttoned or zipped. Group clothes by category: pants; shirts; skirts; and dress together. Hang belts on hooks or hangers. Consider a shoe organizer if your teen has a lot of shoes. Website design By BotEap.comStep Five: Put out-of-season clothing, shoes, and accessories in a clear plastic container and store under the bed or in the attic. If your closet is big enough, you can store your seasonal office clothes and other items in the back of your closet. Website design By BotEap.comStep Six: Put all the games, toys, and keepsakes in your closet on a shelf or in an easy-to-see spot. If keepsakes are worth keeping, they’re worth keeping well, so make sure your teen has the right size box to store all items neatly. You’ll also want to take this time to help your daughter consider what items are really worth keeping and what she might let go of. Website design By BotEap.comStep Seven – Now that all of your teen’s clothes and other belongings are well organized, you can easily see what items they may need. Make a list and plan to purchase and replace needed items. Website design By BotEap.comNow that you’ve completed the seven steps to clothing zone heaven, all your teen needs to do is maintain the new order. I’ve found it works well when my daughters take a few moments each week to make sure they keep things stored properly. Remind her daughter to give her clothes that she tries on and no longer fit or get stained or unwearable. Dealing with items as they fall out of use is easier than working through an entire closet. Also, encourage her to immediately put away the clothes she decides not to wear. It takes a few seconds to hang a set. It can take 15 minutes or more to sort and put away a stack of clothes! Website design By BotEap.comFinally, you’ll want to make plans to revisit the Clothing Zone each season to repeat all seven steps. Website design By BotEap.comZone Three – The Study Zone Website design By BotEap.comZone Three is really a matter of preference. He should consider where her daughter usually does her homework. If she most of the time does her homework in her room, not at the kitchen table or sitting in the bonus room, then she needs to set up a homework zone in her room. Website design By BotEap.comIf he prefers to sit at the desk, ask him to sit at his desk and think about all the supplies he needs while he works there. Ask her what she wears every day or weekly. When I’m working with a client, I give items that get regular use what I call prime real estate. Anything that is not related to the tasks that your daughter does sitting at the desk, do not stay there. Memories and memorabilia should be “contained” and stored elsewhere. If your daughter prefers to work sitting on her bed or on the floor, perhaps all she needs is a basket of supplies that she can pull out when she’s working. Next, make sure her homework area is well lit and that she has a comfortable chair. Website design By BotEap.comYou’ll also want to make sure this area is well stocked, including: a calendar, clear sheet protectors, notebooks, notepads, as well as pencils and pens with a carrying case. Website design By BotEap.comZone out Website design By BotEap.comNow that you’ve worked on the three main zones in your daughter’s room, you’ll almost always have items that don’t fit in any of the zones. She can put them in a container and check to see if she will keep them. Here is the proof. Ask if the item is used daily or weekly. If it’s used that often, then it can stick around. Website design By BotEap.comWhen you have souvenirs and other items left, ask: Website design By BotEap.com– Do you want to display the item?– Does the item need to be stored or placed in a container to keep it in good condition?– Do you want to put the item in a scrapbook or photo album?– Is there someone I can share with? Article- Website design By BotEap.comWith collections ask: Website design By BotEap.com– On a scale of one to ten, how much do you like this collection? Do you need the entire collection or just a few favourites? If the collection is important to you, are you keeping it well and where can it be enjoyed? -If you both decide that a collection will be kept, assign it a shelf or container. When the space is full, try purging the collection to make room for new items. Website design By BotEap.comOne last word of encouragement: If your daughter (or you!) is having a hard time putting things down, try storing an item for six months. Agree that the item will be given away or thrown away, if your daughter hasn’t asked for it during that time. Remember this is a life skill! If her daughter learns to manage her possessions now, she will have less stress and one day she will be equipped to manage her own home.
2. What do you not like about your room?
3. What things are in the right place that you definitely don’t want to move?
4. What are you doing in your room? (Sleep, dress, read, do homework, etc.)
5. Do you like the color and general layout of your room? Website design By BotEap.comKnowing the answers to these questions helps you get in the zone and guides the organizational process, helping you see how you can avoid the fight. These questions also give you the opportunity to discover potential areas of incentive. Would your daughter like new bedding or paint in her room? She may be able to offer you those prizes when she has arranged her room and kept her for a month. Website design By BotEap.comArmed with the correct information, you will be successful in the field. Website design By BotEap.comzoning Website design By BotEap.comTo a local government, zoning means determining how an area will be used or developed; that’s the kind of zoning you’ll help your teenage daughter with. You know what zoning means to the average teenager! It’s your job to help your teen use these organizational tools to transform teen zoning into space use zoning. Website design By BotEap.comZone one: the sleep zone Website design By BotEap.comIt may seem obvious, but your daughter will sleep in the sleep zone, which includes the area immediately around your daughter’s bed. You should ask her what she needs to sleep well. Make a list of those items and make sure those items are in her sleep zone. Website design By BotEap.comSome elements to take into account in the rest area are: the bed, the pillows, the blankets, the alarm clock and the bedside table. Depending on your daughter’s clothes, she may need a good lamp on her nightstand for reading; reading material; fabrics; a glass of water; paper and pencil; and chapstick. If there is no space for a nightstand, consider providing your daughter with a basket that she can store the things she needs and that she can store under the bed or on a nearby shelf. A floor lamp or a lamp that can be attached to the head of the bed can be good alternatives for lighting. Website design By BotEap.comHere’s a tip that can instantly make your daughter’s room look tidy: Have her make her bed every day. If this is a habit she has never developed, you could offer to buy her new bedding if she consistently does it every day for a set period; a month is usually enough to establish a new habit. Website design By BotEap.comThe last area to work on in the sleep zone is the space under the bed. Take out anything that might be lurking there. Sort out what should be kept in the sleep zone, what should be stored elsewhere, and what can be thrown away. My daughters store bulky items like sleeping bags, overnight bags, and folding chairs under their beds. Website design By BotEap.comZone two: the clothes zone Website design By BotEap.comThe clothing area will probably take longer than any other area in your teen’s room to organize. Make sure you have time to complete this project in one sitting; It could take up to three hours to organize, depending on how many clothes your teen has. You will need storage boxes or bags and cleaning supplies. Website design By BotEap.comI’ve created a process to help you organize your teen’s clothes. Here are my seven steps to clothing zone heaven! Website design By BotEap.comStep One: Get all your clothes out of your closet and dresser drawers and create categorized piles. Website design By BotEap.comPile 1: This season’s clothes, shoes, and accessories that you’re wearing right now. Keep only clothes that fit you well and that you like and wear. Website design By BotEap.comStack 2-Clothes, shoes and accessories out of season that you are sure will look good on you next year and that you like and will continue to wear. Website design By BotEap.comPile 3-All clothing, shoes, and accessories that are too small, you don’t like, stained, or beyond repair. (Pack up items to give to a sibling or friend. Or you may want to take usable items to a thrift store or charity. Throw away anything in unusable condition!) Website design By BotEap.comStep Two: Take out all the games, keepsakes, toys and such. Decide what will stay and what can be given away. Anything that is in poor condition or has missing parts should be thrown out. Website design By BotEap.comStep Three: Give cabinets and drawers a good cleaning while they are empty. Wipe down the walls and shelves, and then vacuum the floor and any cobwebs along the ceiling. Website design By BotEap.comStep Four: Put this season’s clothes, shoes, and accessories back in your closet or dresser drawers. Hang or fold all clothing neatly. Make sure jackets are buttoned or zipped. Group clothes by category: pants; shirts; skirts; and dress together. Hang belts on hooks or hangers. Consider a shoe organizer if your teen has a lot of shoes. Website design By BotEap.comStep Five: Put out-of-season clothing, shoes, and accessories in a clear plastic container and store under the bed or in the attic. If your closet is big enough, you can store your seasonal office clothes and other items in the back of your closet. Website design By BotEap.comStep Six: Put all the games, toys, and keepsakes in your closet on a shelf or in an easy-to-see spot. If keepsakes are worth keeping, they’re worth keeping well, so make sure your teen has the right size box to store all items neatly. You’ll also want to take this time to help your daughter consider what items are really worth keeping and what she might let go of. Website design By BotEap.comStep Seven – Now that all of your teen’s clothes and other belongings are well organized, you can easily see what items they may need. Make a list and plan to purchase and replace needed items. Website design By BotEap.comNow that you’ve completed the seven steps to clothing zone heaven, all your teen needs to do is maintain the new order. I’ve found it works well when my daughters take a few moments each week to make sure they keep things stored properly. Remind her daughter to give her clothes that she tries on and no longer fit or get stained or unwearable. Dealing with items as they fall out of use is easier than working through an entire closet. Also, encourage her to immediately put away the clothes she decides not to wear. It takes a few seconds to hang a set. It can take 15 minutes or more to sort and put away a stack of clothes! Website design By BotEap.comFinally, you’ll want to make plans to revisit the Clothing Zone each season to repeat all seven steps. Website design By BotEap.comZone Three – The Study Zone Website design By BotEap.comZone Three is really a matter of preference. He should consider where her daughter usually does her homework. If she most of the time does her homework in her room, not at the kitchen table or sitting in the bonus room, then she needs to set up a homework zone in her room. Website design By BotEap.comIf he prefers to sit at the desk, ask him to sit at his desk and think about all the supplies he needs while he works there. Ask her what she wears every day or weekly. When I’m working with a client, I give items that get regular use what I call prime real estate. Anything that is not related to the tasks that your daughter does sitting at the desk, do not stay there. Memories and memorabilia should be “contained” and stored elsewhere. If your daughter prefers to work sitting on her bed or on the floor, perhaps all she needs is a basket of supplies that she can pull out when she’s working. Next, make sure her homework area is well lit and that she has a comfortable chair. Website design By BotEap.comYou’ll also want to make sure this area is well stocked, including: a calendar, clear sheet protectors, notebooks, notepads, as well as pencils and pens with a carrying case. Website design By BotEap.comZone out Website design By BotEap.comNow that you’ve worked on the three main zones in your daughter’s room, you’ll almost always have items that don’t fit in any of the zones. She can put them in a container and check to see if she will keep them. Here is the proof. Ask if the item is used daily or weekly. If it’s used that often, then it can stick around. Website design By BotEap.comWhen you have souvenirs and other items left, ask: Website design By BotEap.com– Do you want to display the item?– Does the item need to be stored or placed in a container to keep it in good condition?– Do you want to put the item in a scrapbook or photo album?– Is there someone I can share with? Article- Website design By BotEap.comWith collections ask: Website design By BotEap.com– On a scale of one to ten, how much do you like this collection? Do you need the entire collection or just a few favourites? If the collection is important to you, are you keeping it well and where can it be enjoyed? -If you both decide that a collection will be kept, assign it a shelf or container. When the space is full, try purging the collection to make room for new items. Website design By BotEap.comOne last word of encouragement: If your daughter (or you!) is having a hard time putting things down, try storing an item for six months. Agree that the item will be given away or thrown away, if your daughter hasn’t asked for it during that time. Remember this is a life skill! If her daughter learns to manage her possessions now, she will have less stress and one day she will be equipped to manage her own home.