4 Organization Tips for Teens

When teens are disorganized, they can get overwhelmed by school. Multiple classes, deadlines, and projects in middle and high school can be tough to manage. Organization tips and strategies can help teens be more efficient and boost their confidence. Try these organization tips and tools to help your teen get organized — and stay organized.

1. Declutter messy rooms with office supplies. Show your teen how basic supplies can help keep stuff organized and easy to find. Use accordion files to store and transport mail, electronics chargers, and other small household items. Rely on binder clips or folders to keep stacks of papers together, like homework materials or recent birthday cards. Take advantage of pencil boxes to store the pens, pencils, and highlighters kids need for taking notes.

2. Try a watch or timer. Watches and timers are simple but powerful organization tools. Teens can use them not just to keep track of time in general, but to keep track of how much time they have to do a specific task. Timing activities helps them learn how much time to budget the next time around. Teens can use a timer app on a smartphone, or if you want to go low-tech, try an egg timer.

3. Use a planner. As your teen’s academic and social schedules get busier, a planner can help keep things organized. A planner is basically a calendar combined with an assignment notebook. A good planner usually has a weekly view, a column for each day, and a list of classes on the side. A planner with a monthly view gives teens a broader look at events and assignments. This is especially helpful when planning how to break down longer projects and goals. Some teens may prefer digital planners and calendars, which are built into devices they may already use. Most of these programs have features like reminders with notifications, which can help your child remember tasks and deadlines.

4. Use a locker organization system. For many teens, school lockers are a mess of crumpled papers and piled-up folders. Avoid this by working with your teen on a locker organization system. Help teens figure out when they’ll visit their locker during the day. Have a map of where things go in the locker — you can even use shelves. It’s also important to schedule regular locker cleanup days.

Allison Green
Boston Tutoring Services