I'll level with you-I am organizationally challenged. Enjoy my chaos, enjoy seeing stuff on the floor, actually relish searching for something and finding it under four papers.

And my 10-year-old has picked up some of my bad habits.

But over the holidays, we cleaned her room-a job we've been putting off for months. She did about 80 percent of it.

I coached from the sidelines. It was then that I realized: a little thinking goes a long way with room organization.

You know those designer folks who can pack a house into a micro-space? They're born thinkers. They visualize analyze, hypothesize, predict, and problem-solve. That's because the key to organizing space is to think about how people actually use it.

Here are some ways to help our kids get-if not quite as expert as the pros-then at least more receptive to the clean-up challenge!

-Survey the chaos with your child and admit it's a challenge. Help with ideas, but stay cool.

-Offer some empty boxes or bags to sort items while your child figures out where they should go. This is a great way to begin. Sorting and categorizing attack the mess and they're also GREAT thinking skills. Ask your child to suggest the categories, e.g., electronics, craft supplies, books and magazines.

-Once basic organization has replaced the chaos, your child can figure out what to throw out or give away. Can she see herself playing with a toy again? If he gave it away, would he be disappointed if a friend showed up and wanted to play that game or use that toy? Posing scenarios and "What if?" questions helps kids think about how to handle life's little curve balls ahead of time.

-Ask your child to take note of anything in the room that's hard to reach. Racks and cupboards with poor access mean that they won't be used. What could you do together to solve the problem? Sometimes the solution is as easy as a container on the floor or a new hook.

-Make sure your child has garbage and recycling boxes and knows how to use each one.

Be scarce once the ball gets rolling except for the occasional check-in. Your child will feel good at the end of the clean-up, so will you: I can guarantee it.

Jessica Pegis is an author and consultant specializing in learning resources kids. She is the mother of 10-year-old Simone, her sternest critic and loudest cheerleader. Sign up today for KidSmart, her FREE e-zine, by going to

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