Teaching Kids to Clean Up — the KonMari Way
There are toys and clothes everywhere, and you just wish your kids would clean up after themselves. But how often does that happen, really?
Perhaps a professional can help. Marie Kondo, the iconic author of international bestseller The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, has recently published a picture book on the same topic: Kiki & Jax: The Life-Changing Magic of Friendship. We got the organization guru’s tips for teaching kids the joy of cleaning up.
Teach Kids That Cleaning Can Be Fun
Kondo first learned about the art of organization when she was 5 years old. Having stumbled on a homemaking magazine, she started thoroughly cleaning the entire house. Now that she’s a mother of a 3- and a 4-year-old herself, her kids help her too, her eldest most enthusiastically. Kondo assumes that this is because “she sees me tidy so happily.”
Kondo loves organizing and makes a point of carrying out every chore — whether folding clothes or tidying — diligently and joyfully. “If the parents look depressed when folding their clothes, the children will think that it’s boring. So, why not start by treating it as a fun activity?”
Tidy Clothing Is Important — for the Whole Family
But even if parents do enjoy tidying up, work and other chores often get in the way. If that’s the case, organizing even just one corner of the house may be enough to brighten up the interior.
Kondo says, “If you’re busy, start by making sure your clothes are put away neatly and your wardrobe is in perfect condition. My ‘KonMari method’ puts clothes first. You wear them every day, so it’s easier to decide what you need when they’re put away properly.”
Making a habit out of it might help you get ready faster in the morning.
Find Out What Sparks Joy for Your Kids
Part of Kondo’s job is to visit clients’ homes to teach them the art of organization. She often sees opportunities for kids to help too, and she’s learned an important lesson: “Even very young children can pick out the things that ‘spark joy’ in their heart.” That is, they can identify a thing they like so much that it makes them happy or excited.
“You gather all their things in one place and ask which ones spark joy in their heart. Or just ask, ‘Do you like it?’ if the child is too young for complex questions. Most kids can tell you what things they like so much that they wouldn’t want to let them go. The point is to take everything out and gather it in one spot. It is also important that children recognize how much they have.”
Many parents are bothered by their kids’ ever-expanding collections of toys. And this affects the cleanup process too. It’s easier to put everything back where it belongs if there are fewer toys, and kids might get tired partway through if there are too many.
“It’s hard for kids to focus, I know,” Kondo says. “I think it’s a good idea to divide the cleanup into several days, devoting a different day to each category: toys, clothes, and so on. It may be worth dividing it up further if there are too many toys: a day for stuffed animals, a day for dolls, a day for cars.”
Just one hour dedicated to organizing every Sunday can be a little game that will teach kids to be more thorough in tidying up. If you don’t have any time on weekends, try incorporating this when you’re preparing for holidays.
Or Just Leave It Up to a Professional
Young kids may only have toys to take care of, but their belongings multiply as they grow up. Some, like school supplies and papers, aren’t as easy to throw away. When advice is no longer enough, a professional can help.
“Even if only a little bit, there are people who can help you organize your wardrobe, or the whole house if need be,” Kondo says. “It’s good to ask a specialist to help you identify the issues you and your child are having with organization.”
Don’t Force Kids to Tidy Up — Teach Them to See It as Rewarding
When Kondo’s first daughter was born, Kondo started wondering how to best teach her own children to clean up. After two years, her thoughts grew into a picture book titled Kiki & Jax. The book teaches children the joy of tidying up through the story of two best friends: When Kiki’s room is so cluttered with toys and other things that there’s no room to play, her diligent friend Jax helps her tidy up.
“If you just order kids to tidy up, it has the opposite effect. Through Kiki and Jax’s friendship, I wanted to show that putting things away can be fun.”
It’s important that kids have some kind of motivation for organizing, whether it’s getting to play more with other toys or a reward like a snack. Kids or parents, we all prefer cleaning up when it’s rewarding.