Teaching Kids to Declutter: A Life Skill Learned Over Time

Before I became a Professional Organizer and KonMari Consultant, I spent 25 years working with kids of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. If there’s one thing I know, it’s that kids want to succeed. They thrive with encouragement, clear expectations, and someone who believes in them.

That’s true even when the task is something they might not naturally enjoy, like tidying or decluttering. Most kids aren’t exactly thrilled by the idea of organizing their space. But with a little planning and patience, you can teach them that managing their environment is a valuable, lifelong skill. And no, it doesn’t have to be done all at once.

Here are five practical tips to guide you and your child through the process—step by step, and skill by skill.

1. Get Their Buy-In

Before you even begin, make sure your child is motivated. What’s in it for them? Choose a meaningful reward together. Something exciting enough to keep them going, especially when motivation dips.

Rather than offering another toy or item (you are decluttering, after all!), opt for an experience: a trip to the batting cage, a special art class, or a day fishing. Time with you is often the most motivating reward of all—and you never run out of storage space for shared memories.

The key here is collaboration. When your child helps choose the goal and the reward, they’re far more likely to stay invested.

2. Set a Realistic Timeline

Tidying doesn’t have to happen in one weekend. In fact, it shouldn’t.

Pick a realistic deadline, ideally 2–3 weeks out. Put it on the calendar so you both have a clear finish line. If life gets in the way, adjust together. This models flexibility and teaches your child that plans sometimes shift, and that’s perfectly okay. Teach progress over perfection.

This approach also takes the pressure off. You’re not just cleaning a room; you’re developing a skill over time.

3. Define Physical Limits

Instead of arguing over what to keep or toss, agree on space boundaries. For example:

• Clothes must fit in the closet and drawers.

• Board games can only be stored on the bottom shelf.

• Art supplies go in one bin.

This makes the “rules” objective, and gives your child more agency in decision-making. When something doesn’t fit, you can ask, “Remember we agreed everything had to fit here? How do you want to make it work?”

This method shifts the focus from you being the bad guy to helping your child make thoughtful choices within agreed limits.

4. Break It Into Chunks

Most kids can’t (and shouldn’t be expected to) organize an entire room in one go. Keep sessions short and focused to ensure success. Even 15–30 minutes can make a real dent.

Start with the easiest areas and build momentum:

• Hanging clothes – Sort by activity: school, sports, outings.

• Folded clothes – Group by type. (Try the KonMari vertical fold if they’re up for it.)

• Books and papers – Decide what to keep and where it goes.

• Toys, games, and collectables – Choose what still brings joy.

• Sentimental items – Save this for last; these decisions can be harder.

Each completed step is a win, and each win builds confidence.

5. Support, Don’t Control

Here’s the golden rule: you don’t get a veto.

Your child gets to decide what stays and what goes (within reason). If they want to part with the sweater Aunt Agnes knit when they were three, support that choice without guilt or judgement. If you truly can’t let it go, keep it yourself. It no longer belongs in their space. But keep in mind that your space has limitations too; you realistically can’t keep everything.

Your role is to guide, encourage, and set up the environment for success; not to make every decision for them. That’s how real learning happens.

This Is a Long Game

Teaching your child to declutter and organize isn’t a one-time project—it’s the start of a life skill they’ll use again and again. I encounter many adults who tell me that they were never taught how to declutter, organize or tidy. Like any skill or habit, one learned in childhood is more likely to have longevity.

Be patient. Be playful. Celebrate progress. You’re not just creating a tidy room; you’re helping your child build confidence, decision-making ability, and a sense of ownership over their space.

And most importantly? You’re doing it together.

If you want some help with getting your (or your child’s) space organized, just reach out. But if there is ice-cream, I’ll insist on a scoop! Happy Tidying!