organizing/messy/
Thanks so much. bbs
thanks
Bump, just means sombody posted a "bump" to bring the topic back up to the top, maybe for a newbie to see.
Awesome question. I had it at one time~
Executive Functioning or Executive Dysfunction could be the cause of the disorganization...if so, classes in organization skills can be taught in school to assist!Bump, like as in oops?
what does that mean?
next message?
I gotta know
bbs
bump
I like this topic. Ds is challenged like your son over the same three issues. He is 17and this has improved tremendously but it still an issue. ( As a matter of fact clutter and mess is an issue for our whole family. Part of it comes from tolerance and that I allow mess for ongoing projects/activities and hope they will come back and take care of their stuff.)
You may have already done labeling/color coding school binders, files, bins, shelves. There are four things though that have helped him tremendously.
First is an organization center seems to really help. It is a small shelf at eye level (so it won't be hard to miss) right by the door of his room. It has four hooks underneath with laundry hamper below. On the shelf are small clear plastic boxes. Many of the things that he typically misplaces or leaves laying around and can't find later can be put here. Boxes hold or support alarm clock, wallet, cell phone, watch, pills, loose change, retainer you get the idea. The hooks are for his bath towel and jeans that are clean enough to wear the next day. A handy hamper is below. This organization center really works for him because he doesn't need to think about various places in his room or house to find or put important daily things.
Second is an Alphasmart. Electronic organizers/ software can be a big help. For writing, organizing and prioritizing school work, he uses an Alphasmart which has been a godsend. He has dysgraphia so this has been a lifesaver for the physical act of writing. I'm not sure what aspect of writing is difficult for your son. An alphasmart is basically a word processor on a PalmOS system with organizational software. I don't remember how old your son is from your other posts, but learning keyboarding skills along with writing help is critical.
The last thing that helped for messiness in his bedroom was not reacting or telling him to clean his room. This was the last straw for me and proved most effective. If I found anything of his in the house, I brought it to his room and dropped or tossed it inside. It took a month until the floor was completely covered in a thick layer of clutter and I could not open the door one morning due to a foot high mound in front of his door! He decided that it was time and spent the entire day that weekend cleaning his room. Since then he really tries to keep his room liveable.
A method that works well for helping to clean up a messy room is the four box method. I use a plastic four drawer cart from Office Depot to help. Each drawer is labeled In this Room, Out of this Room, Not Sure or Discard. it allows you to quickly go through material withut having to think about it much or leave and get distracted while you put it away. Then take each drawer and deal with just the items in that drawer. It makes an overwhelming task a lot easier. It is recommended that the Not Sure things can be put in a box and labeled with a date one month later to be opened and dealt with.
Oh yes another thing that works well is a quick ten or fifteen minute clean up daily where everyone runs around the house madly picking up their stuff.
Well, I hope this gives you some ideas.
Good Luck!
Those are some awsome ideas!
Twice when I was growing up, my room got so bad I got terribly overwhelmed and did not know what to do! I even got nightmares from my own room. This was a 12 x 12 room, pretty big! This really bothered my mom, who is OCD organized. So, each time it got real bad, we took a pile, and organized them into subpiles from there. Discard, Donate, Keep, then in the Keeper pile was further subdivided into craft supplies, toys, etc.. Then, for all the keepers stuff, she taught me how to organize it all into my drawers. I guess she thought her genetic organizational abilities would transfer to me, but it didn't, and I am teaching my son these things too! This took two tedious summers out of our lives, and took over our living room too. But, now those two sessions have taught me how to handle "stuff" along the way, and to be pretty well organized. LIke the OHIO rule. Only Handle It Once. If something leaves your hands, put it where it belongs. Like shoes, the backpack, scissors, papers, etc. Would work well with the older kids. When I go through my mail everyday, I have my shredder, my file, and my bills all in the same area, and it takes me just a few moments each day to take care of that mail, rather than let it pile up to deal with later when it has become overwhelming.
My oldest is 14, and I let go of the room a long time ago. I am more concerned about him being organized in school. I guess I have learned to pick and choose my battles so that our life isn't one huge fight all the time. Of course it helps alot that now that he's older he doesn't have all the toys all over the place. Now it's just clothes to deal with as we went through his room the summer before middle school and got rid of every toy he owned (he didn't play with them anymore anyway). Now, when his room is messy we send him in there with a trash bag, and in ten minutes he's done...dirty clothes are in the hamper and ready to be washed and stray papers are either in his backpack or in the trash
I'm so glad he's done with the toys
I like the OHIO method...I use that myself although I didn't know there was a name for it. Also, one of my big mess busters is to make sure that no matter where I'm headed in the house I never go there empty handed. If I'm headed back to my bedroom then I make sure I've got stray pairs of shoes, a load of laundry, or whatever with me and take it back and put it away at the same time. It makes a big difference.
Great Stories, ChadR Boks!I owe the idea for letting his room go to Mrs. PiggleWiggle! Anyone remember those great children's books when you were growing up?
We also further subdivide each of the drawers. A couple times the Play/work room got so bad the floor was covered. Using the four box method I sat on the floor and would only deal with whatever my arm could reach, then put away what was in the drawers (boxes).
I like the OHIO idea and will adopt that great idea. My dh is really messy even though he is not adhd at all. I have a mail area like yours, but now I see that having the file nearby allows you to handle it once. Hmmm...I need to redesign our area. Gee, thanks for the great suggestion!
How old is our son?
What we do with our son, is just watch him like a hawk. When he finishes one project, he is required to pick up before starting on another. If we do not catch him starting another, he has to go back and clean up before continuing. He is an early teen, so it is getting easier for him to focus on one project at a time in his room.
I don't know if this is unfortunate, but we do have to watch him like a hawk over anything that needs organizing, even to his daily routines. Nothing seems to motivate him (typical ADHD?) but he has responsibilities and his schoolwork, and he does want to do well, so we just coach him along the way.
Writing is also a problem. My son is old enough to use the computer and Word for most of his assignments. Is that a possiblity for your son? But anything goes if it's not appropriate!
(((hugs)))
Okay this is so our house. MY ds can't or won't keep his room clean. Same thing destroyed by nightfall. I really don't have any good suggestions, Just had to tell you not alone on this one. I will keep on eye on this maybe we can try stuff together.
Same here once the room gets clean it is trashed again by nightfall. I usually help her
otherwise she gets too overwhelmed. My daughter is only 6 but what you can do is have him start on one thing at a time so he is not overwhelmed and of course comment on the fine job he is doing thus far and keep encouraging him. Set firm limits a great book that i love is "Setting Limits with your Strong-willed child eliminating conflict by establishing clear, firm, and respectful boundaries". This book is awsome and touches on chores and cleaning as well as behavior issues. I also get advice from our psychologist. Good luck JillAny one with a adhd son who cannot organize himself, keep his room clean or write correctly. Just 3 of many many issues we have to deal with.
We have been dealing with this for years and lots' of things work just not for long and we're running out of ideas. I bet if you give me an idea We've probably tried it but I'm desperate to help my son.
Any ideas? Help
Thanks guys for the suggestions. I will put them to good use.
I truly thought I was the only Mom who had to deal with this stuff.
I know messy rooms are normal just that, this kind of messy isn't.
I also thought that my house was the only house on earth that everything we owned was broken, lost, or taken by him. Now I just try to keep (my) stuff constantly where I can see it and then he can't get to it. It's amazing the time we have to spend on this stuff. Thank God for the regular kids we have.
I honestly just don't buy a lot of "stuff" for him anymore, he has to earn and save $ so hopefully when he get's things, he know's how hard he worked for it and actually take care of it.
Thanks again
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