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When it comes time to organize your home, you are up for a challenge, but it can be a fun and rewarding one. Sharing that challenge and reward with your children is a wonderful way to instill good habits at an early age (it also makes your job easier of course). But getting kids to help you organize can itself be a chore. How do you convince them to pitch in and get involved? Here are some tips to help you out.

1. Buy some fun organization supplies.

Organization bins for toys, clothes, and accessories don’t have to be boring. They can be fun! A lot of kids will join in organization tasks more willingly if they feel like it is an opportunity to personalize their space. Instead of purchasing plain white plastic bins, why not order colored plastic bins for your kids? Let them pick out their favorite colors. You can also easily decorate plastic bins using instructions you find online. There are a lot of fun DIY arts and crafts projects you can do to make even the most utilitarian plastic container something beautiful to look at! Once you have decorated the bins with your children’s help, they will be excited to put them to use!

2. Turn organizing into a game.

This works best with younger children (with older children, the best tactic is usually just to assign a task and then stay out of their hair, especially when it comes to organizing their rooms). Younger kids like to be entertained, and they want to spend time with you. So look for ways you can turn organization into a fun activity. Hold little contests to see who can put toys away most quickly. Share memories too; odds are that you have special memories attached to some of your child’s things. A five or six year old will often love to hear a story about when he was a baby. This can help to pass the time and also make organizing feel like a more meaningful activity.

3. Offer up a reward for helping out.

One tactic that works great for younger kids and older kids alike is to offer a reward. Rewards for small chores can be small (an extra helping of dessert or something along those lines), and those for large tasks can be bigger (a nice meal, a movie or expensive toy a child has been wanting). Most children learn better through positive reinforcement than they do through negative reinforcement, and will be more enthusiastic about organizing if they feel like there is a positive attitude about their involvement in the first place.

So approach organizing like it is fun from the start. Give your kids fun organizational supplies like decorative plastic bins for storage; look for ways to turn cleaning and organizing into a game; share memories and stories while you work with young children; and be sure to offer up rewards! You will probably see a much more enthusiastic response. Enjoy organizing with the help of your kids, and good luck accomplishing your household projects!