How to Stay Neat, Clean, and Organized (Teenagers)

Last Updated: July 19, 2022 References Approved

If you see scattered papers, piles of dirty clothes, and miscellaneous pieces of trash when you look around your room, you're definitely not alone. Cleaning and organizing aren't the things most people want to be doing in their spare time, but they actually aren't that hard to keep up with, and they can even be fun once you get into a routine! In this article, we'll help you establish your own routine so you can keep your room, locker, and any other spaces you use neat and organized all the time.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Making Goals and Plans

1
Choose a day where you can sit down and plan for the week ahead. A good time to do this would be Sunday night. Most people don't have anything to do on Sunday nights, unless you have other activities. If so, maybe Saturday night will work. You need to get to know your routinely schedule, or else things will get complicated.
2
Make goals for each day of the week. The goals should be S.M.A.R.T. Each letter stands for a word, as stated below:^{[1]
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- Specific: Say exactly what you need to get done. Be precise! For example, imagine that your goal was to get fit. You could plan to exercise everyday for a limited amount of time. However, rather than saying "Exercise," you should jog
- Measurable. You should have a certain way to measure your aim. For example, jogging can be improved by jogging for twenty minutes or so.
- Achievable. You need to set goals that you can do. Do not cram too much in at once. For example, do not jog for one hour if you are not fit enough. Instead, jog for fifteen minutes and increase your time as the days go on.
- Realistic. Be realistic with your goals, this is not fantasy. Do not jog for twenty minutes on four days, even if it is likely that bad weather will stop this from happening. Instead, say "Weather permitting, jog for twenty minutes on four days."
- Time-Based. Finally, add a time for your aim to be completed by. For example, 'Weather permitting, jog for twenty minutes on four days,' could be further improved by adding 'this week' to the end.
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3
Tackle each goal one at a time. Each day, do all of your goals, starting with the most important, then working to the less important goals. Keep an actual to-do list if it will help you track all your goals; you can even maintain multiple lists, like a short-term one for daily tasks and assignments, and a long-term list for goals that you want to accomplish throughout the semester or year.^{[2]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Organizing Possessions

1
Create a place for everything. Being organized starts with knowing where things should go - this comes in handy during clean-up and helps you maintain order along the way, so that big clean-ups actually become less necessary.^{[3]
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- Use storage bins, containers, and drawers to help you keep your things organized and prevent clutter from building up throughout your space.^{[4]
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  Christel Ferguson
  Professional Organizer
  Expert Interview. 17 December 2018.}
- Try decluttering by getting rid of things you don't need, like duplicate items. This will make staying organized a lot easier.^{[5]
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  Expert Source
  
  Christel Ferguson
  Professional Organizer
  Expert Interview. 17 December 2018.}
2
Do a daily room clean up.^{[6]
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- Pick at least 10 items off the floor each day (If there are that many to pick up).
- Aim to remove the biggest problems in the room first.
3
Do a weekly clean up. This is the time when you will put everything left on the floor back to its place. A thorough room cleaning is a must every now and then, even if you work to keep things clean on a regular basis.
4
Put items away as soon as you have finished using them. Don't just think you can do it later.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

School Life

1
Do your homework every night. Stay on top of your studies, and try hard to succeed.^{[7]
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2
Don't try to cram too many after-school and extra-curricular actives into your schedule. It only adds to the pyramid of stress with school, friends, and alone time.
3
Always have all your equipment for the day. If necessary, make lists of what you'll need for given classes and activities so you can make sure you don't forget anything.
4
Avoid absences when possible. If you are absent for just 5% of days, you lose 9 days of school time. This is approximately 45 hours of learning lost (presuming you have 5 hours of lessons each school day, not including break times).
5
Try to always be on time. If teachers are unsure which grade to give you, they will often check how often you are late to school. Therefore, being late, even if only late by a few seconds, will result in lower grades.
6
Keep your schedule organized. Use a calendar. Carry a personal planner around so you can mark down any important notifications. Keep track of academic, extracurricular, and social/family obligations so that you can be sure you don't miss anything important.^{[8]
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Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Personal Factors

1
Have a daily personal care routine. Sticking to the same general approach to self care each morning can help you stay organized.^{[9]
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- Take a shower every day or at least every second day. It makes you smell fresh.
- Make sure to take care of other daily needs, like brushing your teeth, keeping your hair clean and tidy, and wearing clean clothes. While not everyone is focused on beauty, staying generally neat and clean makes for a good first impression throughout your life.
2
Learn to do your laundry. While it may be easier to rely on your parents to keep your clothes clean most of the time, it's even better to learn early on how to take care of these chores. That way, if you need a particular outfit clean at a certain time when the regular family laundry hasn't been done, you can take care of it yourself, and maintain your neat and clean appearance.

Community Q&A

Question

What if I live in a trailer and don't have a room?

Community Answer

Try to keep your personal belongings organized, avoid making messes in your living space, and make sure to keep on top of your responsibilities.