---
title: Why some kids have messy backpacks
description: Why are some kids’ backpacks so messy? For some kids, having a messy backpack isn’t a choice. Find out why some kids have messy backpacks, and how to help.
slug: why-kids-have-messy-backpacks
author: Gretchen Vierstra, MA
reviewer: Bob Cunningham, EdM
published: '2019-08-05T15:48:59.541Z'
thumbnail: https://cdn-images.understood.org/p0qf7j048i0q/1n0rHO2S7Fv4luv7UDqchF/ee31f755e87dd40d25fda23006178ebc/G1074460926.png
source_url: https://www.understood.org/en/articles/why-kids-have-messy-backpacks
lang: en
---

# Why some kids have messy backpacks

Most people would agree: A book bag or backpack that’s overflowing with things that are randomly thrown in is messy. Do kids with messy backpacks not see the mess? Or do they not care about it?

For some kids, messiness is a choice. There are things they’d rather be doing than cleaning up and getting organized. If it’s up to them, they’re going to do the stuff that’s interesting and fun. Having to sift through a mess is a chore. But if they need to get it together and clean up, they have no trouble doing it.

For other kids, organizing a backpack (and keeping it that way) is a real challenge. Messiness isn’t a choice. They simply have a hard time staying organized. That’s because cleaning up a messy backpack involves a bunch of steps. And it requires skills like staying focused and planning.

---

<!-- structured-data -->
```json
[{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.understood.org/en/articles/why-kids-have-messy-backpacks#webpage","url":"https://www.understood.org/en/articles/why-kids-have-messy-backpacks","description":"Why are some kids’ backpacks so messy? For some kids, having a messy backpack isn’t a choice. Find out why some kids have messy backpacks, and how to help."},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://www.understood.org/en/articles/why-kids-have-messy-backpacks","name":"Why some kids have messy backpacks"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"Article","datePublished":"2019-08-05T15:48:59.541Z","description":"Why are some kids’ backpacks so messy? For some kids, having a messy backpack isn’t a choice. Find out why some kids have messy backpacks, and how to help.","headline":"Why some kids have messy backpacks","url":"https://www.understood.org/en/articles/why-kids-have-messy-backpacks","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https://www.understood.org/#organization","name":"Understood for All Inc","logo":"https://cdn-images.understood.org/p0qf7j048i0q/307jFAYQevghG8nQMCjh89/ccdbbec895765824db43f6d30b496e83/logo_lockup_navy.jpg"}}]
```