Wouldn't it be great to get the kids' rooms organized and then be done - FOREVER? OK, you know that's not going happen, right?You can't eliminate the kid clutter totally, but there are somethings you can do to get it under control and make it easier for them and you.
I think one of the important things to do is to weed out on a continuous basis. Did you know that households today have 50% more items than they did in the 1980's? Wow! Organization is a skill that children need to learn.
A good time to go through the toys and clothes is before/after holiday, birthdays, and at the change of seasons. Really, anytime is a good time. Donate or pass along clothing that doesn't fit anymore. How many action figures does he really need? Toss the broken stuff that's hiding under the bed. Does she still play with all those Polly Pockets?
If you are going to store items for younger children, make sure the containers are labeled clearly. If you want to limit the amount of stuff in your home, you could rotate the toys and books. Pack some away for while and then pull them out and put others away. My kids love to play with things they have seen in a while.
The more stuff you have, the more you have to take care of. If toys are taking over your home and you've had enough, you need to weed! I know it can be hard to make decisions on things, but the more you do it, the easier it will get.
8 comments:
Oh I know, I forbid family members from just buying the little guy random little toys all the time. I tell them to save their money and give it to kids in Africa. We have our "toy" baskets. One for my office where he plays while I work during the day and three up in his room. Good post.
I do this regularly with my daughter. She loves to keep everything. (I wonder where she gets that from?) I entice her to get rid of her old toys by either donating them or selling them and letting her keep the money.
BIN.GO!!! Pack some stuff away and pull some other stuff out! I love it and that is the ticket to help me get this house under control!
You are so right! Every time I do this, and it's not nearly often enough, I feel a tremendous sense of lightness. When you have kids, it isn't even an option anymore.
I go through my youngest daughter's room on a monthly basis. It constantly amazes me the pile of stuff that I toss out each and every time, yet her room is still chock full.
I just recently bought a cabinet with bins in it for each of our girls' rooms. It has helped some, but they don't like to throw anything away. I tend to have to clean it when they're at school. I know! I'm sooo mean.
I also do cleaning and purging while the kids are away. I have them make decisions on SOME of the school papers and projects. I do try to have them involved in the clean-up and organizing process as much as possible. I’ve learned to let a lot go and shut my daughter’s door….. and other things, not so much.
We weed out before/after birthdays and christmas then donate them. Right now I'm getting a head start on my "spring cleaning" and working on re-doing rooms. My problem is that I'm tired of the rubbermaid bin toy box look and need to come up with a better look that's fairly inexpensive.
Post a Comment