Most parents have struggled with the clutter that comes along with having kids from time to time... |
Most parents have struggled with the clutter that comes along with having kids from time to time. If you have stepped on your son’s Hot Wheels (ouch!), quietly snuck into you child’s room at night only to set off a musical toy that was left on the ground, or have been unable to find anything in the pile of clothes your daughter has tried on that day and tossed aside, you can benefit from the advice and tips below on how keep the kids’ clutter at bay…..with their help!
Simple, Easy and Fun! Remember these words, if you want the kids help in clearing the clutter and keeping it up! There are all types of fun, colorful storage containers and shelving out there. Make sure the shelves, cubbies and even hanging hooks are age and height appropriate for your child.
Baskets, Bins and Tubs…Oh My! Utilize bright colored stackable bins, baskets and tubs that kids can pick up, carry to another location, and return easily. Use clear bins for items used most, so they can see their toys and aren’t going through several bins to find what they are looking for. Label storage containers with bright pictures for younger toddlers and preschoolers so they know where to put their things away. Let older children decorate their own bins. Use music notes for CDs, Polly Pocket stickers for the Pollies bin, truck stickers for the truck bin, etc. You can also fancy up a bin, and make it match any decor, by gluing on coordinating fabric.
Highway to the Organized Zone! Separate rooms into zones. Dress up/make believe zone, race track, kitchen, reading zone and so on. Keep the dresser by the closet for a dressing zone, hang two or three sweater stackers for the kids most favorite outfits. Keep it all folded and put away together (including socks and underwear) and picking clothes for school will be a breeze; they just choose from a cubby.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle! After your zones and storage containers are set, go through and sort everything. Sort all like items together, and have three separate piles for trash, donate and recycle. Throw away all broken, grungy toys. Have your kids pick several gently used items to donate to a local charity, a younger child down the street, or the school treasure box. The recycle bin can go several ways. These are items your child can sell at a garage sale and keep the proceeds, or items you can keep in the basement for a few months and bring back out.
Hang it, File it or Toss it! Kids bring home paperwork and artwork on a daily basis. Wrap a cork board in fabric that matches their room theme. They can use this to display favorite artwork, cards, invites, reminders and anything else that that they would like. Have them go through the rest and throw out what they do not need. Buy a binder for each child to keep stories that they have written, writing samples, tests, old spelling lists etc. They can go back through the binder to see how much they have progressed, or use the old tests for study guides on end of term exams.
Hodge Podge Tips! Keep low pegs by the front door for kids to hang their jackets on as they come home. Include a bin or basket for mittens, hats, gloves and shoes that are otherwise left in a pile by the door. Make a homework box that holds scissors, glue, pens, pencils, calculator and a ruler. They can bring it to the table at homework time, and put it back in its place when they are done. Keep a big canvas bag in a downstairs closet and place items in it that have strayed from their rooms throughout the week. Have them take the items back to their rooms over the weekend. |
