Happy holidays everyone! As we enter the gift-giving month of December, it’s the perfect time to clear out old clutter and make room for new items that may be received as gifts. Kids’ rooms can be especially challenging this time of year as new toys and clothes start to pile on top of older items.
Get a head start on the clutter now and avoid having to tackle a huge mess when the New Year rolls around. Here are few tips from a pro to help you get going.
Rally Your Recruits
It is best to get your children involved in the cleaning and de-cluttering plan. Schedule a day in advance that will be dedicated to addressing the mess. If your kids are little, let them help as much as possible. Assign age-appropriate jobs like collecting all Legos into one container or putting all stuffed animals into one bin. If your children are older, ask them to sort through their rooms for items they no longer want and clothes that no longer fit.
Decisions, Decisions
Younger children’s rooms can be the most challenging to de-clutter. Ideally, you should be able to separate your child’s toys into categories for tossing, selling/donating, and storing. Here are some examples for each category:
Toss
- Generic party favors
- Chintzy souvenirs
- Cereal box and Happy Meal toys
- Dirty stuffed animals that can’t be washed
- Clothes, toys and books that are damaged beyond repair
- Board games and puzzles with missing pieces
Sell or Donate
- Gently used toys that are no longer age-appropriate
- Duplicate toys
- Unstained clothing or bedding
- Outgrown children’s furniture
- Books in good condition
- Halloween costumes
Keep/Store
- “Lovey” items – baby blanket, stuffed animal, doll, etc.
- Custom dollhouses or other hand-crafted playthings
- Favorites: Hot Wheels, action figures, bedtime book, Barbie, etc.
- Year’s best art project
- Collector’s items
Unfortunately, it can be difficult to decide which items are worth keeping for your child to reminisce with later in life. You shouldn’t try to keep every single art project or sentimental trinket, but do allow yourself to store major items.
Keeping It Clean
After you’ve made your decisions and cleared out the excess, you can invest in some high quality storage solutions to help maintain the newly organized space. Then, be sure to teach your children the value of keeping it that way!
If you’re ready to get your kids’ clutter under control once and for all, call me for help! I can design and install custom storage and organization solutions for all your needs.
Call me today for a FREE consultation.
618-789-7969