Spring cleaning with Kids!

Parenting

Spring cleaning can set your kids up with the right mindset

By Susie Ramroop

Spring is around the corner and we naturally begin to want to refresh and declutter. Our physical environment has a direct impact on our mental environment – it can bring clearer thinking, space to be creative, and the ability to feel calm and in control.

When children come along that environment can feel a little out of reach as we recall what our physical space was like before - clear surfaces, things in their place, and, generally, a sense of order.

Many parents feel compelled to give up entire weekends to clear their children’s clutter, and often attempt to sneak away belongings that may have generated emotional attachment over the years. I believe this is not only unnecessary, but that we are missing a key teaching that could set our children up for life.

Choose what is in our lives based on how much joy it brings us

We don’t have to take this responsibility from our children if they are over the age of 4, we can start to teach them to know the difference between true joy and mediocrity now, so that they are not tempted to settle later in life.

In case you have been asleep during the Marie Kondo phenomenon (see Netflix if you have), there is a way to connect to your joy through tidying up. Yes really. Here’s how to do it with kids:

Plan to finish

The first recommendation is to create a day when you will focus on this decluttering task until it is completed. There is no point creating piles that are never dealt with, and where satisfaction is never realised.

Start small

Tackle one key area at a time, and do so in this order: clothes, books, toys, then the rest. This means that you start with collecting together all the clothes in one place. Take an item, one at a time, and see what emotion it generates. If you love it, keep it, if it is too small, but it good condition, put it in the charity pile, if you are indifferent, let it go. You may be left with very few clothes, which is perfectly OK if your child is at school 5 days a week.

Repeat with the other categories

I recently did this with my 7-year-old: I didn’t tell her what to let go of, I helped her decide by connecting with how she felt. The things she loved were not even debated. The things she didn’t like were easy too. Those in the middle, she drew an interesting conclusion about, all on her own: “well if I don’t love it, someone else might”. Exactly. Now a family friend is benefiting from previously adored books and dolls.

Marie Kondo would be proud of her as she thanked her belongings, telling them she loved them before passing that love onto someone else. Magical!

So in summary, there’s only so much stuff you can truly love, and there is potential in your releasing belongings to create love for another person. You and your children will learn to create more mental space, and be happier when you base your choices on joy. Combine this with giving, and there lies your contribution to a happier world.

Susie Ramroop is a transformational Mindset Coach helping busy parents to lead their families to more joy. To enrol in her Spring Clean Your Life online course (for grownups), go to: www.susieramroop.com/spring-clean-your-life