Defeat Kid Clutter

Do you get exhausted just thinking about how much clutter kids generate? Clothes, shoes, diapers, wipes, bottles, toys, stuffed animals, books, paperwork, and on and on! It only seems to get worse as they grow up and start to participate in activities outside the home – I’m thinking dance gear, sporting equipment, musical instruments, and video games. Sure, you can tell your kid to clean their room, but chances are they won’t even know where to start. Before you get overwhelmed give a few of these tips a try and help your household defeat the clutter!

Don’t Get Overwhelmed

Start by going through what your kids already have for just 30-minutes a day. Start with storage areas. Then move on to shared spaces like the living room and kitchen, and finish with their bedrooms. Clothing/shoes first, then toys, books, papers, miscellaneous, and lastly mementos.

Declutter Mindfully

Separate items into piles, bins, or bags – throw away, give away or sell at a consignment store or in a garage sale; and save as important, special, or as a keepsake. Then group like items. For example shoes, sports equipment, books, and toys. Sort each group into sub-groups i.e. tops, pants, socks, underwear, bags, and accessories. If your child hasn’t worn or used it in a year maybe it’s time to let it go?

Storage

Find and assign storage making sure to place similar items together so you can quickly figure out what you are missing or have too much of. Underbed boxes and/or plastic storage tubs are nice for storing things like stuffed animals and out-of-season clothes, depending on the height of your child’s bed frame. Consider buying a bed frame that has a storage area built in.

Colored Bins

This works well with younger kids. You can either have your child put everything in the bins however they like or try to get them to sort by bin (e.g., trains in the large yellow bin, books in the small blue bin, stuffed animals in the small red bin.). This method works well for many things - trains, Lego, and Barbies.

Fast Tidy-Up

Consider buying a storage ottoman for a main living area. One that hides toys and is also sturdy enough to serve as a seat for two. Kids can do a fast pick-up daily or when company is on the way, and then close the lid on the whole mess.

Shoes!

Never search for shoes again! Place a medium-size basket by the door you normally enter and leave the house from – this is for seasonal shoes. Out-of-season shoes can be stored in their closet in a tub or bin, or a plastic tub in the basement, or under the bed.

Gift Less Things

Let your family and friends know that you are trying to reduce clutter. Ask them to give birthday and holiday gifts that are experiences or educational rather than another game or toy. Grandma would probably be thrilled to get the kids a movie theater gift card – endless movies and popcorn all year! What kid doesn’t like an all-summer pass to the pool or trampoline park?

Make It A Habit

To maintain your newfound order, have the kids pick up daily, either before dinner or bedtime. Remember to emphasize that it’s easier to clean up small messes instead of letting things get out of hand. Best clutter tip – everything should have a place where it lives. Teach your kids to put things back where they belong in your newly decluttered home. 