a fresh space :: thoughtful organizing

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Kids have a lot of stuff and keeping track of it can be tough.   And it's hard to get them to let go of anything.  What looks like junk to us may be absolutely beloved to a child and what we think is great, gets totally ignored - go figure!

I teach seminars on 'organizing' kids, and while a lot of what we discuss is getting the parents to rethink their philosophy on kids stuff and clutter, there are definitely some specific ideas that can help when it comes to getting the kids on board with the program.  My basic premise is that kids (usually) have too much stuff.  This can be overwhelming for them and as a result, they don't play with what they have nor do they respect it.  Less is more when it comes to kids and their things.  Once you've made the decision to do this, I have for you:

Tips for Helping Kids Get Rid Of Stuff . . .

•1. Pick a charity that they might find interest in - this could be a church, a domestic violence shelter, a homeless shelter, a fund that supports animals or their school

•2. Find a friend or family member that has a child 2-4 years younger than your child.  2 kids is even better.  Then the child knows exactly where his or her things are going.  Give them a choice, "Do you want this to go to Mica or Sophia?"

•3. Set limits on the number of toys/clothes/art supplies/whatever that can be in a space, or on the amount of space these items can take up.  For example, when the Barbie box is full, no more Barbies unless one goes away.  Or when the limit of 8 sweaters is reached, one must be donated or tossed.  Be firm on this or it is useless.

•4. Use "either, or" questions.  As in, "Would you like to keep this one, or this one?"

 

•5. Help them sell their old items at a yard sale, or on Craig's List.  Then they can keep the money and use it for something else.

And keep in mind that it takes a while to have children really grasp the concept of having less.  I really encourage parents to look at their own habits - it's monkey see, monkey do when it comes to children and if you hold on to everything and can't let it go, why should they be any different?