KEY POINTS:
If you're tired of picking up after your kids or nagging them to put their stuff away, maybe you need to take a look at how you organise your home. By developing routines and providing convenient storage you can keep your home tidy and remove a lot of
stress from your life. Adding a little organisation, maximising your space, containing like items together and setting up routines for processing stuff as it comes in the door takes discipline and dedication, but stick with it and you'll reap the rewards. Here are some clutter-busting tips that should make for a more harmonious household.
Keep it simple
The more toys and belongings kids have, the messier their playrooms and bedrooms are. Make a policy that when you bring home one new toy, an old one goes out. Let your children choose which toys to give away. Take them to a thrift store so they can see that their old toys are going somewhere where they are needed. Help children learn to hang on to memories rather than things. Help them take photos, make a scrapbook or write a journal. A box or basket system can help in organising closets. Label each with words for older children or pictures for non-readers.
Plan ahead
Don't overload yourself in the morning. Packing lunches and bags and choosing the next day's clothes the night before will take some pressure off. Consider hanging a plastic organiser on the back of a door and designating pockets where each child can keep items such as socks, brushes, hats and gloves. Anything a child might need quickly in the morning goes in one of the pockets. This concept also applies to sports equipment, with a tote bag for each sport. The moment a child finishes with his or her gear and it is cleaned, it goes in the bag. Post-season, the tote bag is stored in the laundry room.
Emphasise the benefits
Organisation contributes to a child's success in school. Remind them that if they know where their homework assignments are, their mornings are less frantic. Create a homework centre, complete with supplies, a filing system, a place for ongoing projects, a calendar to track assignments, a computer and resource books. If you don't have enough room for a dedicated space, put the supplies in a rolling cart that can be pulled out when needed.
Involve the kids
Kids' rooms can be fun to organise. Older children may consider it an invasion of privacy but most will enjoy having a room that is efficient and organised. Play areas are challenging to organise because there is often an array of toys with lots of little parts. Teach children to pick up and put away one toy or activity before going on to the next. This concept takes practice and patience. Consider rotating toys so they are not all available at all times. Keep a small toy basket in each room where kids play. At the end of the day, toss toys in it for a quick clean-up. If there are too many toys for the basket, put some away for another day.
Tame the paper tiger
Paper can clutter our lives. Consider using a family filing cabinet with a drawer for each child. Keep appointment cards, sports schedules and other information there. Provide each child with a large cardboard "memento box" that will leave the house with the child once they reach adulthood. This can help kids judge which of their drawings are worth keeping.
Keep it off the floor
Clothes often land on the floor because there is no hamper in the immediate vicinity. The further children have to carry dirty clothes, the more likely they will end up in a heap on the floor. The same goes for rubbish - a bin in the bedroom will mean less litter on the floor.
* Leanne Moore is the editor of Your Home & Garden. For more storage solutions, see the issue on sale now.
