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Organize Your Child’s Room
by Paula Eichermuller
Are you constantly tripping over books, clothes, and toys in your
child’s room? When you ask them to clean their room, does everything get
shoved under the bed? If the answer is yes then it is time to attack the
clutter and get their room in order.
A well thought out plan of attack will unclutter and organize your
child’s room once and for all. We need to begin by using the methods
below.
Plan
Purge
Clean
Define & Organize
Plan
You will need to get a clear picture of the problem areas and then
determine a solution. What is the purpose of this project? Does your
child have too much stuff? Are toys and clothes scattered everywhere? Is
the child unable to utilize space? What are your child’s interests and
hobbies? After asking yourself these types of questions you need to make
a list.
Draw a line down a piece of paper. On the left side of the page write
the word “Problem”. On the right side, write the words “Needs/Solution”.
Example:
Problem Needs/Solution
toys under bed storage containers
dirty clothes on floor hamper
books in toy box book shelves
no place to build models table/good lighting
dresser drawers overflowing get rid of old clothes
You get the idea. After determining your needs for this room you will
need to gather some supplies. (Some storage ideas are located at the end
of this article.)
Purge
Now you need to start removing things. You will need to have some boxes
and garbage bags for the items you will be getting rid of.
Doesn't fit- Can be handed down to siblings, or donated.
Beyond repair- Torn/stained clothes. Simply throw away.
Missing pieces- Games, puzzles, action figure arms! Toss.
Doesn't belong here- a friend’s toys, clothes, books, etc.
Outgrown toys- Keep only age appropriate toys. Donate
Outgrown books- Donate to library or children’s hospital.
The dirty dishes lurking under the bed. Restrict eating in the bedroom!
Try to get your child involved in physically bringing the donated items
to their new "home". Once they see that others have a real use for their
old stuff, they will get a sense of pride knowing that they helped
someone.
Clean
Now that you have removed at least half of the stuff from this room, you
should be able to see the floor. Take advantage of this by giving the
room a deep cleaning.
Wash curtains
Dust mini blinds
Clean windows
Scrub and polish furniture
Sweep and scrub floors
Vacuum carpets
Dust shelves
Flip mattress and vacuum
Don't forget to clean inside the closet*
After purging you should have significantly less stuff to deal with. Now
it is time to organize this wonderfully clean space. Now I will give you
some ideas on how they should function.
Define Space & Organize
Below are the basic areas a child needs in their room. I call these
areas "stations". Does your child have the proper stations in their
room? For a child to function productively in their environment they
need the following areas:
Sleep station-This one is easy; your child sleeps here. If your child
also enjoys reading in bed, be sure you have proper lighting and perhaps
a nightstand or book shelf near by.
Study Station-A sturdy desk with proper lighting is a must. If your
child does their schoolwork here make sure all of the necessary supplies
(pencils, paper, calculator, ruler etc.) are neat and organized. You can
use an inbox for spare notebook paper. An old mug can hold the scissors,
pens, etc.
Games/playing Station- Designate either a place on the floor or a table
for board games. Board games should be stacked near this area. Book
shelves will work fine or they can be neatly stored under the bed. For
action figures and dolls, use see through plastic bins for storage. For
accessories (doll shoes, action figure weapons etc.) you can use an
empty egg carton.
Creativity Station-Lets face it children love crafts, so this area is a
must. Use old coffee cans for storing paint brushes and crayons. Glue,
paper, scissors, play-dough, etc. can be stored in old shoe boxes.
Dressing Station- Place a hamper near either the closet or dresser. This
should help to encourage your child to not drop them on the floor. Lower
the rod inside closets (if possible) so little ones can reach their
clothes. You can also purchase a rod that hangs on the existing one
which not only makes it easier for children to reach, but it also adds
additional storage.
Go over each area with your child explaining each stations function. You
will be surprised by how neat they keep their new space. Children don't
like messy rooms any more than we do, they simply need to be taught how
to be organized. Remember the saying "A place for everything and
everything in its place". Once everything has a home your child should
have no problem staying organized. Explain to them that if they are done
in one station, they must put everything away before they can play in
another station. At the end of every day before bed give your child 10
minutes to pick up the room.
Storage Ideas
When you place items into a storage container, be sure to label it. This
will eliminate the excuse of not knowing where something belongs.
An over the door see through shoe holder can be used to hold: Barbies,
Action figures, markers, crayons, stuffed animals, craft items, building
blocks, baseball cards,
Clear plastic containers-everything mentioned above PLUS matchbox cars,
puzzles, paints, papers, un-assembled race tracks, photographs, and
comic books.
A net hung in the corner of the ceiling can hold stuffed animals, sport
balls, baseball gloves, A ribbon or rope strung across a wall can hold
art work, photos, awards, greeting cards, hair clips, and hats. They
will attach easily using clothespins.
These are just a few ideas. Look around the house for your own storage
ideas. Here are a few things you probably have lying around: Wicker
baskets, cleaning caddy's, clay pots, and milk crates. Now use your
imagination to see what you can store in them. Of course everything
mentioned will not apply to every child. Make any necessary adjustments
to accommodate the age of the child.
About the author
Paula Eichermuller's Sunshine Organizing Newsletter. Get your FREE
Bright ideas Pak, and great organizing ideas by visiting her website.
http://www.sunshineorganizing.com
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