Saying that your child’s room is not organized may be the understatement of the year. From mis-hung clothes to tossed toys, their room looks like it was ravaged by a hurricane. Constantly telling them to clean up only leads to stuffed drawers and a mess under the bed.
Instead of throwing up your hands in defeat, take charge. Organization isn’t an innate quality. It’s time to show your kids how keeping their room clean can actually be cool.
1. De-clutter
Kid’s rooms often double as playrooms meaning they’re stuffed to the gills with clothes and toys. Before you even begin to think about organizing, it’s important to get rid of anything that’s not being used. Rather than sweeping through the room with a garbage bag on your own, go through everything with your child.
Pack up out-of-season clothes for storage and donate anything they’ve clearly outgrown. If your child is having a hard time letting go of toys or stuffed animals, set a limit of how many they can keep.2.
2. Get a great closet system
Any parent knows closets can be the root of all evil when it comes to a child’s room. Pick out a great closet system that’s easy for your kid to use. This means hangers they can reach and well-labeled areas for things like shoes, socks, sweaters and underwear. Working with your child to help choose a spot for each item gives them ownership and a sense of pride.
3. Provide plenty of storage
For most kids, one closet isn’t enough storage space. Not enough space means things end up scattered about. Nip this issue in the bud by getting furniture that doubles as storage. Pick something fun that your child is excited to use, like a cool big girl bed that has drawers underneath or a reading nook that doubles as a toy chest.
4. Give them easy access
Kids have a tendency to get frustrated easily—especially when it comes to cleaning. Eliminate some of the frustration by making it totally obvious where they need to put clothes and toys away. For smaller children this may mean removing the closet door for easy access and keeping baskets and bins low to the ground.
5. Do a little each day
Don’t wait until your kid’s room is a total nightmare before you ask them to clean. Set aside a half hour at the end of each day for them to tidy up. This may be a hard sell at first, but once they get into the swing of things, their rooms will be consistently cleaner.
Incorporating these tips isn’t a guarantee that your child’s room will stay perfectly spotless. But getting them into the habit of putting items back in their place will definitely help them as they grow up—and in the meantime, keep you sane.
Article originally published by EiEi Homes Inc. For more information on articles, reviews, and contractors in your area, please see their website at www.eieihome.com.
