Dealing with children’s clutter is what I am called to do most often as an organizer. Here are some tips for dealing with the mess:
1. Limit the number of categories and boxes that you have children sort their toys in. If you have one box for cars, another one for trucks and a third one for airplanes, I guarantee your child will not take the time to sort them out that specifically and may get confused. Instead, offer one big box called “transportation.”
2. The more open, visible storage you have, the easier it will be for your child to see what he or she wants. It will put an end to them dumping an entire bin upside down on the floor to find their favorite doll or stuffed animal.
3. Teach children that toys that don’t get put away at the end of the day get put in time out for a day or week, depending on the child’s age.
4. I can’t say it enough: Control the amount of toys your child has access to by regularly donating toys they have grown out of and putting some away to pull out on a rainy day. The fewer toys he or she has, the fewer there are to clean around and put back.
Highly useful vegetable bin from Land of Nod.
