Professional Organzier, Dawn McCloskey, returns to offer tips for keeping a child's playroom an organized and happy play space...
Do you get tired of asking your children to put away their toys? Do you have a playroom, but it’s such a disaster area that the kids don’t even play in it? Ultra Organized owner, Dawn McCloskey, says that teaching children how to organize not only creates a more peaceful home now, but teaches kids skills that will stay with them a lifetime. They will be able to locate their belongings, complete their homework, and become more independent.
Sort
Get your child involved in the organizing process. Before rushing out to buy storage containers, first sort the toys into categories. Have three boxes and/or trash bags for those toys the child no longer wants, those that are broken, and those that will be “recycled.” As you sort the toys, think of logical categories: dolls, dress up clothes, cars and trucks, toys that are in sets, art supplies, etc. Once the sorting is done, donate the outgrown toys to a charity, throw away the trash, and put the “recycled toys” in another area of the house. “Recycled toys” are excess toys that can be switched later when the current supply is neglected. Having a “recycle system” keeps toys “fresh and new.”
Contain
After the sorting, seek your child’s input on creating storage solutions for his toys - he might come up with something you hadn’t thought of yourself. Clear storage containers on open shelving or a system with drawers are recommended. Ideally, the storage area should be at a height that is easily accessible and the containers light enough for the child to manage without your assistance.
Label
Everyone - child and parent - will know where toys belong when cleaning up if containers are labeled. If the child cannot read, let him be creative by creating the labels using photos or pictures cut from magazines. To encourage reading skills, also include a printed label on the container. The edges of shelving can also be labeled with the category name of the items to be stored there.
Clean-Up
Now that you have this picture-perfect, organized toy room, how do you maintain it? It takes approximately 30 days to create a new habit. Enforcing the one-in one-out rule may be extreme - come up with a number of toys allowed out at one time and be consistent. If the rule is your child can have two toys out at a time, remind him that he needs to put them away when he reaches for a third toy. Designate times during the day that you want the toys picked up. Give the child a warning and set a timer. It’s much harder to tune out a timer than it is a parent. Periodically “recycle” the toys so your child doesn’t get bored. Encourage your child to donate toys to others when he is no longer interested in them or if he receives duplicate items.
Children tend to play with their toys and keep their room straightened when they have a part in the organizing process. Organizing is a learned skill that takes time to develop. Your patience will go a long way in creating a more peaceful home.
Dawn McCloskey is a residential professional organizer and founder of Ultra Organized, LLC in Cumming, Georgia. The mission of Ultra Organized is to create order from chaos by creating customized solutions in people's homes. Ultra Organized helps people get control of clutter in their existing homes or before listing a house with a realtor, and provides unpacking and organizing services to new home owners. McCloskey is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers. For more information, call 770-844-1049, email dawn@ultraorganized.com or visit www.ultraorganized.com.
