organizing

Tips For Decluttering With Kids

Here are some great rules from Good Housekeeping for decluttering with kids. Plus we’ve included some experts tips of our own!



Good Housekeeping: 9 New Rules For Decluttering A Kid's Room

This is a great article!! I will add the following:

As obvious as it seems, we need to tell our kids that they don't have to keep anything they don't want or like. Oftentimes, it never occurs to them that they can get rid of things. We have to give them explicit permission. 

"You don't have to keep anything in here you don't want. Isn't that great! Let's make your room exactly the way YOU want it with only the toys and clothes and books that you LOVE! Then when you come in your room, it will feel like your own little heaven. How does that sound?".

Then we MUST follow through. This scenario happens a lot. Child says "I don't like this toy anymore". Parent says "Oh, but grandma bought you that for your birthday when you were 5. Remember how much fun we had with this? You can't get rid of it". Parent then throws things away when the child isn't home, things that the parent deems unimportant. This is not helping the child. By letting them make the decisions about their room and their belongings, you are building their confidence and sense of independence. You can always veto, and you should always guide them, but let them lead when it comes to their room. You may be surprised at how much they will get rid of when you tell them to only keep the things they LOVE.

I know as a parent, we get attached to their things too. It's hard for US to let go. If you want to keep a toy or book or any item as a keepsake, that's okay! But let's get it out of their room and into a keepsake area in your home. Because ultimately, you're holding onto it for you, not for them.


Hi, I’m Naomi!

Founder of Charming Spaces, professional organizer, wife, mom of three and passionate advocate for women.

I hope this blog is everything you’re looking for, but feel free to shoot us a message and follow us on Instagram!

How To Save Your Kids’ Artwork, While Also Saving Your Sanity!

Do your kids bring home entire backpacks full of art projects and worksheets? Don’t let this pile overwhelm you! Let’s look at some easy ways to cherish some incredible art and then introduce the lesser pieces to the recycling bin!

Before we try to create memories from the masterpieces, let’s pull out what doesn’t need to be saved. I know we all love our kids and want to treat everything they do as special, but for the sake of your home and mental well-being, you do not need to keep every worksheet and coloring-book page they’ve ever scribbled on. Only keep and organize the art you want to look at again. Do you only want to keep the Mother’s/Father’s Day cards they’ve made?-- That’s ok. Do you only feel sentimental towards the crafts with handprints?—No problem. You get to decide how much or how little stays! 

Now that you’ve filtered out the crumpled worksheets and crayon doodles, it’s time to organize and preserve the treasurers that remain. There’s no point to saving something if it is not being stored in a manner that will prevent damage. Additionally, your storage method should reduce the clutter around your house, not add to it. Let’s look at some of our favorites!

  • File Box

As Houston-area professional organizers, this has become our go-to method for organizing artwork. It consolidates all of the art into one simple filebox and neatly organizes it by school year! Perfect!

 

  • Create A Book

Ready to go paperless? There are many great services that can create beautiful books of your child’s art. Several of our clients have had success organizing art with ArtKive. Alternatives like Scribble and Shutterfly offer a more DIY approach and they include the ability to include photos of your kids. You’ve just replaced messes of paper with a beautiful coffee table piece! Magic!

  • Google Drive

For a completely digital option, you can create a folder in your Google Drive. Just like a file box, this gives you the option to organize by school year. And you can do it all from your phone as soon as the art comes into your house. This completely avoids clutter on your counters! Easy!

  • Document Box

What if you can’t bear to part with the originals and some of the art is too big for a file? Create a box specifically for art. Underbed storage boxes are the perfect size for larger art projects. Or, elevate the look with a document box from The Container Store. Everything just goes right in the box! Simple!

Document Box from The  Container Store

 

  • Display Wall

Want to enjoy your child’s art without cluttering up every surface with paper stacks? Turn it into whimsical decor with frames. A display wall is the perfect way to encourage your little Picasso! Fun!

 

Organizing your kids’ art will solve two problems at once. It will remove clutter from your home and allow you to properly store these precious childhood memories. So go ahead and tackle this before all those beautiful creations turn into a crumpled mess at the bottom of a backpack!

 

Hi, I’m Meghan

Professional organizer, mom, former educator, wife, and auntie. I am dedicated to minimalism, greener living, and community service.

I believe organization can relieve stress and help all aspects of your life function more smoothly. I hope the information here can help you create a more peaceful home and lifestyle!


Clutter-Free Stocking Stuffers

Fill Their Stockings Without Filling Your Home With Clutter!

Christmas is less than a month away! We’re here to help you prepare for a holiday with less stress and less clutter!

Years ago, a friend commented that so much of what is marketed to moms as stocking stuffers is, in fact, “disposable plastic crap!” So we set out to brainstorm a list of more useful stocking stuffers.

Ideas for Everyone

  • Toothbrushes & toothpaste

  • Socks

  • Reusable Water Bottle

  • Gloves/Mittens

  • Card Games

  • Popcorn for family movie night

  • Art Supplies

  • Hot Chocolate Bombs/ Packets

  • Chapstick

  • Sun Glasses

  • Cookie Cutters

  • Bathbombs

Ideas for Little Kids

  • Play-Doh

  • Stickers

  • Bathtub Finger Paint

  • Hot Wheels

  • Fruit Snacks

  • Hair bows

  • Mall Carousel Tokens

  • Hermann Park Mini-Train Tickets

  • Crayons


Ideas for big Kids

  • Phone case

  • Chargers

  • Make-up/ Hair Care

  • Fancy Pens/Markers

  • Gaming/iTunes gift cards

  • Shampoo/Shower Gel

  • Takis/Flaming Hot Cheetos

  • Rubik’s Cube

  • Candy

  • Nail Polish

  • Fuzzy Socks

Important Pro Tip: Anything can become clutter if you have too much of it! Check what they already have before you buy.

Hi, I’m Meghan

Professional organizer, mom, former educator, wife, and auntie. I am dedicated to minimalism, greener living, and community service.

I believe organization can relieve stress and help all aspects of your life function more smoothly. I hope the information here can help you create a more peaceful home and lifestyle!