Clutter. One word; one dreaded word. It won’t go away. It’s around us everywhere we turn. My house is full of it, especially now during all of these remodeling projects. I get it organized and another project begins, Sometimes I honestly wonder if it will ever end. Will de-cluttered tables and counter tops be in my near future? Will my house be ready in time for the holidays?
I don’t know the answer to that since I can’t see the future, but I can work on certain areas of the house. My boys’ room will be the first room I tackle. Right now, they have a few extras in there that an finally come out, such as a dresser and chair for my bedroom {which isn’t finished yet} and the ferret’s cage. Since we are done hanging/sanding/painting drywall {finally!}, all of these things can go into their appropriate rooms now. Then I can finally de-clutter!
Here are my 10 de-cluttering tips!
- Throw away any broken toys. They will never get played with again. Trust me!
- Donate any toys that haven’t been used lately. Your kids can help with this task!
- Find or buy a shelf for all of their books, so they are all in one spot and easily accessible to stimulate their minds.
- Organize small toys into bins and put them on a shelf or even just stacked on the closet floor.
- Buy {or utilize any that you have on hand} large rubbermaid bins for toy sets. I currently have two for their Zhu-Zhu and HEXBUG collections.
- Designate a spot for video game equipment and games, such as a drawer or bins.
- Put up a pet hammock for all of their stuffed animals so they’re not laying around. Maybe you could keep out their favorite 5.
- Organize all art supplies in a little work area such as a desk. If there isn’t room for a desk, put them into bins and label them.
- Designate a bin or large duffle bag for costumes.
- If your boys are into race tracks, think about investing in the new Wall Tracks from Hot Wheels. They assemble right to your wall, eliminating floor clutter! I saw these at the Time to Play Holiday Showcase and they are awesome! This hot new toy is definitely on my “to buy” list for this holiday season! TimetoPlayMag.com just announced them as one of the top 16 toys guaranteed to be topping wish lists this holiday season!
One thing to remember when de-cluttering is to keep up with pick up! If you {or they} don’t, then the clutter will just return and you’ll be doing this all over again in a month or two.
I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hot Wheels? blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here. I received samples for the purpose of reviewing. Opinions expressed are my own or my families and are not influenced by any form of compensation. Take it or leave it. Click here to view my full acknowledgment policy.
