OLD FRIENDS If the child has a lot of stuffed animals that
he/she has outgrown, but just isn’t ready to part with yet? Use a
HAMMOCK or a net that hangs way up in the corner of the ceiling.
The toys can be put up there and they can still be seen but they
are out of the way.

SETTING UP CATEGORIES Kids can organize their toys by category
(cars and trucks together, dolls together, specific types of
games together, etc) in big bins or baskets. If the child can
read, LABEL the bins to help them remember which bins are for
which category. LIDS are usually too much for kids to deal with,
so get containers without lids, or store the lids elsewhere for
when the kids aren’t using the bins anymore.

GET IN THE ZONE Set up ‘zones’ in the room for DIFFERENT
ACTIVITIES; art & craft zone, reading zone, puzzle zone, and a
large play area to play with blocks and whatnot. Get the
appropriate TOOLS for each zone, such tables for the child to
work at in the art and craft zone, shelves for puzzles and games
in that zone, and a comfy chair and a bookshelf in the reading
zone.

GO UP Because kids need a good amount of floor space to play in,
use the WALL SPACE for storage. Hanging sturdy shelves or wall
bins at a height that can be reached by the kids, clear plastic
wall pockets, or stacked milk crates work well for kids to do
their own organizing. Container Store is great for shelves if
you have one in your area. Their Elfa shelving system is totally
ADJUSTABLE, so when the kids grow taller, just snap out the
shelves, and snap them in higher up on the tracks! It’s the only
shelving system I use with my clients, and I love it.

A HOME FOR EVERYTHING Teach kids the benefit of CONTAINERIZING
items by category or by the activity that required; for example,
things you build, things you read, things to draw with/on, or
toys with wheels. Teach them how organizing makes their things
easier to find. So much of what we call clutter is just stuff
that has no home, and even kids can ASSIGN homes to all their
stuff and be taught how to put things away when they’re finished.

DRESSING IN A SNAP For kids clothing, install shelving in their
closets that they can reach and use lots of hooks and HANGING
SPACE. If kids clothes are in a folded pile or in a drawer, they
are more likely to just wear what’s on top, rather than looking
through the pile, so hang as much as possible.

DISPLAYING THEIR ARTWORK Hang a clothesline along one wall of
the child?s room, a few feet down from ceiling level, and use
CLOTHESPINS to display artwork that kids bring home from school.
Once it’s been displayed, if the child can’t part with it, use
clear UNDER BED containers for longer-term storage.

Kids can be taught organizing concepts and tactics, which will
serve them well through school and into their adult years. And
who knows, with their creative little minds working, you might
learn something new about organizing from them!

About the author:
Monica Ricci has been an organizing specialist since 1999, and
her motivational presentations teach effective organizing and
simplifying techniques for home and work. She also offers free
email tips and ideas on how to make life simpler and more
organized. Her topics include clutter control, paper management,
time management, organizing space and procrastination.Contact
Monica at 770-569-2642 or Monica@CatalystOrganizing.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .