Giving kids an organized space to play in is so important to their future mental organization.
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Get rid of old/unused items: Whether the items are too old, they’re no longer age appropriate or the kids just don’t have interest in them any longer, it’s time to assess your their toys. The broken ones either need to be fixed or thrown away. The others can be given to charity, friends or sold in a garage sale. If doing any of the latter please remember this rule. If this isn’t going to be done within the next 30 days, give them to charity. The chances are, if you aren’t planning a garage sale or seeing that friend in the next few weeks, those items will wind up sitting around. And you will wind up with another cleaning project just to get rid of the things you thought you already got rid of.
Make “Zones” for the room:
· Open floor space. Use an area rug to define this space where there is no furniture or anything in the way. This area is where kids can spread out toys all around and have fun.
· Quiet area: This area can consist of a small table and chairs and easel adjacent to bookshelves, puzzles, crayons and other quiet time activities that require your child to sit down.
· Noisy area: Small push toys and audible learning and musical toys should be in this area. Remember to allow room for bins that contain these items for easy pick up after.
· Open floor space. Use an area rug to define this space where there is no furniture or anything in the way. This area is where kids can spread out toys all around and have fun.
· Quiet area: This area can consist of a small table and chairs and easel adjacent to bookshelves, puzzles, crayons and other quiet time activities that require your child to sit down.
· Noisy area: Small push toys and audible learning and musical toys should be in this area. Remember to allow room for bins that contain these items for easy pick up after.
Match décor to make organizing/clean up fun: Kids love routine.
Although I’m not a big advocate of buying character or sports theme organizing bins, I feel whatever makes it more fun for your kids to pick up in that room is terrific. Just keep in mind that kids grow up fast and move on to the newest character or sport quickly which will push you to have to re-do the room over again. This can be costly and ineffective in the long run.
· Stick with 2 or three colors in the room. One being a neutral.
· Chose to color coordinate each Zone making one of the colors the main color that stands out in that area.
· Use bin colors as codes for certain types of toys for easy clean up.
· Area rugs, window treatments and furniture color should also play a role in organizing their room. Remember, you can always paint second hand furniture and crates to coordinate your kid’s rooms when on a budget.
Although I’m not a big advocate of buying character or sports theme organizing bins, I feel whatever makes it more fun for your kids to pick up in that room is terrific. Just keep in mind that kids grow up fast and move on to the newest character or sport quickly which will push you to have to re-do the room over again. This can be costly and ineffective in the long run.
· Stick with 2 or three colors in the room. One being a neutral.
· Chose to color coordinate each Zone making one of the colors the main color that stands out in that area.
· Use bin colors as codes for certain types of toys for easy clean up.
· Area rugs, window treatments and furniture color should also play a role in organizing their room. Remember, you can always paint second hand furniture and crates to coordinate your kid’s rooms when on a budget.
Get it up off the floor:
The room will always look tidy and the kids will always be able to find what they’re looking for when everything is in its place and off the floor.
· Consider buying shelving units for trophies and collectibles of all kinds
· Attach a corner hammock to the wall for an easy stuffed animal family solution.
· Bulletin boards are perfect for hanging current art projects, photos or a paper with a good grade.
· Old door handles on a wood base make for a safe place to hang loose clothing, hats and accessories.
The room will always look tidy and the kids will always be able to find what they’re looking for when everything is in its place and off the floor.
· Consider buying shelving units for trophies and collectibles of all kinds
· Attach a corner hammock to the wall for an easy stuffed animal family solution.
· Bulletin boards are perfect for hanging current art projects, photos or a paper with a good grade.
· Old door handles on a wood base make for a safe place to hang loose clothing, hats and accessories.
Teach kids the art of pick up and organizing their time at an early age:
· If parents always clean up after their kids they will never learn to do it on their own. Ensure storage, bulletin boards and shelving is at their appropriate height.
· Include bins and other storage in your design budget which are creative, colorful and whimsical. This will make pick-up time fun and seem more like an activity then a chore.
· Make a game of it to see how fast they can put the books away or toys in their correct bins.
· Always include pick-up time when stating amount of time for play. For instance, if it will be an hour before dinner you might want to allow 30 min for play time, 15 min for pick-up and 15 minutes to get washed up before sitting at the table. Even for children who don’t know how to tell time, this begins to give them the tools to know what’s expected of them and the tools to begin organizing their time at a very young age. They’ll be organizing your day before you know it.
· If parents always clean up after their kids they will never learn to do it on their own. Ensure storage, bulletin boards and shelving is at their appropriate height.
· Include bins and other storage in your design budget which are creative, colorful and whimsical. This will make pick-up time fun and seem more like an activity then a chore.
· Make a game of it to see how fast they can put the books away or toys in their correct bins.
· Always include pick-up time when stating amount of time for play. For instance, if it will be an hour before dinner you might want to allow 30 min for play time, 15 min for pick-up and 15 minutes to get washed up before sitting at the table. Even for children who don’t know how to tell time, this begins to give them the tools to know what’s expected of them and the tools to begin organizing their time at a very young age. They’ll be organizing your day before you know it.
5 Benefits Of Hiring A Professional Organizer/Designer
1. Budget Planning
You might think it would add to your budget, but on most occasions people don’t even set a budget for themselves much less stick to one if they have. A professional can help you decide exactly what you need, the cost of those items and where to get them at a more effective price.
2. Space Planning
A professional will have the ability and software to help space plan your room prior to making any purchases. This will save you endless time and money researching and shopping for products, brands and prices. Space planning can show you usable space you didn’t even know you had.
3. Creativity
An experienced professional has the ability to be creative. Creativity will not only help you create a space that tells a story but also allows for creative ways to get what you want while keeping you on budget.
4. Effective Resources
We’ve already don’t this before. The research has been done and a professional will know what you need, where to get it and how much it will cost.
5. Immediate Re-organization
This will not only change the entire way your children play, it will be set up in a way that you and your children are able to keep organized on your own for years to come.
You might think it would add to your budget, but on most occasions people don’t even set a budget for themselves much less stick to one if they have. A professional can help you decide exactly what you need, the cost of those items and where to get them at a more effective price.
2. Space Planning
A professional will have the ability and software to help space plan your room prior to making any purchases. This will save you endless time and money researching and shopping for products, brands and prices. Space planning can show you usable space you didn’t even know you had.
3. Creativity
An experienced professional has the ability to be creative. Creativity will not only help you create a space that tells a story but also allows for creative ways to get what you want while keeping you on budget.
4. Effective Resources
We’ve already don’t this before. The research has been done and a professional will know what you need, where to get it and how much it will cost.
5. Immediate Re-organization
This will not only change the entire way your children play, it will be set up in a way that you and your children are able to keep organized on your own for years to come.