Preparing Our Children’s Rooms & Closets For A Fresh Start
When the school year finishes in May, we have the whole summer break ahead of us. Fast forward to July, and we’ve enjoyed weeks of juggling summer fun, work, camps, sporting events, travel to see family, and maybe even a home project or two.
Then the realization comes that we need to start getting organized for the upcoming school year and sometimes that can feel overwhelming. How so? Well, maybe the school bags still have the previous school year’s work in them. There’s also piles of clothes to wash and sort, school supplies that need to be purchased, and the children’s rooms need a good clean after a busy summer.
So, what next?
Before we approach any bedroom or closet, we are going to get three bins or trash bags and some sticky notes ready. Let’s label them: Donate, Trash, and Recycle. Sometimes, we may need a fourth bin or bag for those items you need to think about further (because we will be working with the children and decisions are not always easy to make!). If needed, let’s label the fourth bin or bag: Think. This gives us a 24-hour window to think about whether we will keep or donate the items we are unsure about.
It’s Time To Begin Creating A Closet That’s Ready For The School Year!
From our experience as professional organizers (and feedback from our clients), when children are involved in cleaning up or decluttering, then they are more inclined to maintain their room as they know where everything goes. It is also a great skill building activity where children learn about simple systems and decluttering what is no longer used, worn, or played with.
Okay, now that you are together, let’s begin sorting the closet using a few simple steps.
1. Review the clothing hanging up, in drawers, or gathered in the closet or bedroom. Identify what no longer fits, and place those items in the correct bin or bag. Ask “can it be donated?” or “is it beyond repair?” Make the decisions together with your child.
2. Continue working through the clothes until you are only left with clothing that fits well and is in good condition. Fold clothing in drawers or hang clothing in the closet according to the available space you have.
3. Sort clothing by category to include a section for socks, underwear, pajamas, shorts, t-shirts, etc. Simple yet clearly defined zones, means that your child can find what they are looking for and also put their clean laundry away—win-win!
4. Identify and relocate any items that have made their way into the closet that don’t belong in there. This might be returning toys to the toy box or playroom, disposing of trash, or relocating items belonging to siblings etc.
Phew, that wasn’t so bad!
Organizing Children’s Bedrooms: How To Set Yourself Up For Success
When a child understands what to do (as they are equipped with the knowledge), they will begin to take ownership of their space and tasks. Even as adults, when we feel unsure or can’t find what we are looking for, things get frustrating pretty quickly! So, this is why we encourage teamwork when decluttering and organizing bedrooms.
Here are a few handy tips to get you on your way to an organized bedroom!
1. Look around the room with your child to take in what is in the space.
2. Begin a discussion together and ask your child if they can spot anything that doesn’t belong in their room. Gather those items and place them outside of the bedroom door.
3. Ask your child if they can see any trash that needs to go in the trash bag.
4. Become a donation detective! Can your child see anything they want to donate? Place those items in the “Donate” bin or bag.
5. Now it’s time to organize all the things that your child has decided they will keep. This is where you can make it fun by asking your child to categorize toys. “Can you help this plushy find its friends? Gather the plushies in one place.” “Find the toy cars and place them together in a bin.” “Gather all the books so that they are reunited in one place again.”
6. Once the floor is cleared and everything has a home again, work together to make the bed. Tucking in the sheets, pulling up the blankets, and sitting up the pillows. This can be a skill that you work on with your child over time!
Almost School Ready…
Now we are going to take a peek in the school bag. If you haven’t touched the school bags since May, don’t fear! Now’s the time…
- Remove all contents from the bag.
- Follow the same steps as we have previously… Donate, Trash, Recycle and possibly an additional Sort pile if you need to go through previous school work and certificates or reports to keep.
- You can give the bag a wipe over with warm soapy water and place it out in the sun to dry. Some bags are machine washable, but please follow manufacturer’s instructions.
- Put aside anything that will be going back in the school bag once the bag is dry.
Lunch box, drink bottles, and supplies…
- We like to check the condition of the lunch box and drink bottles before the school year begins. Lunchboxes do well when hand washed with warm soapy water and placed out on the counter to fully air-dry.
- Check that drink bottles are in good working condition. We recommend replacing worn straws, chewed lids, or items with any sign of mold or material breakdown.
- As you go along, add supplies to your list that may need to be replaced such as a new lunchbox, drink bottle or replacement lid, plastic containers, ziplock bags, etc.
Now we have a more organized closet, a fresh bedroom, and the supplies we need to start the school year strong!
A decluttered space where we can see and access the things we need has incredible benefits. By doing these tasks with our children, we are building skills for lifelong learning. Children develop decision making, communication skills, critical thinking, teamwork, and self-confidence by being involved in this process.
If you need any guidance with your children’s bedrooms, closets, or play areas, our team is always here to help!
Be sure and let us know in the comments below what information you found most helpful in this blog and what you’d like to read about next!
If you or someone you know needs help getting children’s spaces organized, contact us or call 256-316-1655 to schedule a free in-home assessment. Our team would love to help you like we have helped countless people across North Alabama simplify their lives.
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