Keep Your Kid's 2006 Holiday Gifts From Becoming 2007’s Clutter, and Teach Valuable Organizing Skills in the Process
Expert Organizing Consultant and Clutter Coach, Janet Nusbaum, shares strategies for clearing out kid's clutter to make room for new gifts received this holiday season, and teaching children valuable organizing skills in the process.
Carmel, IN (PRWEB) October 17, 2006 -- Chances are your kids will get more than a few gifts for Christmas. By February, the new toys received in December will likely contribute to added clutter in bedrooms, playrooms, and throughout the house.
It doesn’t have to be that way. January is Get Organized Month, the perfect time to begin teaching your kids valuable organizing skills to last throughout the year. In her work with clients, Janet Nusbaum, owner of Simplified Spaces, and member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), observes that there’s seems to less and less time for children to learn valuable organizing skills from their busy parents.
Getting organized involves more than typical kid cleaning. That is, shoving stuff under the bed and in the closets just isn’t going to cut it. Instead, help your kids think of organizing as an ongoing, and fun game of strategy.
Janet, parent of 2 school-aged girls, recommends first brainstorming the goals of organizing your child’s room and involve your child in the process. Ask yourself, what do you want to accomplish… free up closet space, set up a play area, purge unused toys, or all of the above? Once the goals for the space are identified, the project takes on a purpose and structure that will help your child become excited and invested in the goal. By age 7-8 children appreciate being part of the strategizing process and take pride and ownership in their own space.
Next, get rid of broken and stuff rarely used. After an initial clutter clearing, it is easier to assess what needs to be stored in the space. Nusbaum recommends preparing your children for the purging process by explaining that their new holiday gifts need a place to live, so some old toys need to go to make room. She recommends this “in and out” inventory rule to her adult clients too. Have your kids divide their toys into three piles. Their favorites go into a pile to keep, while toys little used that are in good shape go into a pile to donate to charity. Items that are broken or worn out should be put in a pile to throw away.
Once its determined what your child is keeping, divide the keepers into categories, like art supplies, video games and action figures/dolls. “Now you can determine what type of storage you need to store the keepers” Nusbaum said. A multi-functioning piece of furniture like a book shelf is an excellent addition to a child’s room. Nusbaum explains that a bookshelf works well for video games, DVDs and books. An art desk can provide not only a place to paint and draw, but also a place to store crayons, markers and paper. For toys and other small items, Janet recommends using clear plastic bins or boxes. Keeping items visible is important for successful storage. Storage for toys and supplies should also be accessible, Nusbaum says. “If they need it often, they should be able to get to it easily and put it away easily, Janet said.
Still, no matter how many storage boxes you buy, getting kids organized won’t be instantaneous. Organizing is a learned skill. Once the new toys have a home, kids need to understand the steps to keeping their space organized. “These new actions, done consistently, will take time to become habit. So be consistent and patient” Nusbaum said. Don’t expect the organization to happen overnight - but know that the rewards long-term, perhaps until the next holiday purge, are well worth the effort for both you and your child.
About Simplified Spaces – Professional Organizer and clutter coach, Janet Nusbaum, offers 20+ years of business management expertise (both in the corporate arena and as an events planning business owner) to help Central IN residents and small businesses clear the clutter and calm the chaos that disorganization brings. Janet grew up in Carmel, IN and graduated from Indiana University. In addition to membership in NAPO, Janet is a member of the Carmel Chamber of Commerce, Network of Women in Business (NOWIB) and is included in the F.C. Tucker Home-Link program. A frequent local speaker, Janet has been featured on WTHR, Channel 13 with Bruce Kopp and FOX 59, in Indianapolis Monthly, The Indianapolis Business Journal, Carmel Magazine, Inside Indiana Business with Gerry Dick, IN Magazine, Carmel Topics, INTake Magazine and Home Business Entrepreneur, a national publication.
For more information or to schedule an interview, contact Janet Nusbaum 317-867-1540 or visit www.simplifiedspaces.net.
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