Keep baskets around the house as a temporary holding area for clutter. Random toys, books, socks, etc. always end up being left behind now and then. The baskets allow you to get them out of the way for the moment. You could even have a basket for each child which they are responsible for checking on a regular basis. This saves you several trips through the house, up and down the stairs and allows the kids to take responsibility for their stuff.
Bins, bins and more bins. We love bins. Bins are great for organizing all of the little things our kids can’t live without. They can be labeled for specific items making it easier to find that special action figure to save the day. You can use pictures to label bins for younger children. Bins can transform that dark and mysterious place of clutter under the bed into a useful storage area. Bigger bins can store spare sheets, blankets and towels and smaller bins for those toys that have so many little pieces. They make bins in many sizes that are low enough to fit under a bed.
Give each child a bathroom bin or toiletry bag for their brushes, hair ties, floss, deodorant and all of the other things that can end up scattered all over the bathroom but are so often hard to find when getting ready for school. Put small, open bins inside drawers to separate small stuff or collections. While not a bin, an over the door shoe bag/rack is another great way to organize small toys, stuffed animals or even baseball cards.
Having a place for everything will not only cut down on the clutter, but will also cut down the amount of times you hear, “Mom” or “Dad”, “Have you see my……?”
Make a set time for cleaning up a room is a great way to keep them moving. If you’re going to be heading out the door soon, a 2-Minute Tidy may be just enough to get a few things put away quickly. A 5 or 10 Minute Tidy would usually be enough to clean up a bedroom or playroom but gives the child a definite ending for the task that they can see. Use a timer they can see in the room they are cleaning and make it like a game. Setting a reward (see Marble System) for accomplishing the goal in the time allowed is a great motivator.
You can even have a 30 min or 60 min Tidy for the whole house and involve the whole family. This allows the parents to set a good example and let the kids see that they aren’t the only ones with chores. Turn on some music and make it fun. Give the heavy and high chores to parents or older siblings and assign age appropriate tasks to the kiddos. They can dust, dust mop, vacuum and pick up the various toys, books, video games and other clutter that accumulates during the week, even if they aren’t the ones who left it out. What a concept! A reward for the whole family like a trip to the park, the movies, or a favorite lunch spot will help keep the focus for the Tidy Hour.
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