{"id":8,"date":"2015-07-16T06:00:12","date_gmt":"2015-07-16T11:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/professional-organizer.com\/WordPress\/?p=8"},"modified":"2015-06-22T19:50:40","modified_gmt":"2015-06-23T00:50:40","slug":"decluttering-with-your-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/professional-organizer.com\/WordPress\/decluttering-with-your-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Decluttering with your kids"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"decluttering<\/a><\/p>\n

Summer is the best time to\u00a0partner with your kids\u00a0in decluttering your home.\u00a0 You have a little more time during the week without the pace of school.\u00a0 Your kids need a little something more to do around the house.\u00a0 Most especially we all need an annual time to declutter what has built up throughout the year.\u00a0 There are many philosophies on decluttering with your kids.\u00a0 All have merit.\u00a0 It’s time to think about what works best in your family.<\/p>\n

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Working alongside your kids<\/h3>\n

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Many of us as kids were just sent to our room to “clean up.”\u00a0 It might have been a frustrating experience. Where do we start? What does our room need to look like in the end?\u00a0 What do we do with all our stuff?\u00a0 Work alongside your kids to get their rooms organized.\u00a0 Start with trash.\u00a0 There’s a lot of it!\u00a0 Trash includes anything broken, stained or unusable.\u00a0 Coach your child through categories.\u00a0 It can be general, like toys, clothes and media.\u00a0 Then work through sub categories, like XBox and Wii, Barbies and Barbie clothes, or vehicles and animals.\u00a0 Start to pare down once everything is grouped together. It’s much easier to let go of stuff if you know what you have.\u00a0 Keep working steadily with your kids until they start disengaging.\u00a0 It’s good for you to continue without then at this point and work until the space is complete.\u00a0 By working together,\u00a0your kids will learn the organizing process, learn to simplify and learn that less is more!<\/p>\n

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Working without your kids<\/h3>\n

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Sometimes kids’ spaces are too overwhelming for them to be a part of the organizing process. As the parent,\u00a0 you know there need to be changes.\u00a0 Go ahead and organize their space without them.\u00a0 It will be a blessing to them that you are working at organizing.\u00a0 You can delete toys and place\u00a0 these in black garbage bags in the garage to be sure you have not eliminated a precious item.\u00a0 Start by grouping items together, then deleting what is excessive.\u00a0 Create spots to store the items so that your kids can easily access them and label each spot.\u00a0 Your kids will need a “tour” of the space and some reminders on how to stay organized.<\/p>\n

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\u00a0Kid keepsakes<\/h3>\n

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Most kids have school and other papers in their space. It’s best to have a keepsake box for them. It’s a place to stash what they think is precious for their keepsakes.\u00a0 If your child is an artist, think of a display area for their work.\u00a0 Many parents are using clothespin lines for art display.\u00a0 If your child creates lego structures, think of adding ledge shelving for display.\u00a0 Honoring your kids’ keepsakes is another way of connecting with them.<\/p>\n

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Other decluttering tips:<\/h3>\n

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