The surefire way to get your kids to declutter without hassle
It doesn't have to end in tears from your child or you!
Decluttering with children can be a grueling task. The younger they are, the harder it can be for them to part with their things. Not only is it difficult to get rid of what they already have, but there is also a seemingly endless stream of incoming toys and projects!
Preventing the playroom from turning into a maze can seem insurmountable, but it’s not impossible. As a professional declutterer, here are the tips that I give my clients to make sure decluttering with their kids is a breeze.
Declutter before holidays and birthdays
There are two times of year that are the easiest for getting your children to declutter– right before their birthday and right before the holidays. Framing decluttering as a way to make space for new toys helps them come to terms with getting rid of what they already have. Talk to them about all the gifts they will be receiving, and how it is the perfect opportunity now to get rid of the clothes that don’t fit them and the toys they don’t play with anymore.
If you tie the experience to something they are excited about, it is much easier for them to get rid of more, knowing they have to make room for what is to come. It is much easier to say goodbye to things when they know they are saying hello to more!
Follow the one-in one-out rule
Breaking decluttering down and simplifying it will help make it something that kids can understand. Turning it into a smaller project will help them understand what they are doing, and won’t be so overwhelming for them!
My favorite way to do this is to follow the “one-in one-out” rule. This is where for every new thing coming in, one old thing must go. For instance, if you go to the store and they pick out a new racecar to come home with them, they have to trade it out for one toy at home that they don’t play with. This way, decluttering is a constant process and the piles of toys don’t become so uncontrollable.
Create an in-between land
If taking toys away causes grief, you don’t have to take them away immediately. Creating a “maybe” bin gives you buffer time so that you can prevent those strong feelings for both you and your child.
In this “maybe” bin, put in all the toys that they are unsure of getting rid of, and put that bin away in the back of the closet. If three months go by and they haven’t asked for anything inside the bin, donate it! If they haven’t thought about those toys in that long, chances are they have forgotten about them completely. Pro tip: stick to only one bin, maybe two if you have multiple children. Keeping it to one bin keeps the clutter managed.
Pare down artwork by turning it into a scrapbook
One thing about kids is they always have a TON of artwork. Every day they come home from school with another project and another drawing and another macaroni necklace and another and another and another. There is simply no way to keep all of these sentimental pieces unless you want to wallpaper your wall with it all! Another option is to turn their precious artwork into a single scrapbook.
Artkive is a wonderful company that scans your child’s artwork and compiles it into a scrapbook for you! They will even recycle the physical art so you aren’t left with all the clutter, but you can still keep all of the memories.
Get them involved in the donation process
Getting your children involved in the donation process is another way that will help them get rid of their things. They will be so excited to know that their toys are going to go to another kid who will play with them, and it will help make a much easier time with the decluttering process.
Have them pack up all the donations into the box, and go together to drop everything off! Better yet, have them help you choose which charity store to take it to, so they feel like everything is in their control.
Be patient with them
Decluttering is an emotional and tough process for even us adults! We can’t expect kids to be perfect at it on their first go around. Maybe they won’t get rid of every single toy they haven’t played with in a year.
If they can fill up one box or bag, that’s a fantastic start! It is also important to note that decluttering is an ongoing process, not a race. Do a little at a time together– not only will you strengthen your decluttering muscles, you’ll finally have that playroom back.
Tracy McCubbin is the founder of dClutterfly, one of America’s top decluttering companies. Tracy looks at the root of our clutter to find the real cause and ways to find real solutions.