Conquering a Home Invasion
Organizing a home that is filled with toys, baby supplies and chaos!
Mar 29, 2007
A house with small children is filled with love, excitement and lots of stuff! Almost from the moment a couple announces their pregnancy they begin acquiring items to welcome and accommodate the new addition. With every developmental stage, holiday, birthday or event the collection expands and suddenly the home is overtaken. With a few simple techniques, the chaos can turn to order!
Mapping
- List who, what, when, where, and how for each space. For example, the kitchen (where) is used by the entire family (who) for eating, cooking, homework and crafts (what) at least three times a day (when) and is always a mess (how well).
- Walk around the home and target problem areas.
- List what is working in each room and what is not working (actual objects and function of room).
- Can the family easily find items?
- Can family members walk/crawl with ease through the rooms?
- What is the function of the room (i.e. play room, eating, sleeping, quiet time, etc.)?
- What should/would the room look like in a perfect world?
Sorting
Sort items by their function – one room at a time.
- Trash, keepsakes, toy, hair supplies, books, mail, keys…….
- In a toy room, separate by theme: transportation, dress up, building, pretend play, learning toys, books…….
- Use a trash bag for items that do not belong in that room/space. By placing these items into the bag they can be easily moved to the correct location after one room is completed.
- Decide what the purpose of the room will be and keep only the items that pertain to the purpose. If the children’s room is only for sleeping, remove toys or items that do not assist in the objective.
- Give items a home or specific location by containment.
Containment
There is no need for fancy new supplies to organize a home. By being creative supplies already in the home can be used to contain items. The main goal is to keep like items together. Here are a few ideas:
- Reusable plastic food containers: rubber bands, hair clips and bows, playing cards, measuring cups, cookie cutters, pacifiers, nipples to bottles and utensils.
- An old suitcase: dress up supplies, Barbie dolls, books or blankets.
- Sweater boxes that easily slide under a bed: keepsakes, off season clothing, blankets, toys.
- A laundry basket: toys, books, shoes, outside toys and sports balls.
- A cleaning caddy that can fit under a sink: diaper and wipes, bathing supplies, play dough and crayons, tooth brushes and toothpaste, and of course cleaning supplies.
- Baby wipe boxes: crayons, hair supplies, match box cars, pens and pencils, puzzle pieces.
Be creative, just about anything can be used to give a home to clutter. Some inexpensive additions to the home that can help with containment include: plastic storage totes, large storage bags, decorative baskets and laundry baskets.
Maintenance
This is the hardest area to achieve! Make a habit of putting things away immediately after use. Teaching children to do the same is important!
- Find a time frame that works for the family to conquer small tasks: sorting and handling mail, washing and putting away laundry, cleaning chores (sweeping, mopping, vacuuming) and scheduling management.
- Downsize the amount of toys by placing some in plastic totes and rotating them with the toys that are out. This is a great way to keep toys exciting for kids.
The key to an organized home is to find what works for your family. As they grow and change so will the organizational needs. What’s most important is to create a warm and welcoming environment.
