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The Parenthood Package – Coping With Clutter

Children bring so much joy and pleasure to your life, but there is no denying that the moment you start a family, the task of keeping the home clean and tidy suddenly becomes rather more difficult than ever before; (at times bordering upon impossible), due to the inevitable paraphernalia that goes hand in hand with the parenthood package.

If you are wondering how to go about achieving and maintaining an orderly space whilst sharing your home with your gorgeous, messy children, read on for our top tips on doing just that…

Rehome Items That Are No Longer Required

Children grow out of their clothes at an incredible rate and you will soon find yourself with reams of clothes that no longer fit them. Many of the toys that are purchased for children have a short shelf life too, as children develop and grow so quickly. With new items coming into the home, you can soon find yourself feeling overwhelmed with lots of ‘stuff’ bursting at the seams.

The best way to stay on top and maintain a space that is easier to manage is to have a regular clear out of stuff that is no longer being used. If you are planning to have more children, you may want to store items away safely for future use, as well as hold on to items that are special or have sentimental value. Aim to surround yourselves with the things that are useful and fun, and then rehome the rest, by passing it on to a friend, family member or a charity organisation. In doing so you will have far less to sort, organise and clean!

If like many children, your child tends to receive numerous gifts from family members and friends on their Birthday and at Christmas, it can be a wise move to have a well-timed purge of items in the run up to the event.

Preventative Steps

As a parent, it is so easy to fall into the trap of purchasing far more than you need to for your child or children – creating unnecessary clutter in your home with all of the latest trends and gimmicks. Many of the items we purchase are incredibly short lived in terms of the use they get and the amount of real time entertainment they provide. The only way to tackle this problem is to exercise discipline in terms of our purchasing habits, keeping in mind that there are always other options, such as choosing experiences over ‘things’.

Containing The Clutter

As children get a little older, they can be taught to tidy their toys away when they have finished playing with them, particularly before going out and at bedtime.

Placing baskets, storage boxes or a toy chest within easy reach and encouraging your child to take responsibility for looking after their things and putting them away is a great habit to instil early on. Making clear up easy and fun is the key to making this a success!

Many parents find that a designated play area such as a play room or play mat is a huge help in containing clutter, helping to keep toys in one place rather than having them scattered around the home.

Toddlers that have a tendency to get out every single item that is within reach, often benefit from a system whereby they get to play with a different box of toys on different days, or an alternative approach is to implement a rule that something must be put away before getting the next item, or box of toys out. This can help by maintaining a child’s interest in the toys they have and also helps to reduce breakages that are common when a sea of toys are scattered over the floor.

Motivating Children To Be More Tidy

Many children are motivated to tidy with a reward chart or treat, granting them anything from a favourite meal or snack to a little extra play or screen time. These methods can encourage children to help more willingly.

Another option is to turn tidying into a game or challenge, ensuring that it is perceived as fun, for example having a ‘race’ to put everything away or beating the clock, making the process of tidying up fast and painless.

The more helpful your children are, the tidier your home will be, and the less you will have to do. Putting a little energy into getting them on board with this goal is well worth the effort!

December 12, 2016

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