If you enjoy this newsletter...
FUN FACT: May 10th is
CLEAN YOUR ROOM DAY.
But why wait? The beginning of the school year is the perfect time for kids to take stock of their stuff, carve out a work area and create their own personal space in which they can have friends over.
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Do you know what you call those who use towels and never wash them, eat meals and never do the dishes, sit in rooms they never clean, and are entertained till they drop? If you have just answered, "A house guest," you're wrong because I have just described my kids.
Erma Bombeck
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Watch for my new book, "Messy Melinda", coming out
soon.
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SCARED OF YOUR CHILD'S MESSY ROOM? |
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If Your Child's Chaotic Room is Causing
You Mess Distress, READ ON...
- Some tips to help you keep clutter at bay throughout the various stages of childhood, toddler to young adult |
 Organizing your child's bedroom is one of the greatest homemaking challenges you will face as a parent!
From the time kids are toddlers and well into the college years, children's rooms are often the bane of a parent's existence. Trust me, I know. I've spent countess hours, begging, bribing, beseeching, arguing, screaming and cajoling, in (mostly vain) attempts to get my daughter to clean her room. Some things never worked (screaming, pleading, threatening), and other things worked like a charm. This is what I learned:
Kids don't see their room the way we adults do. It's just a fact.
The part of the brain responsible for organizing, planning, sequencing (also known as executive functioning) resides in the pre-frontal cortex of the brain, an area of the brain that doesn't fully mature until the early twenty's (but even longer for those
who have ADHD). So buck up. Your child's messy room may, in part, be biology-based, according to researchers.
For toddlers (and kids of all ages), KEEP IT SIMPLE. MAKE IT EASY TO PUT THINGS AWAY. It's important to have clearly designated places for everything - toys, books, games, etc. Arrange bins, containers and shelves low enough for little ones. If your child can't read yet, paste a picture on each bin of what is to be stored within it (i.e. cars, books, musical instruments).
Store toys, games, art projects which require supervision on the higher shelves, out of reach.
Make clean-up time fun - either with music, or by reading to your child while they clean up. Or make it a game. Set a time and see how many "whatevers" you can put away in the allotted time.
Keep old toys new by taking them out of circulation every couple of months, so that all your child's playthings aren't accessible at the same time. Rotating toys will keep kids' interest in them fresh and alive. Too many toys can be over-stimulating and the recipe for a messy room.
Store board games vertically on shelves (when possible) so that games can be removed individually (as you would a book) without causing an avalanche. Use criss cross rubber bands to keep games together or extra large bands.
Store puzzles in 2.5 Gallon ZipLoc bags. And here's a great puzzle tip: When you buy a puzzle, take the time to mark the back of each piece with the same number or letter. Then mark the back of the puzzle with the same number or letter. That way, when puzzle pieces get all mixed up, you'll know exactly which pieces belong to what puzzle.
ALWAYS BE SPECIFIC when asking your child to clean their room. A simple command like "Clean up" is too broad, and kids don't know where or how to begin.
Instead, try breaking "clean your room" into manageable steps. For example:
Put the laundry in the hamper
Put all the games away
Put the books on the shelf
Clear everything from the floor
This is good advice for kids of all ages and also
works for husbands!
Things I love for the rooms of younger children:
Box4Blox sorts lego pieces by size and actually make cleanup FUN. Watch the video. This is an amazing product.
As kids get older, clutter grows exponentially. Outdated decor and lack of storage space and functional furniture can zap kids' motivation for taking care of their rooms; when a child approaches her teen years, instead of saying 'Clean your room,' try 'Let's redecorate and reorganize.' A new comforter, a cool poster or fun bedding can be both inspirational and motivational. I've always believed that kids want a nice, organized room; if they like their room, chances are they'll be more likely to maintain it. Decorate around your child's very specific tastes and preferences, making sure to ASK for their input; organize according to their style and preference. Take a deep breath. Keep an open mind, and remember....it's THEIR room. Here are some of my favorite things for an older child's room. Wall-mount skate board holder
Wall mount for guitar(s) Wall mounted magazine rack Under-bed storage The Longstem Over-The-Door Jewelry Organizer Football Display Cubes (available on other sizes) Hooks of all kinds - for hanging backpacks, jackets, hair ornaments, jewelry, clothes, etc. When I mentioned the topic of my CURRENT newsletter to my daughter, she sagely told me that "a kid's room is their very own refuge; it's a creative outlet and a way to express their style and individuality, and the one area in the apartment in which they have a say." My daughter has moved out and moved on; she has her own apartment now, and her former bedroom walls, on which she painted, collaged and graffiti-ed have been painted over. The soiled carpet is gone, and the wood floor restored to its' natural beauty. I can't say I miss the graffiti, but I do miss my daughter. it's been a journey, and I've learned "not to sweat the small stuff". I know now that messy rooms eventually become clean rooms, and the reason we, as parents, are so invested in our kid's space is because we want them to succeed. As always, be well, be safe, be organized! xxx's, Nancy |
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