Decluttering your Home with KIDS
Organizing & decluttering your home with kids will change your life! Here are some tips to help ease into decluttering with your kids. This is what helped my kids accept the decluttering process and become organized kids!
How to Stay Clutter-Free
Here are some tips to help ease into decluttering your home with kids. These simple steps helped my kids accept the decluttering process.
When I started this decluttering journey I decided to tell everyone. I found it easier to tell my children what was going on so they wouldn’t be confused. Since my children are still young I just say, “we are getting rid of the things we don’t need”.
This simple sentence is easy for anyone to understand.
I say this to anyone who asks why we are decluttering or why we want to be minimalist. If my children were older I would probably explain in more detail and have them help.
If your kids are young, like mine are, I like to focus on finding the toys they don’t play with or have grown out of. Children are constantly changing!
As soon as I see they aren’t playing with certain toys I will hide them away in a closet. By hiding the toy it gives my boys a chance to realize something is missing and ask about it. If they don’t ask, I simply donate the box of stuff.
How are we staying clutter-free and organized? What keeps the clutter from coming right back? These are questions I get all of the time!
There are a few things I have done that help to keep us clutter-free.
1 – Tell friends and family what you are doing (Decluttering your Home)
2 – If you have a party or holiday where there are gifts, be specific about what you want or say you don’t need anything.
3 – What if you get something you don’t need? I usually return it or I see if there is something that the new item can replace (one in one out policy). If I know I won’t use the item I will gift it to someone who can use the item.
4 – The one in one out policy. If I buy something or get something new I try to find an item that is similar and donate that item. One time someone asked if I get a pencil do I get rid of a shirt. I personally try to make the items an even switch. If I get a new shirt I donate an old shirt.
5 – I like to be super particular when shopping. Don’t shop unless you need something. I no longer walk around the store to see what I might need.
6 – Make a list. If I am thinking of something I might want, I will make a list. Then I will wait and if I don’t come back to the list then I don’t buy the item.
7 – Finally! The decluttering never ends. I am not going to lie. Items will constantly make it into your home and you will always have to do a little bit of decluttering. I call this the Seasonal Declutter. Every season changes I go through my home (quickly) and see what we don’t need.
How to Declutter with kids
Decluttering your home slowly is a good idea so your children aren’t shocked when they walk into their room. By paying close attention and going slow I can really see what they are using and what is getting tossed aside.
By going slow they are less likely to notice a huge difference.
Obviously, if your child is older you are going to have to talk to them about what is going on, but I still feel slow is better. This way they don’t feel they are being forced to get rid of things.
I have noticed by decluttering throughout an entire year, gave me time to realize I wasn’t using certain items.
With the KonMari Method, which I love, I feel a little rushed. What I like to do is use the KonMari method of pulling everything out and deciding what we won’t use, but then taking note of certain items that I am unsure about.
If I make a literal note or a mental note of when I decluttered, I can see over the next 3 to 6 months if I use these items I was unsure about.
This method applies to children and their toys and clothes. I will declutter and make a note of when I decluttered and then I will pay attention to what they don’t play with very often.
If I notice they aren’t playing with certain toys for 3 or more months, I will donate them.
We have way more space! After decluttering my children could actually share a room. When the idea popped in my head for my boys to share a room I immediately thought there would be no way they could both fit in one room.
Now that we have less stuff they easily fit.
Again this is less work for me! Now I only have one room to tidy. We also gained an entire room, so now I have a guest room/art room.
What Changed For Me – Minimalist Mom
I gained so much time.
When we had a lot of unnecessary stuff I was doing a lot of unnecessary shuffling of junk. I would move stuff from one place to another trying to get more room in our home.
Once I cleaned all of the clutter out I realized just how much time I was wasting on this “organizing”.
Kids Capsule Wardrobe
I decided everyone needed a capsule wardrobe. Why can’t kids also have a capsule wardrobe? I narrowed down my boy’s wardrobe to around 10 shirts, pants, and shorts.
Yes, it is easier with boys because they don’t have dresses and skirts, but it can still be done for girls too. I also separate their clothes into seasons so we don’t have to store everything for the whole year in their drawers.
What changed for me? I don’t have to do as much laundry! Someone asked isn’t it the same amount of loads? No, it is way less.
Now at the end of the week I know I have to wash all of their clothes, if I don’t they won’t have anything to wear. Since there aren’t that many clothes I can usually put both of my son’s clothes with my clothes and do one load.
The reason there are fewer loads is that if you have more clothes you will wear them and it is easy for the laundry to get out of hand.
Having less clothing to choose from also cuts down on the amount of time spent picking out an outfit. There is also more room in the drawers and closets.
Second-Hand Clothes For Kids – ECO?
There are three reasons why I have become more minimalist. I want my life to be easier, meaning I don’t want to spend hours sorting through dirty clothes, or picking up a ton of toys no one plays with. Staying organized is so important!
We also want to save money, or rather, not waste money.
Personally, I also want to be a more environmentally friendly family, AKA stops ruining the earth. Second-hand clothes and hand-me-downs fit perfectly into this equation.
I am so happy I didn’t rush into decluttering all of the second-hand clothes that I had saved.
Buying used clothing is a great way to save money while also saving the earth. These are items that can be passed from child to child so we aren’t having to purchase new items and send these older items straight into the landfill.
By saving these hand-me-down items I am also saving a ton of time.
If I were going to go to a thrift store and shop for these second-hand clothes it would take a lot of time and effort to find something I like that will fit my child, by using what I already have I am saving that time and I know I will like the clothes.
Storing Second Hand Clothes
Before we became minimal or did any decluttering I use to save EVERYTHING! SEE MORE HERE! Saving and accepting second-hand clothes is awesome, but you don’t need to save everything. I realized this the hard way.
After saving clothes for years, only to pull them out and realize half of them were too ratty or messy to want to dress my younger child in.
What I suggest is editing what you save for the next child and what you accept from family and friends.
When my older son grows out of his clothes I go through the pile and get rid of anything that is stained or ripped.
How many items I am saving? We don’t need to save 30 shirts!
I feel more relaxed when it comes to tidying and keeping my home organized. My home looks so much nicer without all of the clutter on every surface. With a clean clutter-free home I am able to spend more time doing what I enjoy and less time putting things away.
We can get out of the house much quicker than we could before. Now every item has a place so it is easy to find what we need.
I am trying to set an example for my children that more doesn’t always mean better. We can have just as much fun without a ton of stuff.
READ MORE Decluttering Tips for Kids:
Kids Declutter BEFORE AND AFTER
PIN Decluttering your Home with KIDS FOR LATER:
Great source of information. Got to learn new things from this. Thanks a lot for sharing.
Thank you!
This is a great article! Love the information, especially about hand me down clothes. I keep everything I receive because I feel like its a waste of money not to. But I wonder how much subconscious stress it adds. Going through it right away is an awesome idea!
Thank you! I think it can add some subconscious stress, just knowing there is a bunch of stuff to deal with. I hope you have a great day.
This made my cleaning more organize and easier.
Wow what a wonderful post this is..I think each and every parent should read it once.I am sure they will feel inspired. I appreciate your efforts and I will refer as many friends as I can to read this post. Well done!
Thank you so much and I hope you have a wonderful day.
Hey, guys, you’re easy to say but when your kids don’t listen to us. how to get a solution.
All you can do is try =)
I guess they can move out if they don’t want to listen LOL
Easy ways to declutter our home 💖💖💖
Thank you!