Teaching Children To Simplify -- OnlineOrganizing.com

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	Teaching Children To Simplify

	by Allison Carter

Children as young as 2 years old learn how to SIMPLIFY their lives by teaching them the skill of purging. It takes just a little time together each week to teach a child how to get the urge to purge.

TOYS AND CLOTHING

Most children today have many MORE toys than they need. They get over-stimulated by the multitude of toys and often don’t even play with them. Help your children by guiding them as you EDIT out the toys they don’t like or hardly play with.

BIG PURGE

Set aside 1 hour at a time to purge outgrown toys and clothes. Listen to your children and let them TELL you what to give away. Don’t stop them just because something is a gift or expensive. If the child doesn’t play with a toy or won’t wear a certain item, then it is clutter. If it is a KEEPSAKE, make a keepsake bin and put it in a special place.

CONTINUOUS CLEANING OUT

Create a give-away BOX and keep it at the bottom of a closet at all times. Add to it regularly. Toss in the cheap fast-food toys and outgrown toys and clothes. Then give them away to charity or other children.

HOMELESS ITEMS

Every few months, sort toys and get ORPHANED pieces all together again. Then let the child make a shelf and bin of favorite play things. The items that are not favorites are the next candidates for the give-away box.

PREVENTING THE PILES IN THE FIRST PLACE

Ask for NON-CLUTTER gifts such as memberships to the zoo or museum, tickets to a show, books and music, contributions to a college fund, car fund, gas fund, charity, etc. Older children my enjoy movie passes, movie rentals, McDonalds gift certificates and iTunes gift cards.

A REGULAR CLEAN-OUT

PURGE children’s closets every 3-6 months. They grow out of clothing faster than the blink of an eye. Their taste changes just as quickly.

ARTWORK

Everything your child draws and creates may seem like a masterpiece, but if you save everything, your child won’t know what was important. Make a holding BIN for the creations your little artist makes. Over winter break and summer break each year, together, pick out 5-10 items to save for the future. Let your child pick his/her FAVORITES. Move the favorites to a portfolio or keeper bin. Get simpler: scan the artwork and save on compact disc.

Allison Carter, The Professional Organizer, specializes in family and home organizing in Metro-Atlanta. And her products -- "Organizing Manual For Families", "Scared Of Filing?", "Scared Of Your Clutter?", and "The Professional Organizer Mentoring And Licensing Program" are all available directly through OnlineOrganizing.com. Visit her web-site at www.theprofessionalorganizer.com.

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