Getting Organized :) - Boiling Springs,SC

A.:

Limit the "stuff" the kids are allowed in the car(s). You will be surprised at just what they DO NOT need.

For their rooms? I will assume (I don't like to do that) that before you moved you got rid of the toys and things they do not use anymore. I don't know the size of the rooms and what you have available.

here's what I did...my kids rooms do not have toys in them. I know - sounds harsh - but this way - their rooms stay organized and we aren't stepping on soldiers, etc. Yes, they take toys to their rooms to play - but they don't stay in there.

If you want them to have toys in their room(s) then buy baskets or the rubbermaid tubs for them to store them in. The tubs are great because they can stack them.

Getting rid of the clutter is what helps me stay organized.

I completely concur with Cheryl... get rid of stuff. In the end, the less stuff you have, the less you have to "take care of". Plus, less clutter helps everyone's psyche (sp).

Have your kids help you go through things they simply aren't playing with and that they'll donate it to kids who don't have a lot of toys. Make a Goodwill run.

When you have what things you need, go through & make a place for everything. For us, this means bins. We seriously have a bin for every type of toy... Legos, kitchen dishses & play food, dollies, Polly Pockets, cars, etc. I help my kids know where each type of toy goes & they know the spot for it.

Target has these great shelving units that fabric bins fit into. We have one of those and then we have plastic bins that slide under the beds. In our old house, I had some bins stacked in the closet.

The main thing is to sort out what you have & what you don't need anymore. Then, find bins for each type of toy & then get everything put away. Your kids can help even though they are little, but they can't do it all. It take a LOT of time. I do it every six months & it can take 2 days for the whole process. However, playtime at my house is "efficient" & I feel that all the stuff my kids have... actually gets played with.

Here is a motto... "Everything has a place and everything in its place." Good luck!!

I only let my daughter take one bag into the car and that is only when we are traveling for at least an hour or more. I also take it back inside when we get home. I do not allow her to leave anything in the car. I don’t keep much in there myself.

As for her room, I use those storage cubes (it's like a book case) and small storage containers that fit under the bed or can be stacked in the closet. All her toys have a place and if they are starting to sit out then it is time to get rid of some. You don't have to throw them away, I just pack some in boxes and rotate them. I use the Rubbermaid totes and keep stuff in the garage.

As for my own things, if I haven't used something in six months to a year then I get rid of it. I go through my clothes each season and if I haven't worn it (or it doesn't fit) I get rid of it. This is easier for me now that I live in Florida, my wardrobe is mostly shorts, capris and t-shirts all year round.

i have been doing housecleaning/organizing for 20 years, heres a few quick ideals, keep a box by the front door, just plain enough that your toddler wont pull things back out of it, and though out the day, just toss things into the box that you know you dont need, the paint set that leaks, the broken toys etc. , then the next morning.. take the box out to your car and take the box to goodwill
K. h.

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The car thing is tough at that age. If they go to daycare or pre-school and you're toting bags of clothes, blankets, lovies, lunch boxes, sippy cups etc back and forth, get backpacks that they can carry and have them bring their own stuff to and from the car. I know that this sounds ridiculous at age 2, but my youngest was very independent and Mr. "My do MYSELF" at this age and sure enough, he would lug his own backpack into daycare because he wanted to so that's when I figured out that he could carry his own stuff to and from the car and wished I had known that with the others. LL Bean makes great Jr. Backpacks that are sized for little kids, are roomy and wear like iron. So...backpacks for what will fit in them that the kids carry themselves. Then for the stuff that doesn't fit in, get a big tote bag (I like the LL Bean Boat & Tote and stuff everything else in that and you carry that (plus your purse, briefcase, lunchbox, etc.). The trick really is to never leave anything in the car...and if it takes more than one trip, go back and get the rest *right now* and don't let anything distract you. If you force yourself to be diligent for 3-4 weeks and get the kids in the habit of carry out everything they carry in, the habit will stick. Our car was a disaster for 8+ years and when we got a new one this summer, I was determined to keep it clean and we have, even through this winter. Also, I find that if I schedule regular time to clean the interior, I am more likely to want to keep the junk out so my husband vacuums at least monthly and I have a duster that cleans the dashboard and I use that once a week. Another rule is NO FOOD OR DRINK in the car. It's the lost sippy cups, cheerios, goldfish and french fries that really trash a car. On the rare occasion now that we eat in the car, all trash is GONE at the next available stop.

While you are trying to unpack and get organized, I suggest keeping their toys in a few large bins or baskets, and they get one basket a day. That way you don't have as many toys to clean up. At the end of the day have them help you put them back in the basket before they go to bed (or whenever clean up time is).

Once you are unpacked and organized, then you can find a storage system that will best fit your kids' playtime and storage needs.

-First off, just focus on getting the kids rooms set. Bed or crib, nightstands, lamps, shelves for toys.
-Second, go through toys often to donate whatever it is they no longer
play with (this gets easier as your 2 yr old gets older).
-Third, I have baskets in a shelving unit in the living room for his toys. While he knows, he has to put his toys away he is somewhat good about that. Then I do a "pick up" every night to put the toys away when he's in bed!

The one thing that as helped me out:
put things away as I see them or think of them

For the car trunk? I have a bin for his toys: sand toys, one extra blanket, his backpack of crayons & coloring books so if he is bored in the car (wham I have something to entertain him or if we stop by someone's house i have something for him to do.
Also, have a first aid kit in there, bottled water & some snacks (fruit bars, fruit snacks etc.).

Hope that helps.

Don't put it off until tomorrow unless I am dead tired or sick.

Every few days I vacuum b/c I have a lot of traffic in the home & dogs

I do major cleaning (bathrooms, kitchen floor etc) on weekends.