3 Ways to Make Decluttering Easy with Your Children
Have you ever thought about the environment your children spend the most time in? Is it filled with toys and kids’ stuff, or is it tidy and well organized? If it is always cluttered, maybe you should consider the way the room is set up to support your children’s developmental needs.
If you think twice, then you should reorganize the space and create the so-called ‘prepared environment’ based on the following principles:
- Calm, clutter-free spaces where every item has a place of its own
- Every item is accessible to the child to improve independence
- Extra items or those which aren’t age-appropriate are put away to prevent overwhelm
- Each item is chosen with safety in mind
The space should look like that of a day care centre and government approved kindergarten programs. Once you have created the proper prepared environment, it’s time to teach your children how to take care of their belongings.
Luckily, Eskay Kids – Natural Childcare is here to help you make decluttering easy. Continue reading to learn practical ways to get your kids to declutter:
1. Set a declutter schedule to follow
First and foremost, it would be really nice and effective to set a decluttering schedule for your kids to follow. For example, set a time frame, like 15-20 minutes, before dinner for your children to sort out their toys and belongings; they will have the entire day to play and then prepare the room for the following day. However, ensure you don’t bother them about the mess they’ve made before the time comes. Eventually, decluttering will become a habit, and they will start following the schedule without being reminded, according to early childhood education experts.
2. Have your children count their belonging
Another useful method for making decluttering easy with your children, preferably older ones, is teaching them how to count. This technique should be practiced about once a month as they don’t get new possessions every single day. Set a day like the first Sunday every month and have your children count their belongings. The number will certainly be over one hundred. By recognizing how many things they have, child care specialists say they will admit they have too many and will be ready to let go of some. More important, you can teach them how important it is to make donations to those who can’t afford these things. It will put a smile on another kid’s face.
3. Create a toy boundary
Finally, early childhood education experts emphasize that it is critical to create boundaries for your kids. As you have already created a prepared environment to play in, where everything is within reach and accessible, insist on their toys staying in that specific place. Hence, no more toys in the living room, on the sofa, on the kitchen island, under the dining table, etc. Allow your children to keep all their belongings as long as they fit in the designated environment.
Your kids learn about decluttering at Eskay Kids – Natural Childcare, but it is also important that they learn at home too. Ensure you adopt the above-listed techniques if you want a clutter-free home.