CATHARTIC CLEANING: SORT OUT… YOUR KIDS’ TOYS
Is the kids’ dollhouse more organised than your home? Our expert Peter Walsh shares his plan to control the chaos
Expert Peter Walsh shares his foolproof plan for controlling toy chaos
Are there days when you feel as if you’re living in the middle of a tsunami of toys? Many a grown-up has been reduced to a quivering puddle trying to fight the horde of wooden blocks and plastic farm animals. If this is you, I’m here to help! First of all, there are some terrific bins, sorters, and organisers on the market that can help you get the mass of games and soft toys under control – but, for me, that’s not where organising success with toys ends. I believe in setting up a system in your home that will work for you and your kids. So here’s my plan of attack. WHAT’S THE GOAL? In my years of organising homes, I’ve come to realise that getting toys under control requires a clear understanding of two fundamental principles: limits and routines. Without these, I can pretty much guarantee that those toys will always be out of control!
There are certain things that we all know kids need most – love, food and shelter are undoubtedly top of the list, but limits and routines are the fundamental concepts every parent sets for their children. Kids who understand these ideas grow up to be responsible, thoughtful and caring adults. And you might be surprised to learn that the way you (and they) treat their toys will help with those valuable life lessons.
You can teach your kids everything they need to know about clutter and organisation, from how their toys are stored, how they play with them, and whose responsibility they are. So how do you do it?
SET THE BOUNDARIES
First, it starts with the concept of limits. As the parent, it’s up to you to decide the amount of space you want to allocate to toys. Be clear about this in your mind. Having toys in every room of the house is not the answer; toys need a home. Next, provide the designated area with a couple of toy bins and organisers – however many that you need to fit into the space you’ve given to toys. This, of course, leads to the first important lesson for your child: when the bins are full of toys, no toy can be added without another being discarded.
Setting this limit teaches your child a few life lessons: first, that they can’t own everything; second, great decision-making skills (which toys are really important and which aren’t); third, the concept of giving to those less well off than they are, and finally, that things don’t last forever.
THE NEGOTIATION Parents are often nervous about upsetting their children or causing a tantrum by getting rid of their child’s toys. That’s understandable, but there are a couple of important things to keep in mind. First, you’re the parent! If you can’t get the toys under control, no- one can. Second, kids have amazing amounts of compassion. When you’re getting rid of toys, ask your child to help you find the things that they would be happy to pass onto a kid who is less fortunate than they are.
In fact, take your child to a donation centre to drop off the toys. Even better, talk to someone who works there and ask them to chat with you and your child about what will happen to the donated toys. I promise you can have a wonderful teaching moment at that time. And, both you and your (generous) child will ultimately feel really good about what you’re doing.
GETTING INTO THE ROUTINE The next lesson you can teach your child is routine. At the end of playtime, the toys go back to the spot you’ve chosen as their home – playtime isn’t over until the toys are put away. This routine teaches your child personal responsibility, early concepts of time management, and that, as responsible members of the family, they have to contribute to the running of the house.
Establishing this routine also teaches your child that they need to pick up after themselves. Of course, you should help clean up, but they should participate in this part of playtime. And, by starting with toys, these routines will carry over to putting away their clothes, cleaning up their rooms, and even eventually being on top of their homework.
So, instead of asking what type of storage solution you need, think about what we can do to get the number of toys we own down to a reasonable amount. And, finally, when doting loved ones ask you what your child would like this holiday season, suggest an experience rather than toys. Experiences last a lifetime. Toys last a few years – if you’re lucky.