SUMMER IS A GREAT TIME TO HELP ORGANIZE KIDS’ ROOMS

You will be thanking yourself come back-to-school time when your children’s clothing, artwork and books are already neatly in place

Right about now, parents and kids are equally exhausted after several weeks of end-of-school events, and now, it’s just about time to relax. Right? Well, sort of. Although I highly recommend relaxing as much as you can this summer, it’s also worth investing some time organizing your kids’ rooms and belongings. To avoid cramming all the work into the last week of August, spend a little time each month working with them to get things in order. Here are a few ideas for how to get it done. Go through your kids’ dressers and closets and remove anything they won’t wear during the summer. Store off-season clothes in bins under the bed or on a shelf in the closet. Label the bin clearly so you don’t forget about it between now and October. And although this might require some scouting around the house, also take stock of their shoes, sweatshirts and jackets. Gather items they’ve outgrown to be given away, tossed or donated. Bag items for donation and remove them within the week. If you’re giving things to a friend, neighbour or relative, arrange a time when they can be dropped off. Don’t let them sit in your dining room for three months. And while it’s fresh in your mind, make a list of clothing items or shoes you should buy to get your kids through the summer.

SCHOOL PAPERS AND ARTWORK

As tempting as it might be to just put the bag of school papers and backpack in a closet and forget them, resist the urge. You’ll thank yourself later. Spend 30 minutes picking out a representative collection of items to keep. This might include big projects or papers, several pieces of artwork, report cards, notes from teachers and performance programs. Gather the items in a box, label it and put it away. I like to include my daughters’ report cards, school pictures and class pictures in this collection. If you find yourself swimming in art projects, send a few pieces to grandparents or check out one of the many apps that can help you organize and preserve kids’ artwork. Also, clear off school and sports schedules from bulletin boards and from the refrigerator and update calendars for summer.

BOOKS

I like to go through my kids’ bookshelves to cull their collections. I keep many classic books and favourites. I box paperback series that they’ve read and won’t revisit to give to friends, the library or a local elementary school. Although I love the idea of my kids having huge libraries in their rooms, the truth is that they get overwhelmed if there are too many books and they can’t find what they want. This is also an opportunity to talk with them about their favourite books from the school year and about what they would like to read over the summer.

DECORATIONS AND FURNISHINGS

Summer is also an opportune time to consider updating the decorations and furnishings in your kids’ rooms. Would you like to update the art, add more bookshelves and a desk, or retire worn-out carpet? I’m not suggesting a full overhaul, but now is the time to consider changes that you would like to make before the school year begins, especially if some of the changes, such as painting the room, will require lead time.

JUNK DRAWERS

And last but certainly not least, it’s a good idea to go through those drawers or bins in their rooms that have been the depository of everything, whether containers of slime, rubber balls, pens, notebooks, marbles, plastic animals and who knows what else. Ask your kids which items they can part with and discuss the best way to organize the items they want to keep.