9/30/2010

Lessons I have learned while cleaning out my childrens' rooms.

 We have reduced the sock situation from 2 WHOLE DRAWERS
to 2 small containers.
 And I learned a valuable lesson: it never pays to give up matching socks for a whole year.  While I felt a freedom in not doing it, the disorganization, headaches, and missing socks were just not worth the freedom.

  Less is better.

 Tis more blessed to give than to receive.
I took 5 garbage bags of stuff to Goodwill tonight.

 The more kids you have, the more time consuming this is.

 Less is better.

NEVER EVER EVER let a smell go thinking that one day you will find it.
Because you will, one day.
And I am sorry to say that I did.
And it weren't pretty.

 My kids are better able to enjoy their rooms when they are clean and organized.
They had no idea they had such great toys in their room.

 And, once again, less is better.

Think about it.
How many shirts do your children need?
Really!
How many pairs of pants?
Can they easily put their clothing into their drawers after they are clean 
or do you have to come and squish the clothes to the back of the drawer?
Why not make it easy for them and get rid of some junk.
Isaac was wearing a shirt today with a hole right by his belly button.
Why did I keep that shirt?
Why did I put it in the container last year and then take it back out this year
to be put into a drawer?
That's ridiculous.
I'm ridiculous.
And I will never do it again.
Until next spring.
OY.

Love, Amy

Any tips, ideas on how to keep things neat and tidy in your kids rooms?
I really like for them to put their own clothes away.
My ears are open.



4 comments:

Debbie said...

So true!!!

Mary said...

Many of our things usually disappeared when Mom said to put our things away or she would throw them away. ...And she did. Lots and lots of our very precious belongings, and you know...I can't remember what a single one of them was.

Unknown said...

Good post... you are right! We all have TOO much STUFF!!!!!!

I bought an expensive add-a rod thing for the girls to make a low rack that they can reach to hang up their own clothes. I have Eden's folded clothes in the low drawers and then a stool by the dresser for Maddie to reach her drawers. I hand folded stacks to them and they put it away; if I find clothes shuffed under the bed or whatever, we just so happen to go to McDs for dinner and she doesn't get to play. Mean? maybe but effective. =) We don't leave the house until toys are put away (generally) and I try to keep it as simple as I can. (Big hamper for most toys, other things sit on a shelf.) We just got them mattresses and box springs and sicne Eden still falls out of bed, they are right on the floor. Not so good decoratively speaking but I've been appreciating having no under bed space to clean out.

lorydyl said...

I get rid of a garbage bag full of stuff at least every three months and my kids never know what's missing. But they do see the bags go and know that if only they had bothered picking up their stuff before me, they'd still have it.