We all know that children don’t come with instructions, as convenient as it would be if they did. But one thing they do come with is an overabundance of STUFF! No matter what ages or stages your children are, I can say with great certainty that there are no shortage of items you will possess, as a means to keep your children happy and entertained. I can remember needing 2 cars to transport the gifts from a small baby shower my mom had for me. Two car loads, and my little bundle was not even born yet! And as your children get older and you perhaps have more than one child, you tend to accumulate more stuff, spanning different age ranges, to again keep your children happy, and yourself sane ~ okay, partially sane.

I can’t tell you how often I would look around at the items in my house pondering the question, HOW DO I ORGANIZE ALL THIS STUFF? Over the course of the next few weeks, I am going to be highlighting several approaches and tips to organizing all the things that enter your home, as a result of having children. I am currently embarking on my own Project Organization and I am asking you take the journey with me, that is, if you are brave enough to confront talking Elmos and more plastic pieces than should ever enter one’s home in any lifetime.

So, are you up to it? Let’s get started!!!! I am going to take a Clean Sweep approach to this, minus hauling all your children’s belongings onto the front lawn ~ doing so could likely result in a very traumatic experience for the little darlings in your life. This may sound very basic, but sit down and go through everything. Yes, EVERYTHING! If it’s broken, has missing pieces or poses a hazard in any way, TOSS IT! If your child has outgrown it, no longer uses it, or quite frankly has never liked it from day he got it, it has to go. If you plan on having more children, you can pack away any items you can reuse for the future. When packing them away, make sure to label the contents so you know what’s inside. If you’re pretty confident the baby train has made it’s last stop, there are many options to getting rid of things that are in good condition that you no longer need. If you know someone expecting, or with children, ask them if they want it. You can also donate it to many local organizations in your area, and get a tax write off for it. Another option is to make a few bucks by utilizing sites like Ebay or Craigslist, which really aren’t as intimidating as they sound. There are even places out there that will take your stuff and sell it for you, if you don’t have the time or energy to do it yourself. Finally, put aside the things you want to keep. Don’t be a hoarder. If you don’t have a use for it in your home, as cute as it is, or as much as it reminds you of your own childhood, GET RID OF IT!

This first step is usually the hardest. Try to get past the nostalgia of it all, and be prepared going into it that it can and will be hard! Taking pictures is a great way to preserve memories, and it only takes up a minimal amount of space on your computer, instead of precious real estate in your home.

I think we have established a good starting point here. Once we get through this step we’ll be ready to move on to the “fun” parts, which will ultimately lead to creating a FUNctional space to play for you and your children. I do hope you’ll join me on this journey. Are you game? Let me know if you’re up for it, and how this first step is going ~ I really want to hear from you!