This is one of the worst jobs in the world to attempt, broken pieces of toys, missing pieces of games, clothes that are too small or too big, not enough room and the list goes on. This is a job that actually won't take that long to do and is done when the child is not home or at least not in the room.

It is amazing, a toy can lay there for months and not be touched, until mom is going to get rid of it and then it is the most valuable thing on the face of the earth! It kind of sounds like the miniature version of us, wouldn't you say?

We have things that we don't use, that are stuffed in closets, the attic, basement and dresser drawers that we forgot that we owned; but when we find them, all of a sudden, they become valuable again. Then we wonder where the kids get it from!

We look at things in the kids room as clutter and they look at it as their entire life's possessions. Which in reality, it is! Everything that is theirs is in this room and they guard it with their lives even if they don't play with it. So, it tends to reason that they are protective. This wouldn't look like clutter and junk in our eyes if it was organized and not laying all over the floor. So how are we going to tackle this job?

Simple, we need to start with these methods of organization:

Plan what we want the room to look like when we are through

Get rid of everything that has missing parts and are broken

Clean everything in the room, curtains, bedspreads, furniture, shelves etc.

Sort through all clothes and get rid of what doesn't fit anymore, is damaged or box what is too big.

Separate all toys and possessions into categories; books, trucks, dolls, games etc.

Decide how much space these items will take and what is the proper type of container for them to go into.

Can we utilize the space under the beds (if it is put in proper containers) for extra storage space?

Do we need a hamper for dirty clothes?

Do we have a older for C.D.'s, either for the computer or music?

Can we use bookshelves for storage space?

Do we need a desk or table and chair for homework, coloring or building things?

Have a box for toys, books and clothes that the child has outgrown and you will give away

Keep in mind that it is easier to organize a room if you designate areas of the room as 'home'. Explain to your child that now everything has it's home and when they are finished with it, it has to go 'home' for the night. They will understand this context of thinking because they want to be 'home' at night. Give each area a name such as:

Toy Area

Study Area

Sleep Area

Homework Area

Clothes area (include hamper here)

Some simple storage ideas that help to save on space and money are:

Over the door shoe organizer-cars and small trucks, jewelry, hair accessories, Barbies, crayons, paints and books etc.

Under the bed plastic containers for the clothes that are too big or out of season, large toys or games etc.

A ribbon or a rope hung from one end of the room to the other or hanging down in a corner of the room for school artwork, stuffed animals etc.

Plastic containers for on shelves to hold small pieces, building blocks, paints, crayons, books, craft items, notebooks and pencils etc.

These are just a few ideas that may come in handy and help to point you toward other ideas. Use your imagination and don't forget to ask the kids for ideas, they come up with some really good ones when they know that it is going in their room.