10 Tips To Teach Children The Basics of Organization

These 10 tips to teach children the basics of organization can help get your kids to start picking up after themselves and stop leaving messes all over the house. 

10-tips-to-teach-children-the-basics-of-organization

Teaching your child how to organize can be comparable to brushing your teeth while eating Oreos. As much as parents like to do things themselves, there comes a point where children must learn to do things on their own. And now is about the time that my kids need to start picking up after themselves and learning how to keep their areas organized. 

After two weeks home with the kids and little messes made in every.single.room of the house over the holiday break,  I was done. And at one point I’m pretty sure I grabbed a big black trash bag and threatened to pick up everything I see on the ground and give it away. Mama was over it. And the kids picked up on that. 

Our house is set up so that our children can let their inner creativity shine. BUT at 6 and 7 years old I think they’re old enough to start learning how to start organizing their things. Putting stuff away once they are done using them so that they’re not in every corner of our home. Or so that they don’t end up in a pile on their bed or bedroom floor. 

Starting with the basics is one way to help your child learn how to organize. And that’s exactly where we’re starting. 

10-tips-to-teach-children-the-basics-of-organization-before-and-after

10 Tips To Teach Children The Basics of Organization

#1. Simplicity

Teach your child that organization doesn’t need to be complicated. Organization should be used as a tool to make everything simpler.

#2. It Takes Time

One thing a child should know about organization is that it takes time. Even the most basic forms of organization will take some time.

#3. Limits

Your child should know that to be successful in organization there has to be limits put on things. You can’t collect every single paper you bring home from preschool.

#4. Donations

It’s amazing how much one person can collect overtime. Teaching your child the basics about donations will help them learn about organization. They should know that when a person has extra of something, it’s okay to donate to someone else less fortunate.

#5. Bring one in Take one Out

One rule a child should know about organization is the value of doing it “as you go.” If you buy something new and bring it home, then the rule is that something else has to leave. Learning to let go of items can be a hard lesson.

#6. Everything Has a Home

I think one of the most valuable lessons a child can learn in organizing is that everything has a home. You don’t need to leave everything out on the floor, simply put it away. When everything has a home the basics of organization seem pretty simple.

#7. Teamwork

Teach your child that it’s okay to ask for help when they need it. Sometimes organizing can be incredibly overwhelming. Teaching your child to ask for help is a tip they’ll need to carry with them for a long time.

#8. Know Their Limits

A child should be taught the basics of organization, but there is no need to be incredibly pushy about it. There should be a happy medium between proper organization and overzealous organization. 

Your child doesn’t need to spend every waking moment organizing their room. Have your child set a 15 minute timer for their organizing time. When that time is over, they get to take a break.

#9. Prioritize

Organizing can be overwhelming because sometimes there’s too much to do and not enough time. Teach your child how to prioritize one task over another. For example—The floor needs cleaned up before you can sweep.

#10. Get Creative

There are no rules to organizing. One family’s idea of organizing is different than another. Teach your child the basics behind organizing and they should be good to go. Also teach them that getting creative with the resources is a smart move. For example—You don’t need to go out and buy organizing items, you can use what you have at home. Use a milk crate for a toy box and etc. 

10-tips-to-teach-children-the-basics-of-organization-folding-clothes

Try to refrain from getting frustrated or yelling when you’re teaching your child about organizing. Children should grow up to love this sort of exercise, not grow to hate it.

How do you get your kids involved in the organization process? 

Trading Clean Time for Screen Time This Summer + a free chore chart printable

Kids are getting way too much screen time these days. With the help of this free chore chart printable and our sponsor, Walmart and SheSpeaks, we’ve create a way to trade clean time for screen time in an effort of reducing screen time and getting the kids more involved in the household chores!

Trading Clean Time for Screen Time This Summer + a free chore chart printable

My son has been out of school for two weeks now and my daughter graduates preschool tomorrow. To say that we’re in full summer mode is pretty accurate. And when you work from home, that means you have to get creative with ways to keep them busy without resorting to letting them watch tv all day. Because what’s that going to do for them when they get back to school, right?

In an effort to lessen the amount of times I hear, “I’m bored,” and to try and ramp up the kids involvement in household chores after starting them slow with cleaning their rooms, I created a system where they earn screen time (up to 2 hours a day) in exchange for doing certain tasks. And in an effort to better keep track of those hours – because it was getting quite difficult in my head – I created a free chore chart printable as well.

Trading Clean Time for Screen Time This Summer with Walmart

Once we got going I realized we needed to restock the cleaning cabinet so I headed over to www.avoidtheoops.com and grabbed a few essentials including:

  • Dawn dish soap
  • Mr. Clean magic erasers
  • Cascade detergent pods
  • Swiffer refill pads
  • Dawn dish soap
  • Febreeze spray

I was able to order everything online and, with orders of $50+, get shipping to my door free. Took the hassle out of bringing all of the kids to the store with me and trying to haul everything around! The best part is we were able to stock up on larger sizes and simply refill our smaller bottles and keep the larger sizes in the garage. This means we’re less likely to run out without a back up. And when we do run out? Walmart.com will be there to help!

Trading Clean Time for Screen Time This Summer doing the dishes

How to Trade Clean Time for Screen Time

  • Come up with a list of tasks your children can do or help with
  • Assign a minute value to each task
  • Create a max number of minutes the children can earn each day (sometimes we even throw in a bonus or two)
  • Stock up on cleaning supplies from Walmart.com
  • Let the kids start tackling things on the list
  • Put the responsibility of tracking in the kids hands – have them check off tasks as they complete them
  • Once the kids are done with accruing their minutes, let them know how much screen time they have for the next day (this is key)
  • Start the whole process over the next day

Trading Clean Time for Screen Time This Summer cleaning the living room

What I’ve found over these past few weeks after instilling this system in our home is the following: 

  • My kids really hate cleaning but REALLY love their tv and tablet time.
  • My son has been more eager to help when we offer to find new games on the tablet for him to play as well (including educational games).
  • Making sure they know that the time they earn that day is for the NEXT day is really important. And, hopefully, it’s teaching them delayed gratification.
  • Our limit of 2 hours max has still yet to be met. The kids usually earn between 30-55 minutes each day.
  • We still need to re-evaluate our weekend tv and screen time rule. That might change as we move forward.
  • Family movie time or family shows watched together is not counted against their earned time.
  • If mom or dad turns on the tv, they don’t lose their earned time.
  • The kids are really getting creative in finding ways to keep them entertained AND they’re actually playing together!
  • This means a whole lot of oops moments. Spills, messes, general disaster areas in various rooms of the house. But that’s OK! With the help of our www.avoidtheoops.com supplies and their willingness to earn more time for the next day, most of the oopses are picked up.
  • Their moods have improved. We have less fighting, less bickering, and more helping.

 

Grab your free chore chart printable here!

(or click the photo below)

Trading Clean Time for Screen Time This Summer free chore chart printable

How do you get your kids involved in household chores? What age do you start?

5 Ways To Help Children Get Their Bedroom Organized

5 Ways To Help Children Get Their Bedroom Organized

Is your child’s bedroom an unorganized mess every time you walk in? Well, if your children are old enough, it may be time to help them learn how to organize their bedroom.

Last year I shared how we get the kids involved in cleaning. And organizing isn’t that much different. Once your kids have mastered cleaning their rooms, learning how to organize will make keeping their rooms clean much easier.

Check out these five ways in which you can help your children get their bedroom structured and under control.

Kids Cleaning Tips - finding easy tasks

5 Ways To Help Children Get Their Bedroom Organized

#1. Bins & Baskets

In my opinion, you can never have too many bins or baskets in a room. As long as there is a place to store these bins and baskets, you are good to go. These contraptions can be stored under beds, in closets, and even on dressers. You can label each bin and basket, so your child knows exactly where everything goes.

#2. Get Rid of Excess

I believe that children learn how to part with things, if their parents teach them well. You can help your child get their bedroom a little more organized by helping them to learn to part with toys that they’re no longer using. Teach your children to always be in the process of getting rid of items that are no longer needed.

#3. Hands & Knees

You may never truly see what your child sees unless you are on your hands and knees. Don’t be afraid to get a child’s eye view of their bedroom this way. You may understand why their room is dirty or unorganized, if you see it from their point of view. Plus, this will help you come up with ideas to help them get a little more organized. Maybe their shelves are too high for them to reach or their drawers are hard to open. If we expect our kids to be a little more organized, then we have to make it a little easier for them.

#4. Always Involve the Child

Making your child leave, while you clean their room teaches them nothing. You must always involve your child in the organizational process, if you want them to learn how to get their bedroom organized. Although this process might take a lot longer, you’re teaching your child a lot during the organizational process. Plus, they are going to appreciate your hard work a lot more if they see what you’ve put into it.

#5. Organize from Top to Bottom

What does this mean? Well, to keep things organized in your child’s bedroom the organizational layout needs to make a little more sense. All toys and things they need to reach should be on the bottom and other items (they don’t need) should be higher up. For example—if you still pick out your child’s clothing, then hanging them up on the highest rack is okay. You can also place items that are not as frequently used on the top shelves, to help eliminate clutter and the temptation to drag out unneeded items.

Organizing your child’s bedroom doesn’t need to be a complete nightmare. Just remember to keep up with the clutter and to always keep things simple. The more items you have in your child’s room, then the harder it will be to organize it.

Spring Cleaning Tips With A Little Help

Spring Cleaning Tips

Being a mom of three has proven one thing… we have too much stuff. No, seriously. Between the baby’s items, the toys, and the clutter everywhere else I feel as if our house is just bursting at the seams. And we already moved to accomodate our expanding family!

So what can we do besides move? Organize. [Read more…]

Tips to Clear Out The Clutter with Close5

This post featuring tips to clear out the clutter is sponsored by Close5. All opinions are my own.

Tips to Clear Out The Clutter with Close5

If your house is anything like mine after the holidays then you’ll know why I’m at my wits end trying to get rid of the bomb that exploded Christmas day. While we didn’t go overboard for Christmas, the few things we did bring into the house are just enough to leave our house in a constant state of clutter.

So what’s a 36 week pregnant mom to do? Purge, purge, purge!! 

And with the help of a few tips I have, I’ve been able to do just that. Just in time to try and find out where we’re going to put all of this new baby stuff… [Read more…]

5 Tips for Cleaning The House Before a Party

This shop featuring 5 tips for cleaning the house before a party (including floor cleaning) has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CleanForTheHolidays #CollectiveBias

5 Tips for Cleaning The House Before a Party

This weekend we celebrated my daugther’s 4th birthday. We were able to schedule her birthday party on her actual birthday and she couldn’t be happier. But with just moving into our home this summer we weren’t sure if we were ready to host a large party just yet.

Luckily I planned in advance and did a lot of the pick up and deep cleaning ahead of time – including hiring a maid the week before to do some of the chores I can’t really do easily in my third trimester of pregnancy.

But that doesn’t mean that I didn’t have to clean up right before the party due to little people running around the house doing their thing beforehand. So today I’m sharing my tips for cleaning the house before a party.  [Read more…]

Kids Cleaning Tips: How to Get Kids to Clean Their Own Rooms

This shop featuring Kids Cleaning Tips has been compensated by #CollectiveBias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #EurekaPower

Kids Cleaning Tips How to Get Kids to Clean Their Own Rooms

Getting my kids to clean anything, let alone their rooms, used to be a struggle. But then I started thinking smarter and have finally found a solution that works for us!

By making cleaning part of our daily routine and making it fun I’ve been in to tap into my kids inner creativity and let them take the lead when it comes to cleaning their rooms.

It also helps that I make them in charge of where things go as well as what things they’re allowed to keep in their room – within certain limits. By limiting they types of toys and “stuff” they can keep in their rooms we’ve eliminated the clutter we used to find in their rooms.  [Read more…]

5 Natural Ways to Get Rid of Fleas in your Home

5 Natural Ways to Get Rid of Fleas in your Home

We ran into a little problem last week. Our poor Scout got fleas for the first time in his 12 years and we had no clue where to start with treatment! Since we moved next to a home with 3 other dogs we knew it was a possibility but we were hoping we’d get lucky and not have to deal with it.

Luckily we were able to find some great ways to eradicate the situation and, hopefully, reduce the chance of fleas returning again in our home. But if they do, we’ll be ready!

Here’s what we did to tackle our flea problem in our home and on our beloved dog. [Read more…]

5 Tips for Cleaning The Bathroom in 10 Minutes

5 Tips for Cleaning The Bathroom in 10 Minutes #TryZep

Have I ever shared my little secret? You know, the one about how I hate cleaning. Especially cleaning the bathrooms. In an effort to deal with the inevitable I’ve come up with these tips for cleaning the bathroom in 10 minutes so I don’t have to deal with it for very long.

No, seriously… 10 minutes once a week and my bathroom stays clean. And since it’s so quick, I can wait till the last minute to give in and clean so it’s over shortly after I start.

Want to know my secrets? I’m sharing them below.

(this post contains affiliate links)

5 Tips for Cleaning The Bathroom - all in one cleaner #TryZep

5 Tips for Cleaning The Bathroom in 10 Minutes

What you’ll need:

5 Tips for Cleaning The Bathroom - bag on door #TryZep

What you do: 

1. Use a bag – Hang the bag from the door and empty the contents of the bathroom’s waste basket into it. Set wastebasket aside and pick up any rugs, clothing, etc from the ground.

2. Spray and let products sit – Spray disinfectant/cleaner into toilet and then, after picking up bath toys and setting aside, spray All-Around Oxy Cleaner and Degreaser in tub. Let sit while cleaning the rest of the bathroom.

TIP: Throw the bath toys on the top rack of the dishwasher to clean and remove any soap scum or gunk from them! Since I always have a load of dishes to do before company comes over, it works out very nicely to fill the bottom rack with dishes and top rack with toys.

3. Spray disinfectant on floor – No need for a separate floor product! Sweep (discarding dust, dirt, etc into bag on door) and then get your mop wet inside the sink or tub. Spray disinfectant on the floor and mop. Rinse out the mop with fresh water and mop again. Use a microfiber towel to dry the floor.

5 Tips for Cleaning The Bathroom - Zep disinfectant #TryZep

4. Clean sink THEN toilet to use the same towel – Now using the disinfectant, spray down the sink, countertop and mirrors. Clean with microfiber towel tackling the mirrors first, then the counter, then the sink and faucet.

Once the sink is clean, move onto the toilet. Clean the top of the tank first, then the top of the toilet seat. Then move through each layer getting down to the rim (make sure to fold the towel in on itself as you go along). Put microfiber towel in pile of towels to be washed.

Then use the toilet brush to clean the inside of the toilet. Flush toilet.

5. Wait to do the tub last (or not at all) – The worst part of cleaning a bathroom, in my opinion, isn’t the toilet but the tub. All the mildew, grime, soap scum. Eew! So when I leave the product on the surface for a bit it has some time to work itself in.

And when I’ve cleaned everything else I then pick up the scrub brush and start scrubbing things down. Then I rinse everything off and let it air dry!

Throw the bag in the trash, put away the cleaning supplies, toss the towels (bath towels and microfiber cleaning towels) in the wash, and you’re set with a clean bathroom!

5 Tips for Cleaning The Bathroom - supplies needed #TryZep

What is your top quick cleaning tip?

10 Steps to Creating a Toxin Free Home

10 Steps to Creating a Toxin Free Home #FightToxins

When I first became a mother I started to think long and hard about the chemicals we bring into our homes. And the number surprised me. Shortly after this realization I began creating a toxin free home in the hopes that my kids wouldn’t be exposed to the majority of the 80,000 synthetic chemicals introduced into the market since the Toxic Substances Control Act was passed in 1976.

Recently I’ve teamed up with Seventh Generation to help spread awareness about the importance of chemical reform in the United States. The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) was passed in 1976, and unlike other major environmental laws, has never been updated. As it currently stands, tens of thousands of potentially harmful chemicals continue to be used in the marketplace since the 1970’s without proper testing and without disclosure by the companies that produce them.

Scientists have linked exposure to toxic chemicals to many health risks, such as Cancer, Alzheimer’s, learning disabilities, asthma, birth defects, and various reproductive problems. And those aren’t health risks I’m willing to expose my kids to.

toxin free home with kids

10 Steps to Creating a Toxin Free Home

Are you ready to fight toxins? Lets start at home.

Here are 10 steps to creating a toxin free home:

  1. Use non-toxic cleaning and washing products when possible, like Seventh Generation products that don’t release toxic chemicals into the air. This means chlorine-free products and cleansers with natural cleaning properties.
  2. In the shower and by the sink, fragrance-free, vegetable-oil-based soaps are a healthier choice and can be found at a variety of locations.
  3. Open your windows, when possible, to circulate fresh air in your home.
  4. Use exhaust fans in the bath and kitchen and attic that ventilate outdoors to circulate any toxins in the air outdoors.
  5. When re-painting your home, consider low- and zero-VOC paints now commonly available at paint stores. Be aware that even though the chemicals in these low- and no-VOC paints don’t off-gas, they are still present so make sure to air out the spaces you are painting.
  6. Avoid new furniture coated with polyurethane. To avoid this exposure, look into purchasing furniture made of whole wood, glass, metal or chrome.
  7. Purchase clothing, sheets and mattresses made of natural materials, such as unbleached cotton, wool and hemp as opposed to synthetics which are made with chemicals.
  8. When choosing flooring, consider natural fiber carpeting such as wool, sisal, cotton or jute, laid with solvent-free adhesives. Synthetic carpeting — made from petroleum-derived plastic fibers — is usually installed with solvent-based adhesives, which emit toxic gases believed to create asthma, dizziness, headaches, and other allergic reactions.
  9. Avoid plastic food packaging. Consider swapping plastic out for stainless steel or glass. And ditch the plastic bags and purchase a good set of reusable bags (or make your own!).
  10. Purchase non-GMO and organic whenever possible. If you can’t afford purchasing all organic food, take a look at the “Dirty Dozen” list and find out what foods are recommended to be purchased organically.

How are you creating a toxin free home?



© A Crafty Spoonful - All Rights Reserved
It is OK to use one of my photos provided a link back and/or proper credit is given. It is NOT ok to copy and paste a whole post including instructions. Please do not remove watermarks or alter images in any way. Please contact me with any questions at danielle@acraftyspoonful.com

.