‘Tis the season when children may receive an overabundance of toys for Christmas and your house is already full of toys. What can you do now? It’s time to evaluate the toys your child(ren) have and use.

I was at a home where the mother told her 8-year-old to “go clean your room.” What does that mean to an untrained 8-year-old boy? Most children wouldn’t know where to start, especially if the room is full of clutter and there aren’t designated places for everything. Children need to be taught how to organize and clean their rooms. Hopefully this will give you some tips on how you can get rid of toy clutter and organize your child(ren)’s play spaces.

Some children will save everything from their baby rattles to all of their stuffed animals whether they play with them or not. Others, knowing they will be donated to children who do not have many toys (like to Children’s Closet) have a special place in their hearts for giving away what they no longer play with.

For the child who saves everything, a parent needs to go through the toys when the child is away so that what is not being used can be donated and the space used for what the child actually plays with. Chances are, they will not miss what they don’t play with and after you organize what is played with, they will see “new” toys that haven’t surfaced in awhile and be happy.

No matter what kind of a child you have, there need to be containers of like objects put together. You can’t expect children to play with Barbie dolls if the clothes and accessories are mixed in with blocks and other toys. Toys that go together need a designated container and place on a shelf so they are easily accessible. It is much easier to throw things in a big toy box than to sort puzzle pieces, blocks, Matchbox cars, train tracks, doll clothes, etc. in separate places, but it creates more interest if they are together.

Another extreme is the child that gives away almost anything because he/she no longer plays with it. Parents should take time to look through their donations for special toys that may be used later. Or some things your child would regret giving away.

As a professional organizer working with children, my usual routine is to first make the bed with the child. Then I tell them to put all the loose toys and clothes on the bed, not forgetting to look under the bed and behind everything in the room. This already makes the room look better!

Next we go through boxes, toy chests, and anything that is not organized. We have a garbage bag (parents can look through it), a box for things that belong out of the room, and a donation bag. We dump out each box and the child puts back what he/she wants to keep. If you have a child that saves everything you might ask, “Which five of these stuffed animals do you want to keep?” They have choices but know they can’t keep everything.

When the boxes are finished there is now a designated space to put the stuff on the bed. It can then be sorted and put away.

Working with your child makes them feel proud of their room, knowing they have done the work to clean it up. You might want to post the steps on how to clean their room in the future and possibly reward them when they do. If they need your help, take a deep breath and help! Leave empty space in the room this month for all the new toys!

Merry Christmas! May you experience this special season through your child(ren)’s eyes with patience and love.

Doris Puls, of D & O Decluttering and Organizing, is a professional organizer whose mission is to make a difference in the lives of the people she works with in homes and businesses. Contact her at Organizealpena@gmail.com or at 989-356-9545.