Major Decluttering/Simplifying with Kids

[umsami]

IF you've done it.... and it's lasted.....what are your tips?

 

It seems like we do pretty good with purging every few years, but we always re-accumulate.

 

What are your minimums (if any) or maximums for clothing per child?

 

Do you purge books? (one of my problems.....we have tons)

 

Toys?

 

How do you handle paper?

[Arcadia]

Books get purged. I have a bookshelf for general books. My kids have an expedit 2x2 cube each for their school books. That is the maximum space we have for books.

 

Clothes - minimum of 3 tops, 3 pants, 2 pairs of shoes. Maximum would be when their wardrobe is full.

 

Work - they keep what they like and I scan what I want to keep for work samples. I think it has average less than 10% per year.

 

Toys - we have only added more Legos but their Legos box is not filled so my kids can still get more Legos. We have donated toys that kids outgrew to friends and neighbors.

[Guest]

It's so hard but I manage with systems.

 

Ripped books get repaired if they're good and tossed if they're mediocre.

 

ALL toys get put in bins by type. Clear bins or the kids can't see what is in them (out of sight, out of mind). I regularly cull broken toys or one that don't get played with and keep the population down, especially of little kid toys. One box of awesome baby toys is better than three of ones the kids don't love.

 

Legos have their own storage bin, as do perler beads. Art supplies are kept secured and out of range for anyone who isn't older, and the kids must ask before accessing them to limit the disaster zone.

 

Clothes I try to limit to seven pairs of short/pants and shirts, ten pairs of socks and undies, three sleepy outfits, one sweat shirt, one coat, and four pairs of shoes (running shoes, sandals, rain boots/snow boots, and church shoes). Girls' hair stuff is regularly culled to keep the population low as well, because those suckers have a way of breeding and expanding.

 

Paper we manage by using one bulletin board and each kid can put up one piece of art at a time. Anything else is stored in their school box or binder, and they can swap special pieces in and out of a picture frame in their room. Origami and such can be left up on a shelf in the bedroom but I regularly toss anything not cared for enough that it ends up on the floor.

Edited July 26, 2016 by Arctic Mama