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Decluttering for Kids — 5 Steps to Help Them Whittle Down What They Have and Manage the Rest
We are a nation of collectors, and our children have become collectors, too. They have more than they need. Many are facing a challenge we did not as kids: overwhelming clutter in their environment and their minds. There is so much available to them, and parents sometimes have a hard time saying no. Rather than focusing on how to say no (that’s a course all on its own), let’s figure out how help them declutter, to decrease what they have and manage the rest.
For very young children, you can make rarely used things disappear with few repercussions. As they get older, that no longer works. Kids get used to having what they have (whether they use it or not) and they have way more words to make their case or just plain fight you on it. They can be relentless and wear you down.
It’s best to approach this in quiet moments, not when the mess is so big you want to throw everything in the trash. Having clutter is overwhelming, whether on a conscious or unconscious level. It’s there as a constant reminder of mess, cleanup not done, parental dissatisfaction, and a cluttered mind. Here’s how to get started:
Step 1 — Identify a category of things to go through, such as board games, books, hair accessories, video games, t-shirts, stuffed animals, and…
