When people think of decluttering, they usually picture a dreadful, time-consuming experience that they’d do anything to avoid. With a little creativity though, decluttering can be a fun, energizing activity that the whole family will enjoy.
This article debunks several myths around the process of decluttering your child’s room and provides valuable decluttering tips for how to make the whole experience more enjoyable for the entire family.
Myth #1: Decluttering is an adult’s job only.
You’d be amazed at how involved kids can be when you offer them the chance to perform “adult” tasks. By gaining ownership of the decluttering project, they will be more likely to keep their room organized afterward and gain a sense of responsibility.
"It's very important to work with them, and not around them. Kids as young as 3 years old really want to participate, and they're really excited to be involved.” - Professional organizing coach Maeve Richmond.
Myth #2: More space will solve the problem of owning too many items.
More storage bins are not the solution. The truth is that most of us don’t have solid boundaries around our possessions, and we can build strong attachments around them. For kids, this is especially true, as their ability to let go of the items they no longer need is quite limited.
You can start addressing this issue by introducing space budgets. As the name suggests, these are limits you set for your space. You can create a space budget for clothing items, video games, or art supplies. This approach can work well with kids as it gives them something relatively interesting to work on.
For example, you can set a toy space budget of ten toys, ask them to pick their top ten favorite toys, and put the rest in separate storage that you can gradually get rid of. This might require a little extra bargaining work from your side, as children won’t always agree with your terms. Be patient and take into consideration your kid’s terms as well.
Myth #3: Parents know better what items should be let go of.
It can be difficult for kids to let go of their stuff, so a way to make the process easier is to pay attention to what really matters to them. Before you start your decluttering sessions, ask them to present the most essential items from their room.
"I start not by asking kids to choose what should stay or go, but by giving them a chance to look around and show me what's there. Then I get a sense of their language and tone, which can illuminate things that are important to them.”
"I mirror back people's language to them while organizing with them — for instance, let's say a kid calls a piece of clothing his 'favorite sweater.' I'll call it that, too, because it says I recognize that it's meaningful to them, and proves that I'm on their side," Richmond reveals.
Myth #4: More toys mean happier and more creative kids.
To debunk this myth, two German public health workers conducted an experiment that required a kindergarten classroom to remove all their toys for a period of three months. The result was intriguing: after an initial period of boredom, the children started to experiment with their surroundings and invent various games and plays. It was shown that fewer toys can stimulate a child’s creativity.
Joshua Becker, author of Clutterfree with Kids, says:
“Wise parents think about the number of toys that children are given. While most toy rooms and bedrooms today are filled to the ceiling with toys, intentional parents learn to limit the number of toys that kids have to play with. I’m not anti-toy. I’m just pro-child. So do your child a favor today and limit their number of toys.”
Myth #5: Decor is not important in a child’s room.
Using decor to define boundaries in a child’s room can be an effective way to organize it. It’s amazing what you can do with a little imagination.
Dr. Richmond also encourages parents to trust the art of decorating and use it in their decluttering process:
"Whenever I am working in a child's room, I always like to bring tables away from walls. Parents don't tend to do this, as it seems like wasted space. But pulling the table away from the wall allows kids to move more freely and fully around it, and welcome friends."
"I also like to add a rug under the table, though. It visually anchors the room — and their stuff — but creates a mini room within the room. Kids' rooms tend to just be one big space, which is why they tend to get super busy."
How to make decluttering an enjoyable experience
Although starting to declutter your child’s room can seem an overwhelming task, you can actually make it a fun experience for the whole family.
- Set challenging goals.
Challenges are fun because they increase motivation and keep you focused. For kids, a sense of competition can definitely make them keen to participate in your decluttering project. Set a timer and challenge the family to get rid of as many objects as possible in 5 minutes. Establish a winning prize that your kids will be excited about.
- Make it a group activity.
One tip for making any type of decluttering project more likely to succeed is finding decluttering buddies. Kids can especially love sharing this experience with friends, colleagues, or neighbors, and have fun with it. Having an accountability buddy can motivate and encourage them to let stuff they don’t need anymore go.
- Sell items as you declutter.
If you can, sell some of the stuff you decluttered and use the money for fun/relaxing activities. This will give your kids an extra reason to complete the decluttering project. Plan to spend this money on fun outdoor activities, a football game, or a cinema.
- Do online decluttering challenges.
There are plenty of decluttering challenges available online that you can use to make the process more fun and creative. Challenge the whole family to get rid of one item a day or choose items to throw out, donate, or put away. Then, you can share your progress on decluttering online groups or social media and see what feedback you receive. All of these will most likely keep your kids involved in the decluttering project and teach them how to turn chores into fun.
The benefits of decluttering are multiple and kids can learn amazing life lessons from a minimalist lifestyle approach. Hopefully, the decluttering tips from this article will help you motivate your kids to participate in and enjoy the decluttering project.
“Once you take that first step, you will start to experience the benefits of minimalism. You will enjoy the refreshing feeling of a less-cluttered linen closet or bathroom drawer. Soon, you will notice countless other things that can be reduced in your home. Before you know it, you will have made significant progress in your journey towards a more simplified life.” - Joshua Becker
Photo credit: Igor Starkov on Unsplash.