After 4 and a half years of working with families I have noticed how organised people like to be when putting their kids clothes and toys away for future use/future babies.
It’s key to stay organised when you do this:
To avoid forgetting what’s there in a few years- To keep them in the best possible condition
- To be realistic as to what you’re storing
- To not use up precious space by simply just saving EVERYTHING!
Last week my client used a fantastic description for when you store items in your own home. These items are ‘renting space’ she said. My space.
The question is do they need to?
Will they ever be used or needed again?
Do you walk around your home always feeling like you need more storage? Well maybe you don’t – you just need less stuff!
So when your baby gets bigger and grows out of clothes and toys, try and keep the organisation process simple. Be practical and you will look forward to getting it down from the loft in the future. This should not be a chore – this should be exciting.
- Store in clearly marked, sealed plastic boxes.
- Label the age range 0-6, 6-12 and so on.
- Smaller boxes with less items as oppose to giant over-sized ones that are harder to reach and carry. Anything that could make the future job harder simply avoid doing!
- Clean toys and take batteries out! They can leak and it’s not nice or safe. Bad chemicals and useless toys are a waste of space
- Be selective – keep favourites, keep clean items and donate anything you didn’t like first time round
- Try not to use storage areas needed in your day to day life – these boxes are classed as more long term storage. Garages or lofts are best if you have them
- I prefer plastic boxes rather than vacuum bags. I have seen too many vacuum ones split and fail to do the job they are there for.
- Always keep a small box/bag tucked in babies room – they just keep growing so more than likely you will just keep storing/donating! Transfer to your labelled boxes when full and off they go!
- Store toys in the same way as clothes – in ages. A little tip ref jigsaws – store the pieces in zip lock bags to keep them together
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Once you get on top of this it becomes hassle free truly. But so many of my clients, when going through these stored items get rid of a large number and ask themselves why they stored them in the first place. A stained little white vest to store – no! A bib that’s on it’s last legs – definitely not and a dress that was, is and always will be ugly – what is the point!?!?!?
Space is precious and all of these little things we save add up to one large amount of pointless! Bit by bit. Piece by piece. Declutter, donate and de-stre ss your life of unnecessary ‘stuff’!
