[FREEBIE INSIDE] 🔍Get kids excited to declutter today!
Published 12 months ago • 3 min read
I know it's cliché, but the days really do fly by, and once the holiday season gets here, they will go by even faster. 🎃🦃🎄
Speaking of the holidays, it's a good idea to start getting your kids to declutter some of their toys, clothes, electronics, etc. since they will be getting more stuff once Christmas rolls around.
If you're like me and my family, you also have a bunch of birthdays around this time—even more reason to get rid of stuff to make room for the new items.
It is definitely easier to declutter your kids' items without them, especially if you have kids who want to keep everything even if they haven't played with it in years. However, it's a good idea to involve the kids at least some of the time; that way when they grow up they'll be used to decluttering.
Reader, I know you may feel like you're 'pulling teeth' every time you try to get your kids to declutter their things. But just try out one or two of the suggestions below and you may be pleasantly surprised by the outcome 😊
No matter what your kids' ages are I have some tips to help them actually want to declutter! No, it's not some form of hypnosis...or is it...just kidding 😁
First, let's play some games
These are more geared toward younger children, but any age may still enjoy these. I'll get to some ideas for older children/teenagers in the second part of this email.
Create a treasure hunt. Create a checklist of items for them to 'hunt' for decluttering, such as a toy car, book, game, stuffed animal, etc.
Color-coded declutter. For this game, have your child find one red item to declutter, then a green item, etc. This keeps their focus more narrow and makes it less overwhelming.
Beat the timer. Set a timer for 10 minutes and tell them to go as fast as they can to find items to get rid of. BONUS: this also works well as a 'clean-up' game.
Sticker or Star Chart. For each item they declutter, put a sticker/star on a chart and once they reach 10 then they can have a reward such as extra screen time, an outing, etc. Try not to make the reward a toy, as this will end up just adding to the clutter. You can have this game going all year long to keep them in the habit of decluttering.
Now, onto the older kids and teenagers...
Some of these can work with younger kids too, but are more geared towards older children.
Connect to their interests and hobbies. They're more likely to declutter if they see how it benefits their interests. For example, if they're into gaming, highlight how more space can improve their setup. Or if they love art or music, talk about how decluttering can make room for creativity or better storage of supplies.
Earn some cold hard cash. Encourage them to sell the items that they no longer use on platforms such as Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Craigslist, etc. Help them make the postings and obviously go with them (or take it yourself) if they need to meet the person to make the sale. You can also take their clothes to resale stores and then just give them what they earned. They will be much more likely to get rid of items if they can get something in return for them.
Invite a friend. Tell them that they're allowed to have a friend come over or spend the night if they declutter their clothes or toys before they come over. This also gives them a deadline for the task, because if you have teens then you know how much they love to push things off as long as they can.
Speed Decluttering. Tell your child/teen that if they declutter 20 items (or whatever number you think is appropriate) by tomorrow then we'll go to their favorite fast food restaurant for dinner (or something along those lines). Be sure to make the deadline soon, so it stays at the top of their mind, and try not to make the 'prize' another toy or item that in a few weeks or so will just become clutter.
The Declutter Challenge! I bet you were wondering where that freebie mentioned in the email title was going to show up 😁 This is a 30-day declutter challenge for your child/teen. Everyone loves a good challenge! I have created a printable to go along with this. This way they can cross the items off as they go. If they can finish the challenge in the 30-day time frame then choose (or have them choose) a reward; do this before they start the challenge. To download the printable for this click HERE or on the image below.
I hope you enjoyed these tips to get your kids involved in decluttering! See you next time! ❤️
P.S. Did you enjoy this email? Whether you did or didn't I would appreciate it if you responded and told me what you liked or didn't like. I want to make sure my emails are something that you enjoy reading/receiving 😊
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