Having an organised and decluttered home with a toddler or young children can be challenging, but it is not completely impossible. Keeping your house clean is one of the many challenges parents with young kids face, especially when every day feels as though a tsunami of toys has hit your home. Living in a cluttered house can be difficult unless you have the luxury of living in an uber-spacious space with ample storage and a dedicated play area. If cleaning and organising your space every day stresses you out, trust me, you are not alone!
Below are 8 simple and manageable tips to help you organise your space as you strategically tackle the mess and organise your home with kids.
1. Plan.
Start small and prioritise areas that cause the most stress. Don’t go all out to clean your home in one sitting; rather, plan and make a list of the areas that need decluttering. Once your list is ready, start small when the kids aren’t around. Maybe while they take a nap, go for a stroll outside, are at school, or are busy playing in the other room with an adult with them.
It would very much help if you kept a schedule for regularly decluttering and maintaining organisation in your everyday to-do list. A quick 10-minute clean twice every day works perfectly for most people.
2. Set a goal for each session.
Once you have your list ready and are about to start, make sure to set clear and realistic goals for each decluttering session. Whether it is allocating one hour to cleaning, organising, or purging the space, time yourself so you don’t fall hours behind on one particular task.
3. Get the whole family involved and assign tasks to each member.
One of the many amazing things about having young kids is that anything and everything can be a game for them. If you’re creative enough to lure them into your 30-minute cleaning game, you have won!
Each week, get your entire family together and play the cleaning and decluttering game. Assign your little one to sort their toy box or put the toys back into their respective boxes while the adults clear, clean, and vacuum the room and the carpets. Doing a weekly quick 30 would not only save you some time on the weekend but would also help you plan the rest of the day for other productive tasks.
4. Use baskets, containers, and shelving units to keep items organised.
Instead of dumping the toys on one side of the room, creatively use the space with some baskets and storage boxes. Ideally, use vertical storage solutions to maximise space. This will not only make it easier for you and your kids to pick out what you need from each box, but it will also make your space look neater and more organised.
5. Store items in a logical and easily accessible manner.
This tip simply means making it convenient for you when you next look for them. It helps save time and reduce frustration when looking for items. You can group similar items together, such as all cleaning supplies in one area. Store items at eye level or within reach to minimise stretching or straining. Depending on the frequency of use of the items or your kid’s toys, store them in an easily accessible location, keeping the frequently used items in front and the rarely used items at the back.
6. Invest in multi-functional furniture or storage solutions.
Multi-functional storage is great! I often find myself watching loads of TikTok videos or Instagram reels with influencers using various storage hacks to their advantage. The most practical choice in our situation would be to make an investment in furniture that can accommodate a lot of goods. Yet it blends elegantly into your area. Comfortable chairs with storage ottomans, floor cabinets, banquette seating, under-the-stairs storage, or any other similar convertible furniture options are great to maximise space. Some are perfect to organise and store items, while most make the best use of underused spaces.
7. Quality over quantity!
Consider the number of items when making purchases and choose quality over quantity. Implement a “one in, one out” rule for new items entering the home. One simple example would be to keep two baskets in your cupboard. One to keep the clothes you no longer wear and wish to donate, and the other to dump the tried-on clothes you didn’t have time to fold or hang back in. This way, by the end of every week or month, you can clear the two baskets and keep what you really need. You could follow a similar structure for your kids’ rooms, wardrobes, and other spaces around the house.
8. Purge, then donate or sell items that haven't been used in the past year.
One of the easiest ways to know if you need an item is to check whether it was used in the past year. This is not only relevant to kids’ toys but also very useful for adults sorting their wardrobes, storage rooms, etc. Purge the items you no longer need, and based on what you’d like to do, you can either donate or sell the things you no longer need. You’ll be surprised at the number of items we all have in our homes that we no longer wear, use, or need. Embrace the minimalist lifestyle and let go of items that no longer bring you joy or serve a purpose.
Do you have some decluttering and organising tips and hacks you regularly follow? Why not share them with us in the comments below?