Controlling Kids Clutter For Viewings
April 27, 2016
Keeping kids clutter under control can seem like a never ending task. Over time well meaning gifts, hand-me-downs and little keepsakes start to pile up and take over. I recommend regular ‘culling’ sessions to stay on top of things. You could even make this into a game , explaining that donating to charity is a good deed and that passing on unwanted toys and games is a kind thing to do and it means there’s going to be room for new stuff in the future! Enthuse the purging process with positivity and it may be easier to undertake than you think. Below is a list of my top ten tips for creative storage and tidying up for kids:
- Throw away toys/games which having missing parts and don’t work fully.
- Try to resist buying bulky items which are going to be hard to house and eventually get rid of.
- Get rid of any duplicates.
- Try and go for quality over quantity when it comes to buying toys. The Pound Shop is tempting but it’s all going to end up in landfill so try to stay away.
- Keep an on-going charity box in the bedroom or hallway, and regularly donate. Keep to the ‘one in one out’ rule with new toys or clothes. This starts a good habit for the future.
- Colour code storage boxes, a different colour for each child. This stops items going missing and children can learn to tidy up their own belongings. Zara Home always has a great selection of charming boxes in their kids home department.
- Be vigilant and get rid of unsentimental items or be creative with how you store them. Try scanning kids paintings and drawings into your computer. These can then be made into photo books, try Photobox for inexpensive ideas on how to make photo books and wall canvases.
- Make your own bespoke artwork with a child’s picture, get it framed in a gilt or elaborate frame to make a statement piece. You have more than likely once said of modern art ‘my kids can do better than that’! Well they can!
- Try putting small sentimental items, such as first shoes or favourite little toys into a shadow box and display them on the wall. Ikea do a lot of good quality deep frames which are idea for this.
- Don’t allow kids to eat anywhere other than the table, this will cut down your cleaning time considerably, otherwise chasing crumbs and greasy finger marks is going to be an endless task.
- Finally undertake a ten minute tidy at the end of each day. If you have storage sorted then popping things back into their homes should not be too much of a strain.
For more design and storage ideas see my website
http://www.clairebloom.com or email me at claire@clairebloom.com
You May Also Enjoy
Propertymark New Builds Pricing Report – Summer/Autunm 2025
Average house prices for new instructions regarding newbuild properties being marketed in the South West have dropped by £33,120 when compared to a year previously in October 2024, according to data from by Propertymark. Additionally, Yorkshire and Humberside saw a £33,104 drop during the same period for average house prices for instructions relating to newbuild houses. Throughout the entire…
Read More 
How much should landlords earmark for maintenance?
Landlords should earmark a quarter of rental income for maintenance and repairs As the Renters’ Rights Bill is passed into law, increasing the demands and expectations of landlords – not least when it comes to the proper upkeep of their properties – new research from Adiuvo, the UK’s leading provider of 24/7 property management support,…
Read More 
Developers lose confidence ahead of Autumn Budget
Jonathan Samuels, CEO of Octane Capital, believes that growing uncertainty surrounding the Autumn Budget has left many developers hesitant to progress new housing projects, with confidence falling sharply as fears of new property taxes, rising costs, and ongoing planning challenges weigh heavily on the sector. The latest survey of UK property developers, commissioned by specialist…
Read More 
Could the Autumn Budget dent property values?
Autumn Budget uncertainty could see house prices continue to fall The latest research by nationwide cash buying company and quick sale specialists, Springbok Properties, has found that those looking to sell could see the value of their home fall over the remainder of the year, as historic data shows that major fiscal events such as…
Read More 
Westminster Debate Highlights Urgent Need to Tackle Rogue Builders
A Westminster Hall debate yesterday, led by Mark Garnier MP, brought MPs from across the political spectrum together to address the growing problem of rogue builders. The discussion highlighted shocking cases of homeowners losing thousands of pounds, unsafe work being carried out, and rogue traders repeatedly evading justice by exploiting loopholes in the current system.…
Read More 
Ombudsman welcomes Renters’ Rights Act implementation roadmap
The Property Ombudsman welcomed the Government’s roadmap for the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 that sets out how the legislation will be implemented. The Government’s announcement today (14 November) follows the Property Ombudsman’s Consumer and Industry Forum on 12 November where Stephanie Kvam, Deputy Director – Private Rented Sector at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and…
Read More