I am sure we have all had that sinking feeling as you open the door to your child’s bedroom of what are we going to find.  I know have and it’s almost every time.  When the door was open some of the mess was trickling into the hallway.  That is when I knew it was beyond time to take control and get some organization that we both could live with and follow.

We took a Saturday afternoon to clean his room and went through piles of toys and clothes.  We made two piles keep and donate.  Doing this together made it less overwhelming for the both of us.  We then marked on the calendar a date to go shopping for totes and containers and drop off the donations.

I let him pick them out so he would like them and be more willing to use them.  I made sure they were functional and that I would be able to live with them!  After this, we went and got ice cream so it wasn’t a dreaded activity. Next up the organizing with the new containers and putting away the toys we kept.  We did this when we got home, but this could be done on a separate date if needed.

I could have done the buying and arranging of totes and toys by myself, but by having him help with the process allows him to take ownership and gives him the tool gave him the tools to be successful in the organization of his room. Breaking down the process can make it feel less of a chore for the kids and a great practice of patience for the parent.  In the end, I was a happy Mommy!

Naomi Nelson (Bravo Employee)