Closets
Organizing
-If space permits, add a bar beneath the present bar for shirts or folded slacks.
-Keep shorter items such as shirts on one end of the closet to give more floor space.
-Use the door - add hooks for belts, ties or shoe organizers.
-Use shelf organizers to keep things neat up top.
-Hang clothes by style (shirts, skirts, etc.) and color. They'll be much easier to find and to coordinate into outfits.
Clutter
-Try to get over the sentimental attachment to things you'll never use.
-Store out of season clothes in another location.
-Get rid of clothes you haven't worn in over a year.
-Take clothes you can't decide about and "put them away" for six months. If you haven't missed them, get rid of them.
-Take a rainy afternoon to try on those clothes you can't seem to get rid of. Once you see them on, you'll be better able to decide about them.
Kids Bedrooms
Removing Stickers
If you remove as much of the sticker as possible, you can remove the rest with a little Ben Gay ointment and a blow dryer set on the low heat setting. Also works on carpet
Other products that have been known to remove stickers include WD-40, Oops brand latex paint remover, De-Solve, fingernail polish remover, rubbing alcohol and even peanut butter!
Cleaning Stuffed Animals
-If the animal is stuffed with natural fibers it should not be immersed in water, but can be wiped off with a soapy cloth, followed by a clean wet cloth.
-Put kids' stuffed animals inside a pillow case, tie a knot in it and wash them in the washing machine.
-You can also freshen the animals by placing them in a paper sack with baking soda and shaking them up good.
-Make sure the animal doesn't have a "sound box" or other mechanical parts before you put them in the washing machine and dryer.
-Look for plastic parts before tossing a stuffed animal in the dryer.
Helping Kids Stay Uncluttered
-Put away half of your kids' toys and switch them around every few months. They'll have plenty to play with and their room will stay cleaner.
-Label boxes, baskets, milk crates, plastic tubs - anything they might store toys in - to teach them how to sort toys and keep them off the floor. Let the kids decorate the containers they use so they will be personal and fun.
-Set a short period of time each day or each week that kids have to straighten up their room. Make a game out of it with a timer and give rewards to all kids for jobs well done. It will become a good habit and they'll have fun.
-Get the kids to go through their toys periodically and pick out some things that they don't play with anymore. Pack them up and take them somewhere where there are kids who don't have enough toys.
-Put bookshelves in every available place where the kids can stack their toys, books, etc. Anything to keep the floor clean.
-Teach kids good cleaning habits by being neat and tidy yourself. Hanging up clothes and putting things away after you use them sets a good example.
-Put hooks and pegs on the backs of room door and on the insides of closet doors for quick hangups when the kids come in.
-Let the kids do some "adult" clean up jobs. Sometimes loading the dishwasher or helping mom clean up after a baking session is fun, especially for smaller children and it teaches good habits.
| |
