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De-Clutter Your Play Room
by Charlotte Gerber

Description: Tips for organizing the clutter in your children's play room.

To be sure, I’m not the only one who fights the clutter that magically appears in the playroom. Despite my best efforts, piles of toys often grow until they are no longer manageable. I’ve found though, through trial and many errors, that there are better ways to organize the room and save my sanity in the process.

One of the best items that I’ve found is stackable wooden cubbies. Cubbies can either be built or purchased singly or in units at many mega retail stores. Cute woven baskets that are used to collect small items can be placed inside the cubbies. These versatile baskets can be found in many stores. They are often made from rattan, wicker or linen and they usually include washable fabric liners.

Do you have a growing collection of stuffed animals that threaten to take over your child’s bed or playroom? One of the things that my children love using are the new decorative hampers, such as those in the shape of an animal. The hampers give your children a convenient place to put their stuffed toys and they make it easier for you to sweep. Just be sure to make a clear delineation between the clothes hamper and a toy hamper so your children aren’t confused.

What to do with those wayward piles of books? If you are making an investment in a home library then make plans to store them well. Not every home has built in bookshelves but there are other ways to make do. Portable folding wooden bookshelves have done the trick in our home. These shelves are rather sturdy and they can hold just about any size book you own. Purchase a few cute bookends to keep your growing collection from falling over and becoming untidy and you’ll end the messy book section of your child’s room.

The single biggest problem I have had is finding a place to store and display art projects. Our refrigerator simply cannot handle the growing collection. There are a few solutions that I have found to be helpful. The first is to videotape your child’s art collection so that you don’t have to save everything. This makes a fun archive of your child’s art projects for viewing at any time. The second idea is to create an area on a wall to display art without using tape and thumbtacks. Using eyehooks and framing wire, string and secure lengths of the wire from one end of the wall to the other. Use colored paperclips or colorful clothespins to hold the artwork on the wires. Your children can display their artwork themselves and change it at will. This leaves your refrigerator free and clear of clutter.

When you’re ready to organize your child’s playroom simply take a look around and analyze your biggest problem areas. This will help you determine what your urgent needs are before you head to the store. Aim for colorful bright items that will encourage your children to keep their play area clean. The end result will be fewer headaches for you and an easier job of cleaning up for your children.

More details about organizing play room here. Charlotte Gerber is a writer, researcher, photographer and is a familiar voice on ipods with her voice over talents. She writes on a variety of topics including parenting, self-help and travel. Her photographs have appeared in many ezines and regional travel magazines. Charlotte has a B.S. in Community and Human Services from SUNY Empire State College.