Controlling Clutter
-January 27, 2009-Comments (2)
Was one of your New Year's resolutions to keep your house cleaner or less cluttered? Maybe we can help!
ParentLife writer Amber Peacock gave us the following tips for controlling clutter.
Avoiding and dealing with clutter is a challenge for most families. Try these great ideas for controlling clutter.
- Before birthdays and holidays, make room for new things by getting rid of a few old things.
- For birthdays and holidays, consider giving more experiences and less stuff. Passes to local children's museums and parks are terrific gifts. Family friendly concerts, gift certificates to a skating rink, or passes to play miniature golf make memories instead of messes.
- Instead of waiting for spring cleaning to sort through stuff, make decluttering a regular routine. Designate a box for donations and keep it in a convenient spot (like your child's closet). Toss in outgrown clothes as you fold laundry instead of stuffing items back into dresser drawers. When the box is full, drop it off at a local charity.
Convenient Charity Drop-off Centers
- Check out Charity Guide's "How to Make a Difference in 15 Mintues" for links to several nonprofit organizations that will put your old stuff to good use.
- Find a Goodwill® donation collection center near you.
- Learn about the Salvation Army® donation procedures in your area.
- Soles4Souls™ collects shoes for children and adults.
Amber Peacock has masters' degrees in Human Development/Family Studies and Education but learned how less can be more on the job as a stay-at-home mom of Seth (11), Melody (9), and Cara (5). She is the pastor's wife at Broadus Church in Mechanicsville, Virginia.
Leave us a comment and share some ways that your family controls clutter in your house.
Comments (2)
We control clutter by labeling areas with pictures of items that belong there. This allows young children to assist in the clean-up/organization process and prevents the dreaded, "Where does this go?" question! If an area gets too full then we remove unused/broken items to make room for new ones.
Posted on January 27, 2009 2:44 PM
We always give to a local mission that sends us an itemized form already ready for tax write-offs. It is amazing! I highly recommend finding a place like this!
Posted on January 28, 2009 6:28 AM