Organizing Tips to Tame the Toy Room

If you’ve got kids, you’ve got toys. Tired of tripping over dolls, trucks, and blocks? Here are some tips on how to organize the toys so that they don’t take over your home.

Most parents admit that their kids have too many toys, so the first step is to pare down. When purging toys, divide and conquer by sorting into 3 piles:

1. Damaged: toys that are broken or missing parts (these will be tossed)

2. Outcasts: toys that the kids have outgrown or never really played with in the first place (these will be sent to charity)

3. Favorites: toys that are enjoyed on a regular basis (these stay)

When taking toys to charity, get your children involved. Once they see the value in giving to those less fortunate, they may be more willing to let go.

Toy Storage Tips:

o Having too many toys in the playroom overwhelms kids just as much as parents. You can cut down on excess toys by rotating them. Get a large plastic storage container, label it ‘toy library’ and place a selection of toys inside it. Put the lid on the container and store it in an out-of-the way place for several months. Every so often, bring out the toy library and exchange the stored toys for other toys that the kids are bored with. The old toys will seem new again and engage the child’s interest.

o Organize the toy room in zones: The dress-up zone, the dolls zone, the play kitchen zone, the craft zone, the building block zone, etc. This is the model used to keep kindergarten classrooms organized.

o When it comes to storing toys, traditional wooden toy chests are not very useful. Most kids empty them out and climb in or small toys get all tangled up, damaged and forgotten.

o Use small, clear, open plastic bins (no lids) on shelves and sort toys into similar categories to make finding and tidying up a breeze. Label them with pictures if your child is too young to read. Small, lightweight containers with handles are easier to pull off the shelf.

o Make sure shelves are low (no more than 3 shelves high) so kids can reach their favorite toys. Secure shelving to the wall with brackets to avoid tipping.

o For older children, use plastic freezer bags that zip up to keep small game pieces or puzzle pieces together. (Small children may put the bags over their heads, which could pose a hazard).

o Use hooks or clothing trees to hang dress-up clothes.

o A colourful tackle box with dividers is an ideal way to store small doll accessories on the top and favorite Barbie’s on the bottom. Or, use it for Lego kits. Its portability is an added bonus when visiting grandparents or sleeping over at a friend’s house.

o Children’s books usually don’t have spines, so placing them on a bookshelf makes locating favorite books difficult. Solve this problem by storing books in plastic bins with the title of the books facing front.

Tips to Maintain a Tidy Toy Room:

o To keep the toy room tidy, have a 15-minute clean-up time everyday and explain to kids that the alternative is spending a whole Saturday cleaning up. Use a timer and put on some of their favorite music to add an element of novelty.

o Do your part to cut down on toy clutter. Loot bags brought home from birthday parties are usually big clutter culprits. For your child’s birthday parties, instead of handing out dollar store items that will end up on the floor, start a trend by giving $5. Gift cards from movie rental or book stores.

o When purchasing toys, choose those that stimulate imagination and creativity so children don’t lose interest. Examples: black board, art supplies and paper, instruments, dress-up clothes.

o Request that family members and friends give your children the gift of an experience instead of a toy. This includes taking them to an amusement park, a movie, a concert, or paying for some music or sports lessons.

Take the time to teach your children how to keep their toys organized and the whole family will enjoy the benefits for years to come.

Hellen Buttigieg, CPO®, is a Certified Professional Organizer®, life coach, TV Host and owner of We Organize U. She is a professional speaker and the author of the book Organizing Outside The Box. For tips on organizing your home, your office and your life, visit http://www.WeOrganizeU.com and sign up for Hellen’s free newsletter. To contact Hellen or for information on hiring a We Organize U organizing specialist, call 905-829-2219 or e-mail info@WeOrganizeU.com

Proper Cleaning and Maintenance of Wrought Iron Furniture

Wrought iron furniture and accessories are probably one of the most classy and versatile styles of furniture available in the market today. Whether you are purchasing one simply as household furniture or as a collector’s item, you can be assured that each unique piece will add a touch of elegance into your home. Wrought iron furniture can be matched with any type of furnishings whether it’s for an old fashioned house or a modern home. From candle holders to shelf brackets, its designs are suitable for Victorian, shabby chic or country home styles.

Although these pieces are long lasting and very durable, it still needs to be given appropriate attention. Wrought iron can be maintained easily but it does, however, have one disadvantage. It can rust easily. And so basically, the typical objective of cleaning wrought iron furniture will usually focus on how to remove the rust and prevent it.

Accessories which are placed inside your home will only need frequent dusting to keep the dirt off it. But if you want to take care of it the right way, then you can wash it with some hot water and mild detergent. Remember to use a soft wash cloth and carefully clean out all spaces to ensure that there will be no dirt left behind. Be very careful in handling or moving these pieces when cleaning to avoid scratching the paint and causing damage. And lastly, apply a thin layer of linseed oil to add a special shine and polish to the furniture.

Large furniture such as tables and chairs which usually build up rust is best treated with the use of sandblasting. On the other hand, smaller pieces like shelf brackets will typically need to be soaked in rust removers. Cleaning wrought iron can be very tricky so you need to be able to protect yourself when performing these tasks. Make sure that you are wearing protective gear such as gloves, eye goggles or a face mask. Safety is very important so it is imperative that you follow instructions carefully and wear protective clothing as much as possible.

Most of the time, furniture which is placed outside the house needs to be taken cared of regularly as compared to furniture that is indoors. Although wrought iron is known for its durability and weather resistant qualities, they can still be damaged by other factors. Check the items once in a while to make certain that they are holding up to the elements pretty well. You can also opt to apply some kind of protective coating to prevent rust build up. You should also cover your furniture when it rains or if it will not be used for long periods of time. Keep in mind that the way you take care of your wrought iron will determine how long it will last.

Wrought iron furniture and accessories brings timeless elegance and beauty to any type of home. As these pieces will usually last for a long time, it is only right that they are properly taken cared of and maintained. In this way, you can enhance its life and usability.

For more tips and information about shelf brackets, check out: http://www.wroughtirondecorstore.com/kiac.html.

Feng Shui My Mudroom

Feng Shui is an ancient Chinese practice of balancing energies in your surroundings. According to the complex teachings of Feng Shui, you should surround yourself with balanced, purposely placed items to ensure a lifetime of good health, good fortune and wealth. Now, who ever thought of applying Feng Shui principals in your mudroom? We did and I will tell you why. Your mudroom is usually where you enter and exit your home. Everyone in the family uses this area as a catch-all for shoes, mail, trash, book bags, purses, cell phones, keys, coats and whatever else they might be carrying as they are coming and going. An area that gets this much attention should be given the same in return.

When you enter your home, you are immediately impacted by you surroundings. Your psyche picks up on things like clutter and filth. This can put you instantly into a stressed state and affect your mood for hours. Now, would not you rather be put into a peaceful motivated mood every time you enter or exit your house? What about the whole family? Imagine if everyone came and went in a pleasant mood, ready to take on the world or have a relaxing time with the rest of the family? It is strange that we have not put more thought into using Feng Shui in the most visited area of our home.

Well, it is time to get to it. The best way, especially if you are new to Feng Shui, is to start very basic. Clean up the area and clear out the clutter. You want to create a clean, light atmosphere. This can involve investing in some nice tile or high traffic carpet. You may also want to add some storage space to your mudroom. Pre-fabricated wood cabinets are an easy and inexpensive way to hide away necessities. Consider baskets or bins for each family member. Another option is to buy some nice wide boards and mount them on the wall with some nice brackets. Baskets on these shelves will be easily accessible. Your family can simply toss in their keys, purse, mail, or whatever they happen to be carrying.

Adding an electronics station is a very good idea as well. Get an electrician to add an outlet or two at about eye level by the door. All of your phone chargers and MP3 chargers can be kept up on this shelf. Bind the cords together and leave the ends free for each family member to plug in their phones as soon as they walk in the door. This way, they are always charged, a bonus for safety when leaving the house, and they are never lost. This simple step can save you lots of time when you are leaving in a hurry. Install small hooks for keys under the shelf and make the shelf big enough for wallets as well.

Coat hooks are nice for coats, scarves and book bags, but having too much sticking out from the walls can make an area still seem cluttered. Consider hanging a bar and investing in some nice wooden hangers to finish out the upper area of the mudroom.

Clearing out the clutter and organizing the space is the first step to Feng Shui your mudroom. You can get into more advanced techniques later, but just this little bit of revamping can change the stress levels in your home and get your life moving in the right direction.

About the Author: Ron Maier is the owner of OnlyHangers.com, a leading provider of high quality clothes hangers, including wooden hangers.