My advice is to always start small. If you are looking to declutter, it probably means you're already feeling overwhelmed so it's essential you start somewhere straightforward. Time box the session if you can. If you have 30 minutes, that's enough to get started. Always start with the easy wins, compile a list of the areas you want to target and start from there.
Where to start
You can start anywhere but I usually find that children's wardrobes are a great place to start the decluttering process. Little ones are always growing so naturally it's the one place we do want to keep organised (just to make your life easier as a parent). Start with their socks. Go through them all and discard any pairs that aren't matching (you can pop the odd socks into a bag for now until you get through to the bottom of your wash basket to see if you find their matching sibling). Make sure you organise their clothes seasonally as i find children's wardrobes tend to be on the small side. Wash and put away coats you're not using over the summer so they're fresh and clean for when autumn hits. Make sure their uniforms are clear and easy to reach so they can get themselves dressed in the morning with ease. If you can, make enough space so you can hang up and fold spares of their uniform so you're not panicking in the morning to find an item of clothing. Getting organised is about making your life easier in the long run.
Books
Books are always a big feature in any child's bedroom. They are integral to their bedtime routine for most ages so it's really important that we keep on top of what's current and which books are ready to donate. I find that books are always easy to move on, and a lovely way to swap out books is by asking a friend with children of a similar age to do the same with you. You're then left with a fresh pile of books to read with your little ones, that you too will enjoy reading for the first time. If you are tight for space but books are a big feature for your family, visit your local library as some libraries allow you to borrow up to 25 books at a time for a period of around six weeks.
Stuffed Toys
After you've cleared and organised your children's wardrobes, you can then move onto their stuffed toys. Family friends have a tendency to buy young babies stuffed toys which can easily pile up. However, children are naturally more drawn into playing with toys which are multi sensory so their teddies can become a little redundant. Make sure their toys are age appropriate and put aside ones that they clearly don't play with into the donation box. Stuffed toys can also collect a lot of dust so if possible, it's best to keep these at a minimum in their bedroom. Try and narrow them down to five if you can, especially if they are essential to their sleep.
Games
Go through their games and make sure everything is still in working order. This includes board games. Make sure all the pieces are still in their boxes as otherwise they will never get used, taking up unnecessary space. Check to see if batteries are still working in some of the toys, and replace if necessary. If the toys aren't being used, and you want to save them for a later date, you can also take out the batteries and store them safely for another time. Space and storage are always a commodity which we should never take for granted so if something isn't being used, it's time to part ways with it. Remember that another child will enjoy playing with that toy your son or daughter has grown out of.
Rotate Toys
This is a really easy way of making space in a cluttered room. You can put aside a box of toys which you then reintroduce six months down the line. If your child is currently into Paw Patrol and not so much into his collection of racing cars, put aside his cars for a few months. You can even set a reminder in your calendar so you remember to reintroduce them. He will love nothing more than going through a new box of toys that you organised for him three months ago.
Donating
Find out where your local baby bank is as they are always welcoming donations. Each week varies in terms of their list of items to donate so always enquire ahead. Things like nappies should always remain unopened but second hand toys are fine to pass on to them. Facebook marketplace is another great way to sell or donate items locally, as you don't pay any fees as a seller.
It's never too early to introduce organised systems into children's bedrooms. They will thank you for it later (and you will thank yourself too!). They will enjoy having a clear area where they can branch out and play; and best of all there will also be fewer distractions at bed time so it's a win win for all of the family.
