Organizing the kids' creative space - Reclaiming Our Spaces series

I can tell you exactly what happens here.  This is the former dining area of our eat-in kitchen.  It became a great spot for my kids to do activities, eat breakfast, whatever and still be close to me.  Next to this kid table is another table that houses the microwave and gives me more counter space.  Except my oldest kid has a bad habit of leaving her stuff on that table when she walks in from the garage. Then while I'm preparing a meal I toss it onto her table.  Then when she wants to use the table she'll toss it onto the window bench.  Observing what is causing the pile-up is the first step.  She and I will soon have a discussion about what I've observed and problem solve the initial issue of her leaving stuff on the prep table.

I began in this area by de-cluttering and organized this area under the window bench.  This area changes as my kids change but there is one thing that has stood the test of time:

These Clever Container "Double Duty" cubes are the rockstars in this house.  I have at least 12 of them working for me.  These four are a perfect fit under my window bench and are incredibly sturdy.

 Cube 1 has supplies like stickers and stamps which are in ziploc bags.  It also stores items like googly eyes, kits, etc.

Cube 2 is loaded with mostly paper: construction paper, sticker paper, drawing paper.  And here's an idea to corral thin paper:

Take a file envelope, and use a few stripes of cute washi tape.  Then layer your label on top of the washi tape!  So cute!

Cube 3 is vital and it's something a lot of people forget to plan for.  Where can your little creators leave their creations when they are finished or only half done?  This bin is exactly for that need!

Cube 4 is loaded with coloring books and notebooks mostly.  The notebooks are contained inside the green and white polka-dot Great Divide from Clever Container.  I also use these little containers in a lot of places.  The blue containers hold crayons and twistable crayons.  It's handy using containers inside of containers.

Here is what you see from the other side:

I have some hooks to help keep a few things off the floor but still keep them out of most people's site.  And while we're here let me just talk about this dresser.  It's pretty much the smartest, think outside the box, purchase I've ever made.  I bought it after we had purchased this house in 2002.  I found it and the matching painted bread box (also on my list!) at a local Flea Market.  I literally gasped out loud when I saw it.  I got louder as I measured it.  And I sighed because I wouldn't even have to paint it (not my favorite thing).  I changed the knobs to Mary Engelbreit cheer and that's it.

I am a huge fan of drawer storage.  And I mean HUGE.  In the top all our kitchen linens are stored.  One row of absorbent, one row of non-absorbent, some dish cloths, a few things I don't want my littlest to find (shhh!).  The second drawer is where my food storage containers go.  It's my boundary and if I buy any more I have to get rid of some.  The third is the snack drawer and this is pretty much a kid drawer:

This stuff use to all be tossed together.  But four months ago I grabbed three old kid-sized shoe boxes and sorted through the goods.  I kid you not, I didn't do a single bit of tidying to this drawer today.  It stays this way all the time.  And my kids are in this drawer every day. They ask if they can have a piece of candy and when I say yes they choose one then ask if that particular one is okay.  They love this system.

Let's go back to the corner:

I've had this little tote for three years. I got it as a shower gift and knew it would be handy for many things.  Lately it is storing all things Color Wonder.  We can easily take this off the wall to go with us anywhere.  The bottom basket is in easy reach of my three year old so it stores freshly sharpened colored pencils and some coloring rolls.  As she gets more trustworthy I can put another cup in the basket for the markers.  But for now, they are stowed on top of the nearby microwave:

I'm also using a few of Clever Container's document boxes. The top is my oldest's she likes to keep some of her activity papers (to do) in here.

This next photo is in the kids' area but it's not for them.  I added a chair here because my husband likes to put his shoes on here before work.  He works hard, he can have a chair anywhere he wants!  I can't let the space underneath it go to waste so I added another Clever Container cube and designated it the returns or "stuff that goes to someone else" cube.  Every house needs a container, a hook, some where to temporarily house this type of thing.  You need it out in the open so you don't forget, but it can't just all be in a pile.  This has been working for me for at least six months.

So there you have it.  One day I would love to revamp this whole kitchen area to make more counter space, my actual kitchen is very small, I dream of awesome kitchen islands often.  But for now this layout really works for us.

Can you use any of these ideas in your house?

I'm looking forward to seeing what Jacqueline worked on in her own home.

How to organize a kid's room - Reclaiming Our Spaces

Start with a good and open attitude

My oldest princess is only 7.  She likes it when her room is clean but she doesn't like the work it involves.  Sound familiar?  I am often the same way and my husband feels it even deeper.  It's her space and most of the time she is allowed to keep it however she wants.  But I also recognize it is my job to teach her how to clean a room.  It's my job help her break the overwhelming down into manageable jobs - into chunks she can accomplish after the initial "I don't want to clean my room" tears subside.

Keep healthy expectations 

Obviously, I don't insist on a clean room or a made bed.  We talk about how we can't walk in here.  I call her attention to when a toy is broken because it was stepped on.  As long as she doesn't have food or drinks laying around here, isn't doing drugs or having sex (I realize this stuff is just around the corner), I'm okay with her keeping her room how she wants.  But that also means that from time to time we have a clean your room Saturday followed by the promise of a reward for hard work.

I stumbled upon this thoughtful article on the topic of kids' clean rooms that you might appreciate.  Much of this resonates with me.  I don't tell my kids to go clean their rooms.  I might say things like, "Please go to your room and put all of your shoes where they belong."  They have a small mission they truly can accomplish.

Pick up, sort, and cull

In this week's Reclaiming Our Spaces post I worked alongside my 7 year old.  Some of this was really hard for me because I want to get rid of so much stuff.  Last Fall I was teaching a class and one of our assignments was culling our book collections.  I got my daughter in on the action.  It seems six and a half years old was a good time to do this.  Her taste in books had changed and she had opinions. We donated about 1/3 of her book collection which was a  LOT!  Because of that, we didn't touch the books this weeks.

Our first step was simply picking up the floor and desk.  When we do tasks like this I tell her it is a productive way to spend time together and I learn a lot about her buy helping her clean her room.  She usually has a good attitude about it once we get started.

In the above photo from left to right you'll see a hand-me-down tv on a microwave cart found at a yard sale.  The next shelf was something I put in there for this project.  It's the shelf system I tried out in here and it wasn't a good fit.  I set up some book collections, and some paper systems on this shelf. My daughter cleared off her desk and I had her go through the inside drawer too.  Her desk is the only item in this room I purchased for her (oh wait, my husband bought her the floor blocks).  I found it at In Retrospect in Fayetteville about a year ago. After the big pick up, we took a break for the day.  I had ordered some organizing cubes from Clever Container so I wanted to wait and finish up this room once they arrived.

Organize and set up systems

The movie collection is now in one of the super cute Clever Container bins.  VHS is on the bottom layer and the DVDs are on the top layer.  And now the items that need to go back to the library have a designated spot too.

Below is the addition to the room.

1. I used a clear Fridge Cube from Clever Container to corral her CDs. She put an old birthday invite in front of it to "decorate it".

2. I used the bottom of an empty shoe box to corral her notebooks.  We discussed how this is her boundary and if she gets another notebook she has to get rid of one.

3. I used a Wire Chrome Divider from Clever Container for a few book collections.  I had never thought of using it like this before but it is doing exactly what I needed!  

 4.  One Clever Container cube has drawing paper and a box my daughter wants to use for a project.  Inside this cube is also a magazine holder (also from Clever Container) which is home to her completed works of art.  5. The last cube is filled with audio books handed down to her from her retired Kindergarten teacher Nana.  Each book and tape has its own bag.

Acknowledge the desire to collect

If you'll search this blog for the "Smarter Spaces" series you'll see short posts that will give you some organizing perspective based on the age of your kids.  Reading child development articles based on your child's age will also give you insight into why they become obsessed with collecting and that it's normal.  This aspect of child-rearing is hard for me.  It is all a bunch of clutter when I look at it.  But it means something to her.  

I offered her two items (spice steps) designed for the kitchen that would at least enable her to see her collections a little better.  I asked her if she wanted to keep each item.  If I at least asked her, I knew that I was training her to think that not everything has to stay just because it's here already.  

Let them make decisions

My daughter decided to make this corner her studio corner. How perfect, considering the beautiful landscape right outside the window.  (By the way, I spent a good 30 minutes or more of my life rehanging the curtains so they wouldn't touch the floor, I despise hanging curtain rods and shelves on the wall.  I needed an icecream cone attitude adjustment after that.)

Six months ago I asked my daughter if she wanted to move any furniture in her room, or if she thought things were working fine.  She wanted to move her desk, so we did.  Working alongside each other really can be fun.  We walked through the steps of making her bed (again).  And she started doing something very clever.  She put all of her extra pillows and stuffies at the foot of the bed.  I told her how clever I thought that was because she didn't have to move them just to go to sleep.  She felt proud and smart because that was just her instinct.  

Know when it's good enough

We are not striving for HGTV or pinterest perfect here.  We are striving for workable systems in real life and enabling room to spread out, create, and just be who we are.  She thought she did a spectacular job making her bed, I didn't tell her otherwise.  

She loves her room.  I am so happy to give my daughter a home and place where she is free to be. 

Do you need to help your child clean up their room?  Do it before school starts!

I can't wait to see what Jacqueline works on this week.  Go see!

Clever Container items used in this room:  Double Duty in pink and green, medium Chrome divider, Desk Envy and medium clear Fridge Cube. Purchase them any time at www.CleverHolly.com An empty cute shoe box and a shelf I bought at Bed, Bath and Beyond years ago came in quite handy!  

5 tips to corral the kids' craft clutter!

By Holly Anderson Shacklett, co-owner of Simply Organized of NWA

With the holidays coming up, the kids will likely be using their craft supplies even more with projects and cards. Here are a few tips for getting everything organized so it will be easier to access everything in a hurry.

1. Toss flimsy boxes and put drawing and coloring tools into lidded boxes or bins.

2. Separate supplies for easier access.  We mostly use ziploc bags for this – which don’t photograph well.  We have a bag for glue sticks, one for stickers, one for pipe cleaners etc.  All of those are corralled together into one cute cube.

3. Keep craft paper upright and together by standing up in a cube, sorted and stored in large plastic envelopes,accordian files or stacking trays.

4. Don’t bother saving every free crayon!

5. Keep a vinyl tablecloth or newspaper with the art supplies!

- See more at: http://nwamotherlode.com/?s=holly+shacklett#sthash.L4Ry9ykB.dpuf

Thank you NWAMotherlode.com for publishing my articles throughout the year!

New use for ice cube trays

Repurpose ice cube trays as desk-drawer organizers. (Real Simple)

5 tips to corral the kids' craft clutter!

Toss flimsy boxes and put drawing and coloring tools into lidded boxes or bins.

Separate supplies for easier access.  We mostly use ziploc bags for this - which don't photograph well.  We have a bag for glue sticks, one for stickers, one for pipe cleaners etc.  All of those are corralled together into one cute cube.

Keep craft paper upright and together by standing up in a cube, sorted and stored in large plastic envelopes, accordian files or stacking trays.

Don't bother saving every free crayon!

Keep a vinyl tablecloth or newspaper with the art supplies!

How I de-cluttered my kids' closet: Reclaiming Our Spaces series

This week I accidentally de-cluttered my daughter's closet.  I wasn't sure what to work on this week but with school starting soon we went though all of her clothes so we knew exactly what she had going into the 2nd grade.  She had plenty of clothes so we only purchased two pairs of shoes and one dress.  My daughter had a good time seeing all of her clothes one by one because she too had forgotten what she had.

We get most of her clothes by hand-me-downs and she had a lot because of that.  One thing I realized in this process is that I do a good job weeding through her clothes on a weekly basis.  I notice what she is outgrowing and I pull those clothes from the dryer.  Then I put them in the container located in the laundry room designated for outgrown clothes. My system works!

I had been thinking of how to improve our daily system for school season and I knew having a place for daily outfits would do us good.  We choose her clothes for the week on Sunday night.  So I bought this great days-of-the-week clothing organizer on Amazon for $10.  She loves it.

 Last year we were just using this "empty" space on the right to store the week's clothes.  But I used a pink and green striped cube from Clever Container in here to take better advantage of the vertical space within this shelf.

 And above that shelf is where we are storing hand-me-downs that are too big.  I'm so thankful for her large closet.  In 2008 we added 500 square feet onto the back of our house to make it 1777 square feet.  Ivy's bedroom and closet are a part of that addition.  I use all the top shelves for family storage (paint cans, birthday party supplies and gifts, sleeping bags...).

Hanging next to the daily clothing organizer is the belt hanger that I got from Clever Container.  In the summer I use it to store swimming attire and in the cold months we hang tights on it.

 On the opposite wall is a handmade snake hook rack.  My deceased Father-In-Law made it with my husband when he was little.  It's very special and I find it ironic that it stores these frilly girl things.

 The shoe organizer was actually a storage piece I found at a garage sale. It's suppose to stand perpendicular to how it is.  But it has worked superbly as a shoe organizer: boots, slip-ons, sandals, tennis shoes.  Easy peasy!

One thing I use this closet for is wrapping storage.

 I culled the tissue paper and got rid of more than half.  Who wants to store and manage twice this much?  Not me!  Below that is the bag of gift bags and the container of actual wrapping paper.

 I wanted to tackle the top shelves in this closet too but I just ran out of time.  I took my youngest daughter's outgrown stuff to a friend who is going to consign them.

 I found a home for most of the items I was no longer using.  I kept the big hangers as it hit me that my 7 year old will soon need them (she's growing fast!).  I donated the large vacuum bags.  I prefer compression bags.  I am going to donate the 480 sheets of yellow tissue paper to Ivy's art teacher.  And I'm still looking for a home for this large but versatile wrapping station (the red thing).

I also recycled seven old magazines.  

 And I topped it all off by cleaning up after  hanging with these two lovelies:

See what space Jacqueline reclaimed over at Creative Outpour!