How to Move Kids’ Stuff: Tips on Moving and Reorganizing Children’s Rooms
Move and set up toys, clothes and other kids' items with ease
Moving creates a good opportunity to complete a chore many parents put off – de-cluttering their child’s room, getting things organized and under control. If you’re selling your house one of the first things you’ll want to do is create as much space in your children’s rooms as possible so prospective buyers have the impression that there is lots of space for toys, clothes and other kids stuff. Check out our tips for moving and reorganizing children’s rooms.
In This Article
Plan a Stealthy Attack
Children easily become emotionally attached to toys, clothes, even broken pieces of things you’d consider trash. To them it’s all “my stuff†and the thought of getting rid of it means losing something that is theirs. When it comes to children under five, the less they know about what it getting tossed out the better. Start by getting them out of their room, then attack the backs of closets and the bottoms of drawers. Quickly bag up things they haven’t touched in months. Chances are if they haven’t played with it in weeks they won’t miss it.
Older children (6-to-12) should be more involved with the decluttering process. One strategy is the “two for one.†Tell them that for every toy they agree to give up they can keep two others. Give them a box or bag for discarded toys. Go through clothes, discarding anything they haven’t worn in a year or that you know is too small or too dirty for them to wear.
When it comes to teenagers tough love may be the best approach. Lay down the cold hard fact that they must part with anything they haven’t touched in the last six months. Offering them the opportunity to sell things can be motivational.
Organize Before the Move
Getting organized before the actual move will make things go much smoother. If you’ve already got boxes and bins separating say art supplies and dolls or sports equipment and action figures it will be that much easier to pack up. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to keep your kids’ rooms neat and organized. Some of the best organizational tools can be found at yard sales – or even around your house. An over-the-door shoe organizer doubles as a toy holder. A garden trellis can be painted and hung on the wall; the pegs keep a girl’s purses within reach. You know all those empty shoe boxes you have laying around – put them to use. Get your kids to help cover them with colorful wrapping paper or fabric; line them on an old shoe rack; and you’ll have a ready-made storage shelf.
Age Does Matter
Make sure your organizational tools are age-appropriate. For toddlers and school-aged children, multi-colored bins and baskets help them easily sort and store toys, games and books. If your child is learning to read, labels on bins can be a fun way to learn and practice new words. Avoid containers with hinges, which can be a safety hazard for small fingers. Teens need a well-lit study space with plenty of storage for school supplies. A desk caddy helps organize loose pencils and pens, and mounted file holders help sort and store loose papers. Teens also require more privacy. A file cabinet from an office supply retailer is a great choice for storing letters, cards, class assignments and keepsakes; add a seat cushion on top, and your space saver doubles as a seat saver.
Use All Available Space
Looking for a place to store last season’s clothes or sports equipment? Rolling boxes that fit easily under a bed are an easy fix. Toy hammocks attach to the corners of the walls and are great for storing stuffed animals and dolls. And don’t forget behind the bedroom door. Hooks help keep backpacks and handbags out of sight but close at hand. For smaller rooms, built-in shelves and desks that attach to the wall with hinges help maximize storage space and floor space. Attach hat pegs to the wall and hang a different labeled canvas bag on each one. The bags will help kids quickly pick up stray toys, blocks or crafts supplies, and the pegs keep their favorite things within reach.