When it comes to kids and pets, most of us can't help ourselves—we spoil them with all kinds of toys. It's all fun and games until we start stepping on Legos in bare feet or tripping over squeaky toys throughout the house. Maybe it's time to take a bite out of that clutter! After all, when was the last time your young child, grown doggy, or furry friend played with the toys they received as babies or puppies?
It may be time to say buh-bye to those items. With summer soon ending and the school year fast approaching (sadly), it's a good time to start with a clean slate and eliminate those lonely toys gathering dust bunnies throughout your house.
You know that feeling of overwhelm and inability to focus when we have too much stuff in our drawers or closets? That's how our kids and pets feel when there's too much to choose from—and it is exacerbated when additional new items are presented.
Visual clutter is mental clutter, especially for children and pets. Kids have short attention spans and get distracted easily. A messy environment causes young brains to go into overdrive. When kids (or pets) cannot find what they are looking for, they jump from one thing to another, getting frustrated and losing focus. This can affect them emotionally as well. No one wants that before the start of a new school year!
Pets and children thrive when they are presented with simplified options. Fewer toys in your home will create orderliness, reduce stress, and improve the quality of play.
Collect toys that are outgrown, worn out, or no longer played with. Decide what to throw away and what to donate. Baskets and storage bins organized spaces and make clean-up much more manageable. Not sure where to begin? Start with one toy at a time and go from there, or consider letting us help!
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Hope Kerner is a professional organizer whose company, All Things Neat, helps people declutter and organize their homes. All Things Neat provides full-service move assistance from packing/unpacking, handling donations, and hiring antique appraisers and moving companies in Bergen County and surrounding areas. Hope's company also helps families navigate the disbursement of the home contents of departed loved ones. For a free in-home consultation or more information, contact Hope@allthingsneatbyhope.com or 973-493-6359, or look for her on social media.