Tidy Thoughts
Articles, tips and inspiration all about attainable minimalism for moms and families.
3/15/2022 0 Comments You Can't Organize Clutter [Pt. 1]![]() Only after you’ve ruthlessly removed the “stuff” can you organize what’s left. My top organization tips: 1️⃣ ✨ "Measure twice, cut once" - measure your space (and your items), THEN, figure out what you can use to store those items ✨ Use what you have or order your baskets/bags/bins of choice - Pinterest-perfect is nice, but useful is way better! 2️⃣ ✨ As Maria Montessori says, “A place for everything and everything in its place.” Give absolutely everything a home ✨ Instead of putting it down, put it AWAY! 3️⃣ ✨ Chose a “method” and stick with it throughout your home - be consistent, whether that’s alphabetical, rainbow or something else; I like to do a “trial run” when I first organize an area, as long as it’s functioning well, I’ll keep the method/solution and I may update my storage bins only AFTER it's working well ✨ Label everything that is not in a clear bin I used to buy new storage solutions all the time but I just couldn’t get rid of the mess. What I didn’t realize was that I was never actually getting rid of the root cause by RUTHLESSLY getting rid of the clutter and crap. When I stopped filling up bins with that clutter and slapping a label on them and actually gave what was left a designated home, I FINALLY became the more organized person that I always wanted to be. Can you relate? What’s your top organization tip?
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![]() HELP. My child just WON'T.LET.GO. 🧸 Establish that when one toy comes in, one goes out [immediately choose one toy to leave when a new one comes in] 🧮 Discuss opening up their space to have more space to play [create a special area to display (fewer) toys beautifully (whatever this means to you!) - get your child excited to go to them] 👦 Talk about giving items that were once loved a second life to someone else who will love it too [donate, gift, sell] ⏰ Get them excited about having more time to play [and less time cleaning up or looking for things] 💙 Encourage them sharing WHY items are favorites [what's most loved about them and why are they special to your child?] 🤔 Discuss the importance of making choices [give them "the power to choose" one item versus another] 1/20/2022 0 Comments Play is the Work of Childhood![]() Mr. Rogers may have said it best, “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.” Children explore and learn about the world around them through play. And when we think of play, we often think of TOYS that drive those little explorers to absorb new concepts and provide some guidance. Studies show that less toys equals higher quality play. The University of Toledo in Ohio studied 36 toddlers (ages 18 to 30 months) in free-play sessions with either 4 or 16 toys. In the groups who played with only four toys, toddlers played in more varied, advanced ways for longer periods of time. 1/19/2022 0 Comments Observe Your Child![]() So how do you approach minimalism with your children? Nervous? You don't have to be. The easiest way to figure out what you can minimize, declutter, organize and systemize is to OBSERVE. Something you probably already do all.the.time. Teaching a child to let go gracefully and have a good relationship with their possessions is a learned skill that many young ones need help (maybe A LOT) with. By observing what they gravitate towards as you declutter, (their favorite types of toys, most-loved characters and things they go to frequently) you can do your best to avoid upset and hurt feelings. The goal is to avoid making them feel like you’re taking away, they’re “in trouble”, or you’re trying to get rid of their favorite things. ![]() Toddlers are naturally orderly - Maria Montessori indicates that a child’s “sensitive period” for order (desire for consistency, repetition, routines etc.) begins at birth and lasts until around age five and peaks around 18 months to 2.5 years. A sensitive period simply means that children seek out relationships and objects relating to specific interests and abilities around certain times of development. |
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September 2022
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