Tidying With Kids

I am a mother of an almost 5 year-old AND almost 3 year-old. Some would say that my partner and I are "in the thick of it" in terms of our current parenting stage solely based on our kid's ages. This stage is fun, loud and... you guessed it... messy. Kids nowadays have so much stuff! More toys than they can play with, so many clothing items to choose from (yet my kids prefer the same pair of comfy sweatpants on a regular) and lots and lots of art projects that they bring home on a weekly basis from preschool. This stage can be chaotic so I try to remind myself that it is also fleeting, but when I'm staring at the mess in the living room I can't help but feel a slight sense of overwhelm.

After an afternoon of play with my kids (ages 5 and 2) and nephew (age 6).

Lucky for me, I am a professional home organizer and I have plenty of tools and strategies to keep our home tidy (most of the time). My almost 5 year-old is at a stage where we can have conversations about the importance and benefits of tidying. If you ask him why it is important to tidy up, he will tell you that it makes it easier to find the toys he wants to play with and agrees that a tidy space feels more relaxing. He will also let me know when it is time to donate or discard a toy that he and his brother have outgrown, has broken or no longer sparks joy. My work is paying off--both as a parent and an organizer. Monkey see, monkey do.

For the last several years, my son has watched us tidy up, organize, donate and discard items in our home. Now, when I ask him to tidy up before moving on to the next task, he will do so diligently. Sometimes, he will even take it upon himself to tidy up without being asked and after he is finished, he will proudly showcase his progress. Now, we should remember that he's only a 4 year-old so there are times when the task of tidying up is met with resistance. This is where the parenting/negotiation skills come in as well as setting limits and boundaries. There are days when the toys are left strewn on the floor until the next day, but for a family with 2 kids under 5, I feel like we do a pretty good job of maintaining a tidy home.

Marie Kondo offers her tips on how to tidy with children Marie’s Tips for Tidying with Kids — Most of the Time – KonMari | The Official Website of Marie Kondo and I have found these 4 tips to be very useful especially during the current parenting stage that we are in. One thing that I have learned is that a home with young children is often messy and always evolving. As a KonMari™ consultant there is a method to tidying that leads to a preferred outcome, but we have to be flexible when little ones are part of the equation. What I can recommend as a fellow parent and professional organizer is to lead by example and the rest will fall into place.

Cheers to tidying and cheers to parenthood!