CHILDREN AND THEIR CLUTTER
by Audrey Cupo, Professional Organizer
Clutter and children have a strong correlation. It begins the day they come home from hospital.
How is it that you bring a tiny new human being into your home and with them comes all this stuff!
Toys, clothes, bottles, pacifiers, bed linens, books, stuffed animals, you name it. We have reached material saturation according to a study released by the UCLA Center on the everyday lives of families.
The clutter might begin in the closet, basement, attic or drawers but then it spills out onto our table tops, counters and floors. We currently have more visible clutter than ever before! Our children’s stuff is at the top of our clutter piles.
Each new child in a household leads to a 30 percent increase in a family’s inventory of possessions during just the preschool years alone! There are several reasons for this increase:
1. Parental guilt because of working outside the home;
2. Generous grandparents.
The United States has 3.1 percent of the world’s children. However, US families purchase more than 40 percent of the total toys consumed globally on an annual basis. The toys can spill out from their bedrooms and play rooms into living rooms, dining rooms, the kitchen and parents’ bedroom.
There is a sense among working parents that they have less time to spend with their children, causing them to shower their kids with toys to compensate for a perceived loss of quality time at home.
Aside from that, other relatives contribute to children’s collections of material items. Grandparents alone spent about $500 or more, per child, per year, on toys, clothes, books and other gifts. Due to the high divorce rate in this country, many children end up getting gifts from multiple sets of grandparents. If children divide their time between two households, they tend to have double the amount of possessions, as well.
The influx of objects is relentless. The outflow, not so much. We need to develop rituals and mechanisms for getting rid of stuff.
Here are some solutions:
1. Experiences vs. Physical Items – Have grandparents, other family members or friends purchase movie tickets, tickets for live events or a favorite restaurant instead of a toy.
2. Do A Review. Review the inventory accumulated every 6 months. Get rid of clothes that no longer fit, toys that no longer work, books that are no longer read, school papers that are no longer needed. (End of the school term, Christmas time are two suggestions.)
3. Have A Conversation. Speak with gift givers to discuss gifting options that do not involve a lot of toys, clothes and other items that are in excess of what is reasonable. Relatives and friends want to give “things” to show how much they love the kids. They need to understand that their time is more precious than possessions. They need to understand that, although it is appreciated, it is causing clutter in your home.
4. Be Selective. Be selective when purchasing items for your child. They don’t need to have everything. Remember, less is more. Too much can be overwhelming for a child. They tend to pick their favorites anyway.
Take a look around your home and see where the clutter is accumulating and make some changes so you can be clutter free.
If you are feeling overwhelmed when it comes to getting organized, simply contact A Better Space. Audrey Cupo has been working with your neighbors since 2004 to help them declutter, organize their homes and create customized systems to meet their specific needs. With just one phone call, you too can have A BETTER SPACE.
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Audrey Cupo
Professional Organizer
A BETTER SPACE
(215)491-5193
betterspace@comcast.net
www.4abetterspace.com
www.facebook.com/abetterspace
WINNER – BEST OF BUCKS 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
On 02/10/2023 11:22 AM uptightsuburban@aol.com wrote:
Good morning, Audrey!
The February issues of the Suburbanite are printed and I’d like to mail you some copies. Can you forward your mailing address? Also, when you start to read the issue, please be sure to read my intro on page 4…
I look forward to hearing good things about your contribution…
Also, a reminder, your March column should be in my office by February 24. Will that work for you?
Let me know. As an aside, it might be useful to comment on helping our kids, regardless the age, become better organized. I spent some time with my 6 year old granddaughter this week and she kept telling me she likes to keep her room neat. I’m sure that was her mother talking… I’m thinking you could provide some useful guidance in this area. P.S. Her drawers and closets are jammed with stuff. I think it would be challenging for my granddaughter (or anyone) to keep anything neat!!!!LOL! What do you think?
Your copies will be mailed as soon as I receive your address.
Thank you and GO EAGLES!!!
Linda H.
Uptight Suburbanite/Carrier Pigeon
215-510-5972
