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Organize by Cleaning Out Before Christmas

by The Organizer Lady dot com

Organize by Cleaning Out Before Christmas

Christmas is coming, and that means that the kids and family will be getting more stuff, more toys, more clothes, etc. Before Christmas gets here, it might be a good idea to start cleaning out the older stuff to make space for the new.

For kid’s stuff, this is fairly easy to do. Just go through their things for what they have outgrown – toys and clothes. Or if they are old enough, let them go through their rooms and clean out. If the items are still in good condition, you could donate them or have a yard sale. Not only does this clear space for more age or size related things, it also teaches children to give.

For the adults, organizing and cleaning out could take a little more time. Decide what you no longer want, need, or have use for. Clean out old dishes or pots and pans to make way for a new set. Go through clothing that just hangs in the closet and isn’t worn.

If you’re like me and have collected a lot of books over the years, you might want to go through your book collection and let some go, especially if they’re for kids and your kids are grown, or simply something you no longer have need for or want. If you homeschool, you can donate or sell the homeschooling books that your kids have outgrown. Homeschooling families are often looking for good used homeschool curriculum.

It’s a good idea to go ahead and start organizing for Christmas and cleaning out anything you want to get rid of, before Christmas gets here. With the Christmas shopping season upon us, you’ll be busy with Christmas preparations soon, so go ahead and get started now and don’t wait.

Some ideas for donating items no longer needed or wanted are: Goodwill, Salvation Army, a toy collection for Christmas, resale shops, etc. There’s usually always someone that can use something in good condidtion that you have and don’t need anymore. So not only are you cleaning out and having an organized home for Christmas, you’re doing a good dead for someone else – something good and in the Christmas spirit!

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Buy and Sell Boxes of Kids Clothes!

by The Organizer Lady dot com

Buy and Sell Boxes of Kids Clothes!

Buy and sell boxes of kids’ clothes at thredUp.

Get great new clothes (and toys!) for your kids while getting rid of stuff they no longer use. It’s free to join. And thredUp will send you free postage paid boxes and even arrange for them to be picked up – it couldn’t be any easier!

You can now earn cashback for your outgrown kids clothes, and gently used toys, and books on thredUP. Earn up to $10 for every great box you send to another mom. Click Here.

This is a great way to not only organize your kids’ closets and bedrooms, but also a frugal way to get things your kids need. Check it out and share this posts with other moms you know that might be interested!

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Kids’ Toys: To Keep or Not to Keep?

by The Organizer Lady dot com

As your children continue to get more toys with each passing birthday, Christmas and other special occasions, space becomes a premium, and clutter can begin to take over. So how do you keep it in check and still enjoy giving them new things? You have to balance “out with the old and in with the new”. If there are toys that are broken, or games and puzzles with missing pieces, they can probably be thrown away.

Why not set aside different times of year that you go through all of the toys and decide what needs to be given away? This can be a month or so before birthdays and Christmas. However, if you wait until after they get new things, they might be more willing to part with the older toys. It is important to talk to the children about it beforehand, if they are old enough to understand. Let them help decide which toys they might want to give away.

As the children go through their toys, let the younger siblings see if there is anything they’d like to keep from their older brothers or sisters, but if they do they have to give up something from their toys. Try to keep it even with how much the kids are getting rid of, as you don’t want them to feel like they are sacrificing more than the others.

If the weather is nice, you could even encourage your children to participate in a family yard sale. They get to keep the money for any of their things they sell. This takes a bit more thought and organization. First, they have to make sure that what they are selling is in good enough shape to sell, and that all the pieces are there.

One important thing to keep in mind, especially with the younger children, is to give them time to adjust to the idea of giving things away. Young children can often be generous with their things, but then later realize they gave away a “favorite” toy. Let them practice for a few days, or even weeks. Put the things away in a box where they can’t get them. If they realize they don’t miss the toys, then they should be ok with going ahead and getting rid of them.

It is also good to encourage sharing their blessings by donating some nicer toys and games they’ve outgrown. There are many charities that take gently used books, toys and games, including hospitals and shelters. This is a great way of not only reducing the clutter in your home, but also helping someone less fortunate.

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