You wake up and the sun is shining, and you are looking out onto the vast expanse of the ocean. You go for a walk surrounded by flowers and greenery. You walk into a room that is beautifully decorated. In all these situations anyone would feel something: happy, joyful, motivated and inspired.
We intuitively know that the space we are in affects our mood, and yet so often the spaces we put our kids in is dull and drab, cluttered or too noisy. It’s not conducive to them being at their best.
Your kids personal space matters. In fact, it is proven that messy or disorderly environments have been linked to feelings of powerlessness, fear, anxiety, and depression.
Many people haven't really embraced the minimalist living ideology of paring back one's personal possessions. This challenges you to consider no longer holding onto items unless they spark joy, are used regularly or are of some significance...... and then to notice how your environment makes you feel. This concept applies to any space in your home but in my experience, I have found it particularly important in kids spaces.
and creating simpler, easier to maintain spaces can have all kinds of amazing benefits for the ongoing development of your child. This approach is a core influencer of basic productivity and continuous improvement. Decluttering
For the uninitiated, getting it under control is a 5-step process that helps to create a clean and well organised space:
Sort – scan the room and throw away all of the items that are broken. Use a large cardboard box to collect any items that are unpopular, or unused in the past six months especially unwanted toys and clothing.
Straighten / set in order – taking all the items that remain, consider how frequently they are used. Categorise and organise where things are stored and placed so they are easily accessible based on frequency of use.
Shine – clean surfaces and set a maintenance routine (hopefully with the cooperation of your little ones).
Standardise – set common ways of storing things - make it easy to maintain through order and continuity. Label boxes or baskets to ensure things go back in the right place after use. THis will help more than you realise with ongoing maintenance.
Sustain – don’t let your improvements slide. Perhaps you can set up a reward system with your child. This method praises efforts to keep things under control and teaches your kids valuable life skills which will stay with them well into adulthood.
This approach can be highly effective in creating an ordered space, however it can also leave a room feeling sterile and cold...so awareness and balance are key. Perhaps you could get yourself a couple of pin boards to help display awards, memos and cards! (hint, hint).