Control the environment. No one likes to be awakened by a loud, sudden sound and a bright light in their face. If someone did it to you, you’d be cranky too! So, spend five minutes letting the kids wake up slower than usual. Scratch their back, start softly talking to them about what activities are happening soon, ones that they’re looking forward to. Even if it’s two days away you can remind them that they have a field trip this week. They’ll be too sleepy to wonder why you’re mentioning it so early, but you’ll be instantly programming them to be in an optimistic mood.

Keep the house fairly dark and quiet for a while. Get their clothes on them, have them use the restroom and brush their teeth before they even know what hit them. Then, they can watch television quietly while they eat their breakfast. Think of it as similar to your morning coffee. Don’t you like to sit and relax for a few minutes before your day begins? Most parents are too tired to get up early, but they can get up a half-hour before they have to leave, put clothes on kids, have them brush teeth, sit them down for a show to eat, while packing lunches and getting backpacks ready.

With a little preparation, your mornings could go this smoothly. Use children’s hangers that cascade from one another to have your child set up all of their outfits for the week. I like to have mine set out underwear, socks, everything they’re going to need for the week every Sunday. We do everything that might slow us down on Sunday night. We clip fingernails and toenails, read ahead in literature and Social Studies, Get all of the sheets washed and beds fresh, whatever we can think of that we don’t want to spend time on later in the week. All of these things make for better, brighter mornings.

About the Author: Kurt Adams is on the staff of Only Kids Hangers, a leading provider of infant hangers. The right baby hangers, like wooden baby hangers and children’s coat hangers, keep baby clothers organized and children’s hangers are great for retail stores.

Learning to organize is also about learning to prioritize. If you can teach your children to prioritize, then you are also teaching them to be flexible and efficient. Simply saying “clean your room” is rarely successful. This is because cleaning things up, organizing them, and doing it efficiently are learned skills. If you don’t take the time to teach kids how to do these things, then it will always be an uphill battle for you as a parent, and a dreaded task for your children.

There are some creative ways to help your children learn how to prioritize and organize their rooms. A good way to keep them motivated and on task, instead of staring at the huge mess and complaining, is to create some small games with small goals to play with them.

A good place to start is with the “big things” in the room. Have a race with the clock to see how many big things you and your child can clean up in two minutes. You may be surprised what all gets done in that two minutes. Then go for something else, like clothes. Pick up dirty clothes and get them into the laundry basket or hamper. If your child isn’t keen on racing the clock, try for “making goals” in the basket. Let them see how many baskets they can make from the chair, the bed, or the closet. You can even toss the clothes to them to keep them going.

Look around the room after each activity and think out loud. Say things like, “Let’s see. What’s the biggest thing that we need to take care of?” This technique will teach your child to prioritize what is most important so that cleaning will be quick and efficiently done. Next, try to divide what’s left into piles. Make a game of who can divide their “junk pile” into organized stacks first. Blocks, cars, baby dolls, action figures, game pieces, and other categories can be made. Try not to make it too detailed or you might lose them.

Next talk about where everything can go. “This pile is small. Let’s put it into this basket. Should we put it in the closet so that your little brother doesn’t accidentally lose the pieces?” Let your child decide where things should go and point out reasons why that is a good idea. Keep in mind that you’re teaching them how to “think” organized. Let them know why you chose infant hangers for their smaller shirts and children’s hangers for the larger ones. Tell them about how the smaller ones are safer for their clothes and easier for them to handle. Mention that hanging their clothes on baby hangers takes up less space and leaves room for toys to be stored in the closet.

The skills that your child learns will benefit them for the rest of their lives. Learning how to stay organized isn’t quite as easy as it sounds, but starting early in life can make it become second nature to your child.

About the Author: Kurt Adams is on the staff of Only Kids Hangers, a leading provider of infant hangers. The right baby hangers, like wooden baby hangers and children’s coat hangers, keep baby clothers organized and children’s hangers are great for retail stores.

1) First, you have to try to make it just a little more fun. This can be difficult if your child is used to throwing tantrums, fighting, screaming, or just flat out not doing it when you tell them to. However, there are ways to motivate kids to clean up after themselves without resorting to yelling or punishment. First, work on positively reinforcing the behaviors that you like. Don’t be afraid to offer rewards for good behavior and cooperation. However, there is a right and a wrong way to reward.

2) When rewarding or bribing your child to do what you want them to do, make sure that you make the prize something that they want. One child may be motivated by a new toy while another is motivated by a quarter. Choose something that is affordable, the goal is not to spoil the child. Don’t offer a grand reward that can be difficult to follow through with. Make sure that there is a reward that is not only motivating to your child, but present when you offer it. There’s nothing like a dangling carrot to get someone moving!

3) Don’t make the mistake of overwhelming your child. You might find out just how stubborn they can be if you tell them that you want a disaster of a room spotless in a certain amount of time. Give them small goals that can quickly and easily be accomplished. Have multiple rewards ready and help them if you can. Talk about things that they want to talk about while you clean so that they associate cleaning and organizing with positive attention and experiences.

4) Make it easy to stay organized. Use open containers and label them with what goes inside. Keep buckets with small pieces across the room from each other so that they are less likely to get intermingled. Let your child use infant hangers, children’s hangers, or baby hangers to hang their clothes. They are easier to handle, come in interesting colors and cartoon designs, and won’t damage small clothing.

About the Author: Kurt Adams is on the staff of Only Kids Hangers, a leading provider of infant hangers. The right baby hangers, like wooden baby hangers and children’s coat hangers, keep baby clothers organized and children’s hangers are great for retail stores.

1) Organized emergency supplies are easy to find in a pinch. Keep in mind that you may need to find these things in dark or low light situations. Using a bin with a lid is a great idea, because you can take it out of the baby’s closet and bring it outside of the room to rummage through if you don’t want to wake the baby. In this kit, you can keep medications, a thermometer, and other necessities that need to be kept out of baby’s reach. Make sure that the container you use locks, or is at least difficult to open. Keep it out of the baby’s reach, like on a top shelf in a closet.

2) Diapering materials are used several times a day and also should be kept out of baby’s reach. Many diapering items are dangerous for your baby, including diaper wipes, baby oil, and diaper rash medication. Never let your baby put any of these items into their mouth. Keep these things together in a bucket where you can easily grab them and put them away when you’re done. Don’t leave them on a changing table or where the baby can reach them during diapering.

3) Bedding, burp cloths and receiving blankets can be kept in a basket underneath the crib or on a shelf in the closet. You may want to keep these in a container without a lid so that you can easily throw clean ones onto the stack when you’re putting away the laundry.

4) Clothing is the biggest challenge for many parents. Babies can go through several outfits a day, making life a constant battle of laundry and finding what you need when you need it. Make it easy on yourself by stocking the closet with separate buckets or baskets for body suits, pajamas, socks, gowns, shirts, pants, skirts and shorts. You can use infant hangers or baby hangers for tiny outfits that you don’t want to wrinkle or damage. Children’s hangers can be used for things that your baby hasn’t grown into yet. Use size markers on your hangers so that you can grab bigger sizes of clothing when you need it. Also keep a hamper, bag or bucket for throwing in clothing that your baby has outgrown.

About the Author: Kurt Adams is on the staff of Only Kids Hangers, a leading provider of infant hangers. The right baby hangers, like wooden baby hangers and children’s coat hangers, keep baby clothers organized and children’s hangers are great for retail stores.

1) Start with the big stuff. Stuffed animals, blankets, pillows, big balls, and other large toys should be cleaned up first. These are the things that will take up the most space, so you’ll need to find room for them first. You can easily arrange smaller toys around the big ones later, but it is difficult to make room for big things once the little things are put away. Plus, putting the big things away first is easy for your child and helps them to quickly see the progress that is occurring in their room. You can make a game of how fast big things can be thrown into a toy box or bin in the closet.

2) Next, move on to the toys that are a little smaller, but that do not have small parts. Dolls, trucks, books, and other items that can be stored in bins or baskets, or on shelves are easily picked out of a pile of little pieces. If possible, group like items together. Loud toys in one section, quiet toys in another, or however you decide might be easiest for your child to keep up with. Use shelving whenever possible. Toys that can be easily seen get played with more and are easy to put away. Label the space on the shelf with the name of the toy to make it easier the next time.

3) Now on to the little things. Containers with lids that close are great for keeping game pieces, miniatures, puzzle pieces, hair ties, and blocks separated from each other. Try to scatter these items around the room so that if your child does decide to dump them out, they won’t be close to each other. Keeping all of the little things together in one area can lead to another giant pile of pieces!

4) Another common problem in children’s rooms is laundry. Make it easy for your child to put their own laundry away. Lower shelves and hanging rods can make it much easier, plus you’ll free up some space above for games and other items that you don’t want dumped out. Teach your child to use infant hangers, baby hangers, or children’s hangers that fit their clothes. Being smaller and easier to handle, they are way more likely to use them than other types of hangers.

About the Author: Kurt Adams is on the staff of Only Kids Hangers, a leading provider of infant hangers. The right baby hangers, like wooden baby hangers and children’s coat hangers, keep baby clothers organized and children’s hangers are great for retail stores.

There are so many things that a baby can need in the first year. There are a multitude of items used to feed the baby, like bottles, breast pump supplies, dishes, spoons, and bottle warmers. There are many items used to clean the baby. There are a lot of items used to diaper the baby. You will need an arsenal of medication and first aid supplies in case the baby gets sick or hurt. But one of the hardest things to get under control in the baby’s first year, is clothing.

Staying organized can be difficult for new parents. Luckily, it is fairly easy to categorize baby items. Shoes, toys, medicines, diapering, and feeding supplies are all pretty easy to keep straight. This is partly because a lot of these things are kept in different rooms. However, clothing can be a real challenge. Babies use rompers, pajamas, casual clothes, coats, dressy clothes, shoes, hats, socks, blankets, sheets, burp cloths, and bibs so quickly. Your baby may go through several outfits and changes of bedding per day.

Adding to the chaos is the fact that babies outgrow everything so quickly. Not only are they outgrowing everything, but you will also find yourself struggling to find space for clothes that they haven’t grown into yet and storage for their out of season clothes. Getting the baby’s clothing organized in a way that will work with you long-term is important for many reasons.

Getting organized will help you to avoid many of the stresses of parenthood. Having what you need when you need it helps you to feel more in control. Many of your baby’s outfits may become keepsakes and others may become hand-me-downs. Using special infant hangers, baby hangers, and children’s hangers to keep these clothes from being damaged will save you money and help you to preserve the clothing that you want to keep nice.

Having an easy place to toss things that no longer fit your baby and need to be given away is a great way to keep the closet organized long-term. Use a bin for out of season clothing or clothing that does not fit yet. You can easily get into it when the baby starts to outgrow clothes. Also make sure that you have a place for special clothing that you want to keep. Use an air-tight bin or vacuum storage bag to protect garments while they’re in storage. Having a system for keeping the baby’s closet orderly will save you from having to organize and reorganize multiple times in the baby’s first year.

About the Author: Kurt Adams is on the staff of Only Kids Hangers, a leading provider of infant hangers. The right baby hangers, like wooden baby hangers and children’s coat hangers, keep baby clothers organized and children’s hangers are great for retail stores.

1) Take this opportunity to tell your children about kids that are less fortunate than them. Sit down with them and help them to pick out older toys and clothes that can be donated to the needy. Most kids will get excited about being the one to make another kid’s Christmas a happy one. If your child is having trouble letting go of some things, let them make a box of “maybe” items that they can decide on later. After Christmas, let them go through again and decide what they may be able to live without, now that they have so many nice new things. Encouraging them to make room for the new toys is also an effective way of persuading them to give some things away.

2) Clearing out some space will give you a better idea of how to organize the room. Dump out toy boxes and bins of random toys and start going through them. Separate everything into categories. This is a fun job for most kids. They love to race their parents and see who can categorize all of the items first. When you have your piles, determine what types of containers, shelves, or cabinets would be best for the storage of the items. You may decide to put shelves in a closet for toys with small parts that you do not wish to see dumped out anytime soon!

3) When the toys are all cleaned up, you can focus on the clothing. Christmas is a great time to give kids some new winter clothes, so you need to clear out some space for them. Give away what you can and then get ready to make a special place for items that are left. Cubes are great for kids’ closets, because you can stack them, use them on the floor, or even hang them from the closet walls. Give each cube or shelf a specific function. Clothing that you would rather hang should always be hung on children’s hangers. Baby hangers and infant hangers do not stretch out the necks or shoulders of smaller clothes. Plus, the smaller size takes up less space and is easier for a child to handle.

About the Author: Kurt Adams is on the staff of Only Kids Hangers, a leading provider of infant hangers. The right baby hangers, like wooden baby hangers and children’s coat hangers, keep baby clothers organized and children’s hangers are great for retail stores.

1) Make a list of what all you would like to store in the kid’s closet. Remember that kids usually have some clothes that they have not grown into yet, or that you are saving to hand down to a younger child. There will also be out of season clothes, school clothes, dress clothes, shoes, and play clothes. If you plan right, you can also keep pajamas, underwear, swimwear, socks, sports equipment, and backpacks in the closet. Freeing up space around the room makes it easier to keep organized and gives your child lots of room to play.

2) Get rid of what you can and donate it to charity or hand it down to another child. Plan for things that normally cause the closet to become disorganized. You can use large bins in the bottom of the closet for clothes that the child has outgrown, has not grown into yet, and for dirty laundry. These three things in the bottom can help you to effortlessly keep the closet under control.

3) Use the top shelf of the closet for long-term storage and for things that need to be kept out of reach. If the top shelf is far from the ceiling, you may want to move it up. You can add shelving to the sides to extend the top shelf out to the front of the closet if you need more space. You may even decide to add a second shelf up high. These are great for suitcases, out of season clothes, blankets, and keepsakes.

4) Children’s clothes are small, so you don’t need a huge space for hanging. You can add shelving about three feet up from the floor. Use cubby hole type shelves up the sides of the closet for shoes, board games, tubs of blocks, and other small things that need to be put away. Use the other shelves for baskets and bins that hold socks, underwear, pajamas, hats, gloves, and other small apparel. Hang most of your child’s clothes on infant hangers or children’s hangers so that you don’t have to sift through stacks of folded clothes when you need something. Children can manipulate baby hangers easier than adult hangers, so you can teach them to hang their own clothes when they’re old enough.

About the Author: Kurt Adams is on the staff of Only Kids Hangers, a leading provider of infant hangers. The right baby hangers, like wooden baby hangers and children’s coat hangers, keep baby clothers organized and children’s hangers are great for retail stores.

1) Your baby furniture will likely be where you spend most of your nursery budget. Choose well made furniture that can grow with your child. The furniture should not be chosen to go with a specific theme, or it won’t last you very long. If you choose used furniture, check for recalls or safety standard changes before you purchase. All furniture in the nursery should be securely anchored to studs inside the walls.

2) You can really pull a theme together by selecting bedding and curtains. There are lots of cute and wonderful baby room themes out there to choose from. You can either choose the bedding and center the theme around the one you love, or use something else, like a toy or a piece of art, and then match the bedding to that. Make sure that you don’t overfill the crib with thick bumpers, pillows or stuffed animals that could pose a suffocation hazard for the baby.

3) Make sure that the room is safe. Hot bulbs, cords that can be pulled, exposed outlets, unanchored dressers, and cords hanging from blinds or drapes are all serious hazards in a nursery. Your cleaning, diapering, and medical supplies should also be out of reach. Use the closet to keep dangerous items, like baby oil, baby wipes, and medications out of the child’s reach. You can add lots of small shelves to the closet to help you stay organized. You can even eliminate the need for a lot of baby furniture by efficiently utilizing the closet. This can help you to save room for toys in the nursery.

4) Instead of stacking and stuffing things into dresser drawers, consider hanging them on infant hangers in the closet. When things are hung, they are easy to see and organize. They don’t get wrinkled or damaged either. Using baby hangers helps to keep the shoulders and neck from being stretched on tiny garments. Children’s hangers are also easy for toddlers to use, so your child can grow into them and use them for many years.

About the Author: Kurt Adams is on the staff of Only Kids Hangers, a leading provider of infant hangers. The right baby hangers, like wooden baby hangers and children’s coat hangers, keep baby clothers organized and children’s hangers are great for retail stores.

First, consider what you must keep in the closet. Because dressers can tip, many parents have tried to eliminate bedroom furniture in children’s rooms. This only elevates the need for closet storage. The closet can easily become a problem area. Kids generally own a lot of clothing to begin with. Adding toys, diapers and wipes, or a small play area to the closet may seem impossible. However, if you get things arranged correctly, you could be surprised at the amount of stuff you get organized inside the closet.

You can put a shelf about three feet off of the floor in the closet. The space underneath can be for playing, storing clothes, a toy box, or a laundry basket. Most of the things you need to organize can be accommodated by the large central shelf. Smaller shelving can be built on top of the main shelf to hold baskets and bins of socks, pajamas, underwear, and supplies. Another set of shelves can hold games, toys with small parts, t-shirts, or shoes. The hanging bar can be left in place for outfits and other items that need to be hung.

Another option would be to cut two or three short bars with a pipe cutter and work them in between several shelving units. This is a great way to keep dress clothes, school clothes, casual wear, and clothing that your child hasn’t grown into yet separated.

Make sure that you think about the different needs of a summer and winter wardrobe as you draw your design. In the winter, there are bulkier coats, sweaters, hats, mittens, scarves, and boots. Don’t forget to make room for these items when you’re planning out shelf space. Don’t forget storage for these items in the off season either.

Hang outfits on infant hangers or children’s hangers. Baby hangers don’t stretch and damage clothing. Plus, they’re easy to use, so that when you start to teach your child to hang their own clothing, it’ll be just that much easier. There are many options when it comes to infant hangers, from wooden baby hangers to decorative beaded ones. Choose the ones that match your child’s room décor and your kid’s closet will be complete.

About the Author: Kurt Adams is on the staff of Only Kids Hangers, a leading provider of infant hangers. The right baby hangers, like wooden baby hangers and children’s coat hangers, keep baby clothers organized and children’s hangers are great for retail stores.