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) All the organizational products in the world won’t keep you organized. Setting things up in a practical way should always be on your mind while you’re organizing. Here’s an example; Some people really enjoy having a changing station or changing table in the nursery. However, an overwhelming percentage of people who buy them, never use them. How could something that you’ll use several times a day that stores all of your related baby items never get used? Location, location, location! Most people do not have the nursery right off of their living room, where they’ll spend most of their time. So, they end up using a changing pad instead. The lesson here is that being expensive or seeming like a great idea means nothing if it’s not convenient to use.

2) Keeping the convenience factor in mind, figure out where you want to organize. Don’t make the mistake of creating plenty of space for toys all over the kids’ rooms if the kids’ toys are always all over the den. Your best bet for keeping a space organized is to provide easy access areas for toys to go. You’ll have much more success in getting help from your family if you place your buckets, bins, toy boxes and shelves very near where they will usually be playing with these things.

3) Do yourself a favor and make it easy for everyone in the house to help you. Even toddlers can put their own clothes away if you simply lay pajamas flat instead of folding, use children’s hangers instead of adult hangers, and have a separate bucket for socks and burp cloths. Lower your perspective and think about what would be easy on your child’s level. Infant hangers and baby hangers are much easier to handle, plus they don’t stretch and damage little clothes. Clothes that don’t wrinkle, don’t necessarily have to be folded or hung. Making daily tasks easier will make organization a lower maintenance job.

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.

Preparing for the baby’s health is probably the most important step. Call your insurance and ask what you need to do to add the baby to your plan. Most insurance companies will add the baby over the phone immediately after they are born. Find out which pediatrician you should use and call them. Make sure that they are accepting new patients and let them know when your baby is due. Stock your medicine cabinet with infant medication that your baby might need in the first few weeks at home. Don’t forget a thermometer, cool mist humidifier, and an appropriate liquid medicine syringe.

Preparing yourself for mental support is another important thing to do. Have a list of family and friends that you can call if you need to talk. Other mothers are great for lending an empathetic ear. Have someone stay with you for the first few days so that you can get some rest when you need it. Be sure to have your family ready to get help for you from your doctor if you experience effects of postpartum depression.

Get the essentials ready for your baby. Your stroller, baby bath, lotion, diapers, wipes, and other baby items will help you to feel more prepared. Clothes and blankets should be washed and ready to use. Use a chemical/dye/perfume free detergent made especially for baby’s delicate newborn skin. Do not use fabric softeners on your clothes or your baby’s clothing. It’s a good idea to wash your clothes and your baby’s clothes in the baby detergent for the first couple of weeks.

Getting the nursery and your room organized will help to keep you from being overwhelmed in the first few weeks. Organize the baby’s closet and label containers with things like socks, pajamas, sheets, and layettes. This will not only make finding what you need easier for you, but also for the other people that may be trying to help you out. Hang delicate fabrics on infant hangers, children’s hangers, or baby hangers so that the necks do not get stretched out and the fabrics do not get torn.

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.

Most people that nest say that they have a surge of energy or they feel nervousness that won’t allow them to sit still. Not everyone cleans or prepares their home, but most women get the energy. Cleaning is just a good way to exert that energy for most expectant mothers.

Some women don’t necessarily have a “surge”, but they feel like they need to clean, paint, or suddenly get the nursery ready. Many women may not associate what they’re doing with nesting because the cues can be subtle. Some women think that it’s perfectly logical to prepare the home for baby and that it’s not necessarily an instinct to do so.

Nesting may make you clean the house more thoroughly than you have before. You may feel panicked about having everything perfect so that you don’t have so much to do after the baby arrives. This type of nesting can be a healthy way to prepare for the baby and also help you to save some much needed energy after the baby is born.

While you’re nesting and cleaning, think about what will make things easier on you later. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you should scrub every inch of your home, but it does mean that you should try to get organized as you clean. Getting organized will help you put your mind at ease. You won’t have to worry about where something is or if you have everything you need, because you will know that everything has a place and you can easily check those places.

Having the closets organized can be a big help later. Arrange the nursery closet in a way that will help you to find the things that you will need for the baby quickly and easily. Medication, diapering supplies, extra sheets, blankets, socks, and all sorts of clothing and accessories can be easily organized in the closet. Keep little things in separate, labeled bins so that you can quickly find things when you need them. Use baby hangers or children’s hangers for outfits that you don’t want to get wrinkled or stretched out. Infant hangers save space and protect baby’s delicate outfits.

When your home is organized in a sustainable way, you’ll be able to relax more and feel more prepared for your baby’s arrival.

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.

Kids and parents love it when they have a playroom that is organized and fun. It’s not much fun to dig through endless toy boxes trying to find the pieces to your toys and games. This is why the number one job of creating a fun playroom is to get organized. You will want to do this before you paint or make any other plans, because what you decide is best may need to be included in the painting or worked around in some way.

If you have a large playroom, you’re in luck. But, even small playrooms can be super organized. It is easier to keep a playroom organized that is divided into play areas, or sections. How you divide is up to you. You can have each child’s toys in certain areas with a community area in the center. You can have developmental toys in one station, arts and crafts in another, a reading center in another area, and computer games in another section. Dividing the room up helps avoid the dreaded mountain of every piece of every toy in the house.

Create physical barrier for each section of the room if you can. A hanging canopy on a hoop can seclude a reading section. A tent can be a fun retreat and place for storing stuffed animals and having sleepovers. A low, double-sided bookcase makes a good divider that is great for storing games and buckets of toys. Tables that store craft supplies and puzzles in the center keep these items from getting mixed up with everything else.

Don’t over-organize and make it too difficult for your children to keep the playroom neat. Instead, create general areas where things go and it will remain a lot more organized than if there is an overwhelming number of buckets and bins in one spot. This makes it too easy for kids to just toss everything in with no regard to what it says on each bucket. Place only a few bins in each area, cut off from other areas and you’ll have more success.

If your kids are bad about just dumping everything that has parts to it, then you may want to adjust the playroom closet to hold things with pieces that you don’t want lost. Kids can earn these items by putting away other items around the room. Make sure there is a clear area for kids to play with board games and other toys with tiny parts.

To make room in the closet, move any clothing off of the existing shelves and hang them on infant hangers or children’s hangers. Baby hangers will keep the clothes nice and neat while freeing up space for games and toys with pieces. You can put a lock up high if you want to keep children out of this closet so that you don’t have to worry about pieces being lost while they are playing.

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) Most parents are avoiding using dressers to hold a kid’s or a baby’s clothes because of the tipping hazard that they pose. Dressers are tempting for children to climb. There is a real danger of the dresser tipping and trapping, seriously injuring, or killing a child. Therefore, if you do use a dresser, it should be securely anchored to the studs in the wall. Banning dressers from your home is possible if you get your closets set up in a way that handles the clothing in an efficient and accessible manner.

2) First, make an assessment of what all you want to keep in the closet. Pull out things that are already there and separate everything into piles. Be specific; Separate socks from tights, dress clothes from casual, and shirts from onesies and bodysuits. The more you keep things separate, the easier it will be to organize and keep it that way.

3) Figure out how much space you will need for each thing. Baskets are popular with parents because they’re so easy for children to see what is inside. Not only are they helpful for you or your child to see what you need, but they are also really easy to put clean clothes away in. Children as young as six months old like to throw socks into the basket. Getting them to help as young as possible will help you to establish responsibilities with them from early on.

4) Choose baskets or containers with open tops so that they are very easy to access. You should be able to hold a laundry basket, reach in, and put all of the little things away with one hand. Throw in socks or place small stacks of onesies and pajamas into their respective containers. Make it as easy as possible to maintain the organization of the closet.

5) Hang small baby clothes on infant hangers or baby hangers. Regular hangers can stretch out the necks and shoulders of small baby clothes. You should use children’s hangers for bigger kids for the same reason. Small, kid’s hangers are also easier for children to handle, so they are more likely to be able to help you hang their clothes from a young age.

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 need somewhere to put all of those big stuffed animals, extra pillows and blankets. Using a large toy box, armoire, or plastic containers that fit under the bed is good idea. Designate the area for large items only. Part of the reason that kids’ rooms can get so messy is that they don’t have an easy place to put certain things. If cleaning up is hard, they just won’t keep up with it, and neither will you. Tossing things into a large container or area is easy. Teach your children that when they clean up, they should start with the big things and work their way down to little things. Getting the big things out of the way first makes it feel like the job is going faster because you can see immediate improvement.

2) Kids need to learn to appreciate the fact that they have nice things and that they should take care of them. You can’t expect them to always put everything away, but you can teach them to respect what they have by helping them to “thin the herd” of toys that they keep. Every time your child gets a new toy, have them go through and give an older toy to charity. Hold the new toy ransom until the room is clean and organized. If something is missing parts or is broken, throw it away. They will feel like all of their best toys are in good shape and have a place to go.

3) When you get down to the little things, help your child make piles of like items. Building blocks go in a pile, hair accessories, cars, baby dolls, and other small items should be separated. Then, label containers of appropriate sizes for each thing. Put them in the containers and you’re done.

4) The last part of keeping a child’s room organized is the closet. You can keep things like board games that get dumped out in the closet so that the pieces are not lost. If you child wants to play a game that they can’t reach, you can have them clean an area for it first. Make room in the closet for special toys and games by getting the clothing organized. Use infant hangers or children’s hangers to make maximum use of the space without damaging clothes. Baby hangers are also easier for kids to handle, so they’re more likely to help you when it’s time to put laundry away.

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.

To preempt the kids losing their motivation to play and in turn, you losing your patience, you need to have a plan. Summer activities are fun but can also be time consuming. It’s inevitable that your kids will have some downtime in which to get bored while you’re scurrying around trying to get dinner ready, bills paid and the house clean. After trips to the beach, days of playing at the pool, and hours spent with friends, your kids will need something to do so that you can keep up with your own responsibilities.

Stock up on craft supplies. Kids learn so much from creating art and it can keep them entertained for long periods of time. They shouldn’t get bored because they can do something different every time they sit down. Gather things from around the kitchen, like sprinkles, uncooked noodles, oatmeal, cupcake papers, coffee filters, wax paper, aluminum foil, plastic bags, and food coloring. Put everything into a large bin so that the supplies can be brought out at a moment’s notice. Get creative and teach you kids to be imaginative while you get things done.

Rainy days can be the most difficult. When the kids feel trapped in the house, you can encourage them to play cooperatively by setting up a game of musical chairs, or let them have a dance competition. They can play hide and go seek or build giant forts all over the house. You may be amazed at how long kids can play with cardboard boxes and sheets! Rent some movies and let the kids bring down all of their pillows and blankets for some snuggly downtime between activities.

Summer is also a great time to work on some of those things that you’ve been letting slide lately. Have you noticed more whining, complaining or talking back? Do you need time to potty train but your toddler has been in preschool all year? Now is the time to tackle some of those things that are sometimes hard for parents to find time to work on.

Have the kids earn special privileges for their accomplishments. Let them earn points towards a trip to the movie theater or a late bedtime. You will be more successful if you are motivating and use positive reinforcement for success. Enable your kids to succeed by giving them tasks that are simple for them to accomplish. Empty a cabinet so that your toddler can put dishes away. Give them infant hangers or children’s hangers so that they can actually put the clothing on the hangers themselves. Baby hangers are smaller than conventional ones and are easy to handle. Be creative and help your kids to improve themselves this summer while you stay in control of your life.

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.

Stress is a major problem among parents and children alike. The stress level of today’s children is extremely high. Not only are parents working more hours, but kids are too. Between homework, after-school care, basketball, dance lessons, church, and swim lessons, a child’s schedule can become overwhelming. They may enjoy all of these things, but the underlying stress of having a full schedule is still there.

Parents need to take a step back and prioritize the things that are important. Instead of scheduling around gymnastics and football, try scheduling around your family dinner, game night, or free play time. Free play is extremely important. When a child is playing, not with video games, movies, or electronic toys, but just playing, they are developing important skills. This is the time that the imagination is allowed to flourish. The full potential of a child’s brain cannot be discovered unless they are allowed to get bored and discover it for themselves.

There are a few things that you can do to spend more quality time with your family. An easy first step to take is to plan a family meal every night. Let everyone talk about their day and make it a point to sit down at the table to eat. No texting, no phone calls, no TV, and no radio during dinner. Try to spend one hour just talking to your family. You’ll be surprised how much communication can happen during just one uninterrupted hour of the day.

Insist on outside play or “no electronics” time each day. Parents that are stressed out, overworked and overwhelmed tend to make sure that their kids are occupied and entertained for all waking hours. Just think about all of the things that they are not discovering or learning for themselves if they are never given the chance.

To get your stress levels down and your family back on track, insist on a schedule. There should be times for you to do chores together, homework together, have an outing together, and just sit together. Make cooking a special time that you let your child help. Teach them how to fold and hang clothes when you do laundry. Let them use baby hangers, infant hangers, or children’s hangers if they are small so that they experience a lot of successes while learning how to do chores. Set a good example by dealing with stress in a healthy way. Remember, it is up to you to transform and mold your family. If you want it badly enough, you can make it happen!

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.

Make sure that you use lots of positive language, touch, expression and reinforcement. Children actually produce growth hormones and have hormone surges that boost their learning power when they receive attention. Human interaction makes them feel good and they crave that feeling. They will do whatever it takes to get that attention, whether it be good or bad. So, it’s definitely best to give your child plenty of positive attention so that they can grow and be happy kids.

Start with something simple so that your child can experience the success and satisfaction of completing the project. The good feelings that they get when they do something by themselves is the same as when they receive attention from loved ones. Teaching them to complete tasks will help them to mature and entertain themselves with productive activities when you are unavailable. You can help them to get a grip on their emotions and exhibit less negative behaviors as they grow.

Make clean up time learning time. Help them sort things by color, texture, type, size or shape. Label small baskets or bins with examples of how you want things sorted. Let your child pick how they want to sort.

You can also teach them patterns while cleaning. You can do it with just about anything. For example, you can line up the laundry; sock, sock, shirt, sock, sock, shirt. Engage your child and encourage them to participate by guessing what is next or laying down what is next. You can even teach them to fold their clothes by making up a song about it. Use your child’s name in the song to get them excited about the process.

You can also teach your child how to hang laundry. Use small children’s hangers or infant hangers. Baby hangers are smaller than adult hangers, so they are easier for little hands to manage. They also will protect those precious little clothes from getting stretched out. Toddlers love to use tools to do things and using a hanger is like using a tool. Most kids love to hang clothes.

Teaching your toddler to help you organize sets a positive example and helps to prepare them for the future. You’ll enjoy the time that you spend together and you’ll also enjoy having a home that is more organized and inviting.

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.