I’m lovin’ Pinterest! When a client needs a special twist on organizing, I head over to Pinterest for ideas. In fact, follow me on Pinterest – I’m always pinning!

Here’s a photo collage of some great kids closet to round out my closet series this month. In trying to give credit where credit is due, click on the links below the photo to get more information.

Love the colors and the simplicity of this closet. The boxes can hold shoes, pjs, toys, you name it!

iheartorganizing

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Amen!  This is a guest post from my friend and Clever Container team leader, Melissa Schmalenberger aka Ms. Simplicity. If you like this article, please tell her so!

So often when I work with client’s they are terrified to throw* anything of their child’s away. I am not sure where this fear comes from, but parents everywhere I give you permission to start to throw your kid’s stuff away. I am talking about gum wrappers, broken bracelets, one earring without a mate, torn books, pieces of half scribbled on paper and toys they no longer play with. I am not telling you to get rid of their prized possessions, simply the junk and clutter in their room that surround them. READ MORE

As a mother who has seen 5 children through many school years, I discovered a little tip that helped in a lot of ways:

1. Fast identification
2. Reading skills not needed
3. Clean up  was easier
4. Less things lost or missing

The tip?  To color code your children and their school supplies.  Assign each child a different color (perferably the favorite color of the child).  Purchase EVERYTHING for school in that color.

• backpack
• pencils
• pencil boxes/pouches
• binders
• pencil sharpeners
• calculators

And for those things that do not come in color assortments, purchase colored tape and put the tape on the blue ink pens, crayon boxes, and other supplies.  Color coding is used for many other applications, so why not our children.  They don’t have to read to know that all green supplies belong to them and red supplies to their sibling. Using color coding makes it easy to see who forgot to clean up after homework time and avoid the “That’s mine!” battle cry.  If a green pencil is found under the table, you know which child to return it to.

A simple tip, but one to help your sanity….