Getting Kids Involved with Spring Cleaning

Spring is here! There is so much to clean and declutter. But don’t do it alone! Getting kids involved with spring cleaning can be so fun. They definitely will enjoy helping out and they will also learn a lot, too. Here are a couple ideas for getting kids involved with spring cleaning:

Have a Fashion Show

Kids grow so fast! With the change of seasons, now is the perfect time to go through kids’ clothes and pull out any items that have been outgrown. You can switch the cold gear out for warmer weather clothes and check clothes and shoe sizes. One fun way to do this is to have a fashion show. Adding some special lights and music will make trying on clothes so much more fun. You will be able to see what still fits and start to make a donate pile of what no longer fits. It is always such a good thing to teach your child to donate! Once you have the items that you are going to keep, you will also be able to better plan the current and future wardrobe by knowing what has been outgrown. So clear a path for that runway and have some fun!

Make Decluttering an Adventure

Kids actually play better when they have fewer things to play with!  Does this seem counterintuitive?  Research shows that the more decisions you have to make, the less energy you have for doing other things.  Simplifying choices and reducing distractions allows children to play with what they have for longer periods of time with more focus and creativity. As an added bonus, putting things away becomes less of a hassle, so clean-up time doesn’t have to be a battle. So, make decluttering an adventure and a celebrated event in your home! Here is our recommendation for how to declutter with your kids:

• Pick an area – focus only on this area.
• Take all toys, books, and games out of wherever they currently live. Kids will LOVE this. They get to make a huge mess and get every toy out!
• Sort all items into categories placing like with like. You can start with making a big pile of books and then going on from there. Kids will really enjoy making piles of items.
• Take a snack break when necessary. If your child is becoming distracted you can either stop and refuel or move on alone.
• Go through each pile and decide what you will keep and what you will toss (thrown away, recycled, donated, or sold). Use your judgment here, it may be best with or without your child’s assistance at this step.
• Then put all the keep items back in the place they will live. This can be a great step to do with your child because they will then know the place each item belongs. Here are some of our favorite organizing products for kids.

Celebrate and do something special when you have finished decluttering an area! This is a big deal – you are teaching your child amazing things and by letting stuff go, you are living life more abundantly.

Turn Cleaning into a Game

Chores do not need to be a bore. Turn them into games. Having your kids help you with spring cleaning can be such a blast and a good life lesson for them. Yes, it will probably involve you teaching them how to clean, but here are some great ways to get them started:

• Baseboards: give your kid a squirt bottle and cloth and tell them to make those baseboards sparkle.
• Windows: cleaning windows can be so much fun, too. Kids will be able to see the progress of their work. 
• Furniture: unless you are the kind of person that dusts and/or wipes down your furniture routinely, giving your kids a rag and having them dust underneath coffee tables and chairs can be quite fun. Just make sure you clearly direct them to the specific furniture that can be dusted or wiped down.
• Porch: If your kid is old enough to handle a vacuum or a broom they can be put in charge of sweeping or going after cobwebs. If not, once again, make them the champion duster or wiper. You can end by having a picnic on the porch and enjoying the fruit of your labor.
• Under the bed: great time to clear out everything from under the bed and clean, declutter, and organize. Turn it into a treasure hunt…you never know what you will find!
• Walls: all you need to give your kid to spot clean your walls is water and a rag. 

If you are worried about  exposure to toxic chemicals, here are some great eco-friendly green cleaning products that our team members love. 

What are some ways you like to have your kids join you in spring cleaning and decluttering? We would love to hear! Check out our Facebook Abundance Declutter Group for more.