Following these simple steps can help your family control the clutter that has taken over your home.

Step #1: Get rid of, or store away, toys that are no longer being used.

By the time my daughter reached toddler hood, I was amazed at how many toys she had accumulated. My first mission in getting my house in order was to find the toys that she had outgrown and donate them. Since toddlers can be temperamental, as mine was at times, I waited for her naptime to gather and box them up. It only took two naptimes to get rid of a bunch of clutter that was taking over my house.

Step #2: A place for everything and everything in its place.

My next task was to make putting away toys simple. If every type of toy had a kid friendly storage unit, I knew my daughter would be able to do it herself. First and foremost, each toy was separated by like size or type. Large stuffed animals were housed in a side-table with an easy to open top, and smaller toys were placed in a coffee table with side drawers. My daughter’s art supplies, which included, crayons, markers, coloring books, and stickers got placed in a small chest, with a handle easy enough for her to carry along room to room. For her many sized books, a sturdy basket functioned as good as any bookshelf. And, as for those oversized and oddly shaped toys, I found a hall table that was tall enough for the toys that only needed a pretty slipcover fabric to hide them under.

Once we developed a place for these many things, the next step was to establish a method to get my daughter eager to put her toys away herself. So I developed a one-toy policy.

Step #3: Only one toy can be out at a time.

This is probably the only challenging of the four steps. After all, kids and clutter seem to go hand in hand. But I have found that having too many toys out at one time can be distracting to the point that the child becomes disinterested in all of them.

If my daughter wanted to start playing with a toy that wasn’t already out, I would ask her to put away the toy she did have out before getting the other one. What I found most helpful was singing a song while directing her to put them away. This made it fun for her instead of making it seem like a chore. At two years old, I am proud to say that she can now put her own toys away without any instruction. Of course, she still asks me to sing along with her at times.

Step #4: Devote one room just for adults.

Lets face it, as much as we love our little ones, we can all use a break from tripping over their toys or getting some of their spilled cheerios from getting stuck to the bottoms of our feet.

One simple solution for my husband and me was to dedicate a toy-free room. Ours was the formal living room. From when my daughter started walking, she knew that this zone was not for her to play in. Every other part of the house, of course, was for her to rule.

By implementing these few simple techniques, we found a way to accommodate our child’s needs as well as our own.

It is safe to say that we found a way to live in toy harmony.

Happy Organizing!

Maureen Graziano Monroe, WA Wife to high-school sweet heart, Pablo and proud mother of two-year old, Tyana. Graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Communications. Works part-time as a freelance editor & professional organizer.

Article Source: http://greatarticlesformoms.com

Putting Family First

by:  Joyce Moseley Pierce

I once knew a man who spent his life working and trying to provide for his family.  More than anything, he wanted to be successful.  In his mind, that meant making a lot of money and having material things to show for it - nice

house, new car, expensive suits, cash in hand.

Because he worked all the time, he rarely had time for his family, and when he was home, he carried the pressures of the job with him. He didn't have much to say, but he could lose his temper without warning and send his children running to their rooms.  To escape reality, he sat in front of the television every night and lived someone else's life.

When things didn't go his way, he'd complain about how ungrateful everyone was.  After all, he was working hard to give them everything they needed, wasn't he?  It sure wasn't that he enjoyed working.  He wanted to be home with his family, but in trying to give them everything he missed as a child, he had to work.  Why couldn't

everyone see that? 

Years later he lost the job he'd had while his children were growing up.   These empty days gave him time to think and when he thought about everything he'd given for that job, he was mad. He was mad at the company, and he was

mad at himself for being such a fool.  He thought of all the things he had missed with his family.  Birthday parties,

games, activities, and just time.  For years he felt he was making sacrifices for his family; now he realized that he had actually sacrificed his family.   In his absence, he had lost their affection and they had basically learned to live without him. 

If he could have gone back in time and done things

differently, he would have gladly done it, but unfortunately, the past is over and gone, and the only time we have to make changes is today.

Little children are forgiving and if you recognize that you've made some decisions that aren't good for your

family, then do something about it today.   You won't change overnight, but by putting your family first, you will begin to see a change in attitudes all around.  If your children are grown, it may take more than a simple apology and vow to do better.  You're going to have to show them that you've seen the light and that you're serious about being there for them.

You may want to pull your family together and tell them what you're feeling.  Tell them you realize you've made some mistakes but you want to make things right.  Let them know you want to be a part of their lives.  It will

help you to say the words and it will help them to know that you realize it.  When I was growing up, my father would have died before he ever admitted that he made a  mistake.   Unfortunately, he did pass away at the age of 51, and all of us were left to deal with unresolved issues.

I've always believed that the best work we will ever do is right here in our own homes.  Too many times we seek for the riches of the world when the true treasures are those

little ones who want nothing more than to feel that they are loved.  Years from now your children won't place any value on the gifts you've given them, but they will remember the time you spent together.

Copyright 2005 Joyce Moseley Pierce
Joyce Moseley Pierce is a freelance writer,
publishes the Family First weekly ezine,
and pushes preparedness beyond food storage.
Visit her site, www.emersonpublications.com
to register for the newsletter, to read
past issues, to order her book, "All They'll
Need to Know," or just to learn more about
how you can protect your loved ones.

Online Turtle Coloring Page - lots of fun!

http://www.panther.state.fl.us/games/coloring/turtle.html