BACK TO SCHOOL WITH APPLESHINE – PART I

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Processed with VSCO with v3 preset

Back in June (seems like a lifetime ago already!), I had the absolute pleasure of working with Amelia Meena – founder of Appleshine, and her assistant Marla, on getting the kids room in order. Appleshine Organization + Design is a full service firm that cultivates an organized lifestyle for busy New Yorkers (hello!!).

The first day they came over the kids room was interesting to say the least. We were approaching the end of the school year and stuff was everywhere. Every last corner was occupied, dolls strewn about, baskets no longer made any sense. Fun times for me when it came to cleaning. After a strategic plan and the purchase of a few new organizing tools, they got to work a week later. After almost 7 hours the kids had an entirely new room. I can’t wait to share photos and more information on what they did and how I am so ready for back to school because I have been implementing what they taught me all Summer.

Around the time they got started I asked if any of my followers over on Instagram had any specific questions on cleaning/organization that they would like answered. I hope many of you find the below (answered directly by Amelia!) helpful. Stay tuned for PT 2 of this post next week where I will share the kids finished room.

What are your tips on getting rid of/storing sentimental items (a special toy, etc.)?

– Designate a Capacity Limit: a box / container / folder the signifies your maximum amount of space for any one category

– Use one large portfolio folder for kids artwork (per school year or per child, depending on space) 
– Determine a Memory Box for special items and whenever it gets too full, pluck out some things that aren’t quite as special as others

– Remember – your child will not want to sort through 50 boxes of their baby stuff as an adult; it’s just too overwhelming and, truthfully, they will likely not be as attached as you are.  So be okay with keeping a small amount, knowing that one or two boxes of very special items will bring more joy than multiple boxes left unopened and waiting for a whole weekend to go through them.

What are your tips for a shared nursery for city dwellers? Any space saving tips, must have furniture items, storage ideas?

A shared space likely means a small space – simply because it’s divided between two children.  
– Only the essentials – or favorites – can make the cut.  *Think* – quality enjoyment over quantity of options!
– Move out baby-ish items as soon as the kids outgrow them (and keep in storage if you plan on a another child playing with them later)
– Try rotating toys (ie- keep a box or two elsewhere full of toys that can replace the current ones after a few months instead of have all three boxes worth of toys around all the time)
– Use bins + containers to your advantage: keep them clear or in the same color way  (helps avoid visual chaos with too many colors).  Label if/when necessary (especially if multiple adults are responsible for keeping the room tidy).  And use each container as a Capacity Limit (once the category outgrows the bin, it’s time to pare down!)

Tips on getting rid of/donating toys? What do you do when interests change but they might still want to play/hang on to older toys?

Depending on the kid’s age, this could be a great time to teach them about organization through donation / sharing.  Explain that they have plenty and others may not have as much so they can give away some of their toys to help other kids.  And give them a numbered goal, ie – “Here are 15 stuffed animals, can you tell me which ones are your favorite?  (Child picks 5-11 toys).  Great!  From these ~10 favorites, let’s keep 6 of them.”  This technique empowers the child and lets them know they have permission to declare what they like or don’t like.
(*Note: by a certain age, it’s important for a child to take responsibility for their things, as it begins to lay ground work for organization skills and conscious consumerism.)
 
If the kids aren’t quite old enough to understand, you may have to take a more ruthless approach and declutter when they’re not around.  Too often, children unearth ‘old’ toys and they become found treasure.  Something they hadn’t touched for months may become their new fave, much to a parent’s dismay.  So make the call for them on MOST toys, only asking their opinion on the very special items in qurestion.
 
This is another time to use a toy rotation system.  Keep only a third (less/more, depending on available space) of the toys out.  Then box/store the rest to rotate in every few months.

Best furniture for small spaces that may also serve a dual function?

– IKEA Kallax is a great piece: affordable, has cute bin options, multifunctions as toy storage, bookcase, clothing storage, etc
– Container Store – Nantucket Bin also has multi-use storage for books + toys, plus it’s stackable so you can accommodate available wall space 

Any recommendations on child safe shelving and how to store toys on shelves?

– Always affix bookshelves or dressers to the wall to prevent tipping over
– Floating shelves can be a nice, minimal option but don’t over do them and definitely don’t place them over a crib or changing pad
– Use bins + labels to categorize the toys on the shelves
– The bottom shelves should hold ‘dump toys’ (cars, blocks, legos – items that kids like to dump out and play with)
– Upper shelves should hold ‘adult supervised toys’ (arts & crafts, paints, small parts – things you don’t want the kids to get into if you’re not around)

Do you have any recommendations or go-to donation centers/sites for toys/children’s items?

– A Family (or Women / Children) Homeless Shelter is a GREAT place to take donations, as you’ll know they’ll go straight to use rather than to a distribution center.
– Ask your child’s school if they could use extra items (arts & crafts, books, teaching tools)
– Always call ahead before dropping of donations
– Only donate gently used items 
– When donating to a large-scale catastrophe, keep in mind the man-power and labor involved in sorting donations.  Most Red Cross Donation Events prefer money over physical items.  However, they often need unopened supplies: diapers, wipes, bottles, formula, etc.  What they don’t need is another Teddy Bear.

Any tips on how to control the influx of toys that come in during birthdays and holidays?

– Ask for Experience Gifts rather than physical items.  (Ie – horseback riding class, a swim membership, a museum membership, etc)
– Set a monetary limit on a physical gift: “please don’t spend more than $X on a gift for Little Buddy.  If you’re feeling more generous, you can always contribute to his college fund.”
– Be vocal about your space limitations: “we are so happy in our cozy space but it just doesn’t allow for many toys. I’m constantly giving things away because we don’t have room for it all.  After every gift-giving occasion, we end up donating over half our gifts!”  Hint, hint – we don’t need much more!


A big thank you to Appleshine for making this possible! 

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