Decluttering Tips and Support

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Dear Reader,

Recently my oldest son called out to me right before he was about to go to bed:

"Mom! I need you! I think I decluttered too much!"

My initial thought...

He showed me an Amazon box full of trinkets he had decluttered from his "treasure box" - a shoe box that is the physical boundary for all the small knick-knacks he gets from school, birthday parties, etc.

He had decluttered WITHOUT prompting! I was shocked. 😮

Now mind you, this has been several years in the making. Decluttering and tidying is a normal part of my kids' lives. But it wasn't always that way. We all have to start somewhere in teaching our kids how to take care of their things and keep our spaces clutter-free. And today's episode is full of tips and inspiration!

On the Podcast

This week I was thrilled to chat with Laura Forbes Carlin, co-author of three books including Decluttering for Parents: Create Space for More Joy, Love, & Connection, Declutter & Manifest: A 52 Week Workbook To Create A Home And Life You Love, and Clutter-Free Parenting: Making Space In Your Home For The Magic of Childhood And The Joy of Parenthood.

Laura is the co-founder of inspiredeverydayliving.com, an online resource for creating a life you love through the process of creating a home you love.

Here are some of the tips that Laura shared in the episode about involving kids with decluttering:

🧒🏼 Try to limit kids' things to 1-2 areas of the home. In the book Decluttering for Parents, Laura writes: “Children’s things can quickly take over a house. Consider the idea that our homes are a mirror for our lives… When children’s things take over the house, children metaphorically take over our lives.”
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Instead of having kids' stuff spilling into every room, limit to a few areas if possible and work with your kids to clean up between activities to limit the "clutter creep".

🧒🏼 Recognize the organizing styles of your family members and work with their styles, not against them. If your kids have trouble putting laundry in the hamper because of a lid, consider an open basket. Try hooks for jackets and backpacks instead of hangers. Strike a balance between what you find aesthetically pleasing and what your family will actually do consistently.
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​🧒🏼 Use the Governor-Gardener-Guide approach with kids to help them declutter. In the book The Soul of Discipline, Kim John Payne describes parenting in three phases - Governor, Gardener, and Guide. Laura has translated these to decluttering as well:
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➡️ In the Governor phase (generally from birth through preschool), parents make decluttering decisions on behalf of their kids. Laura recommends tuning into the needs and desires of your children to help you make the decision, but ultimately you're in charge.
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➡️ In the Gardener phase (elementary school to middle school), you start to involve your children in the decision-making process. My favorite game to play with my boys is Love, Like, Maybe, No where they start to fill a container (like their treasure box) with what they love and like first. In this phase, parents still have the ultimate say.
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➡️ Finally, in the Guide phase (teenage years) you hand off the responsibility to your children while leading by example, tuning into their unique values and motivations to help them along the journey.
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You can listen to Episode 203 wherever you find your podcasts or watch on YouTube!
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Things I'm Loving Right Now

✨ One of my favorite tools to stay organized and decluttered is listening to podcasts during daily walks. Right now I'm loving The Business Edit and The Organized Coach.

✨ My decluttering/organizing resource of the week is my friend (as well as certified parent coach and mom of three boys) Adriane Thompson's Calm Mom Toolkit.
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If you’ve ever found yourself overwhelmed by your own child's emotions or behaviors, no matter how hard you try to be calm, the Calm Mom Toolkit is like a decluttering guide for your nervous system. It includes simple, practical tools to help you stay grounded no matter what is happening around you. Grab yours here!

✨ My favorite recipe of the week is anything on a sheet pan! Typically we do kielbasa sausage, potatoes, and green beans.

What are some things you're loving right now? Hit reply and let me know.

On the journey with you,

Emily

P.S. Skipped to the end? No problem! This week's episode with Laura Forbes Carlin dives into how to get kids involved with decluttering!

​*Note- affiliate links may be included, which means I get a small commission if you use my link - thanks!​