[Guitarmom]

My two girls (13 and 7) share a room. With the possibility of adding another girl to the room hopefully soon, I'm looking for ideas to keep the room and closet organized better. seems like every time I'm in there,stuff is just thrown all over the place - mostly it's my 7 yo's fault. I think she just doesnt' know where to put stuff - plus she's a packrat and saves every scrap of paper there is. I need to go in with a garbage bag one of these days.
any ideas for me?

[Shelley]

There isn't any magic to getting a child to keep his/her room clean. My girls can demolish a room in seconds flat. One thing that does help some, are clear plastic bins with lids. I use the big rubbermaid and sterlite bins for Barbies, My little pony's, dress up clothes, whatever. No they don't always get everything back in the right bin, but at least it gives them someplace to stash their things. I do have to go thru them every couple of months and re-organize, usually after I get the "MOMMEEEE! I can't found so and so!" half a dozen times in a day.
If you find a magic answer, please let me know, 6 children create a lot of mess. Shelley

[Tudu]

We've got to be organized b/c we do have 3 children to a room. I can tell you what I do, no toys in the room, plastic bins in the playroom, shoe organizer that hangs with liitle bins inthe closet to set out clothes for the week, and hooks on the wall for robes and towels. They have a dresser for shirts, shorts, and undies, all pants are hung to save room. I have a basket for dirty clothes in the bathroom that is dumped nightly after showers so that I know all the clothes on the floor intheir room are clean. It's still a hassle but I am begining to think I should lowere my standards, LOL.

[radkat]

I have three daughters in one room and my goodness it's a disaster area. So I'm on a mission to change things. I bought underbed trundle drawers for the toys, a shoe rack for the shoes and clear storage bins for all their artwork and papers. I found little metal storage boxes for their crayons and small things, bought some cool looking hatbox type boxes for the doll clothes and I bought a bigger bookshelf. I labeled evrything and so far things are looking better.

Now if I could just get the marker stains out of my son's carpet...

Kathy

[JGarrick]

Originally Posted by radkat

I have three daughters in one room and my goodness it's a disaster area.

Well, I have three sons in one room, and one son in another, and both rooms are disaster areas.

On a good day, you can walk from the door to the bed without stepping on anything. On a better day, you can do the same without stepping over anything. On a normal day, it's hard to tell if we have carpeting or hardwood floors.

[2manyks]

the only advice i can give is to throw as much as you can away. those plastic bins full of stuff just end out throwing up all over the floor! sometimes i get a friend to come over and help me sort through the junk. its easier when its not your stuff your dealing with. she helps me realize that old doll is just junk and to let it go. then i spend an afternoon at her house helping her sort through her junk. it makes time fly by while we talk and toss.

[radkat]

Originally Posted by JGarrick

On a good day, you can walk from the door to the bed without stepping on anything. On a better day, you can do the same without stepping over anything. On a normal day, it's hard to tell if we have carpeting or hardwood floors.

There's a floor under all that stuff ?!?
I'm supposed to get the carpet in their room cleaned on Tueday, It'll take an archaeological expedition just to find the floor.

Kathy

[dragonfly1234]

LOL Kathy! I think you just described my sons bedroom. Our 2 year old just started sharing a room with our 6 year old and the 2 year old must discover every drawer and shelve in the room. Guess where it goes...the floor. We use plastic bins to organize the toys but every few months I have to go in and throw away sticks, rocks, hidden food and all other misc. items I find. I can usually haul out atleast 2 or 3 garbage bags of stuff. So I must say there is no clear way to keep a childs room clean and organized. If someone has the perfect idea please let me know.

Michelle

[Guitarmom]

I would love to have a playroom, but since we don't - the toys are all in the girls' room. One mistake is probably that they have too many toys. You know those little polly rubber dolls with all those little shoes and accessories?? Those are the main problem! I let them have a bookshelf to keep their little Polly rooms set up,and the Polly's have taken over the WHOLE room. the girls' bedroom is good sized, they have bunks with plenty of floor space and still have all this junk! I think I'll confiscate the pollys' for awhile. that should help.

[Guitarmom]

well that makes me feel a bit better- My son's room is pretty clean- except for his closet which is a bit of a mess, the floor is actually clear ,though.

[Shelley]

We have a playroom, a HUGE playroom, plus their bedroom and since they're not allowed in anyone else's rooms they have their very own baby nursery, a big walk in closet with a window, that no boys are allowed in. SO what happens, they trash one room, then on to the next until there's no way to walk without breaking a bone, then they want to bring it downstairs. Toys are not allowed downstairs. They do have to pick up after their done playing, but that usually takes about 3 hours. Not because I expect perfection, but because they continue to play rather than clean. Once they get started it takes about 30 minutes for the two of them to pick up. Our 2 yo son is good about upending things all over the floor. I pick up after him. THe teens???? WEll let's just say I don't go in their rooms, if they have dirty clothes then they need to bring them to the laundry room or wear dirty clothes.
If I can get motivated I try to go thru their stuff every couple of months and throw things out. I can fill a trash bag or two. Shelley