Help Kids Clear Out Clutter Before Buying New School Supplies
The best way is to get your kids involved. Plan a day ahead of time to let them know you will be helping them get cleaned up and organized now, before school starts. The reward will be cleaner, neater space and room for those new school outfits or uniforms, books, notebooks and maybe even a computer. It is easier to do now before the back-to-school rush.
Any one or combination of the following may be right for your family.
Sort the Loot
1. Trash into Cash If your family has enough stuff which may be useful to someone else you could have a yard sale. This would also give you a little extra money for those much-needed school supplies.
2. Video Games they Beat If part of the dust collection in your child’s room is a pile of PS2 games or Xbox games which they no longer play, it’s time to pack them up and bring them to your local game store. Do it now, before school starts. Many stores will offer cash or store credit, store credit is usually a little more. Don’t expect much return on the original prices of games. By recycling games this way, kids can get new games they haven’t played yet and there will be less clutter on the game console.
3. When they Grow, It’s Got to Go Has your daughter outgrown her Hello Kitty sheets? Does your son now cringe at the Yu-Gi-Oh bedspread he begged his grandparents for last year? Let your children start the new school year with a good night’s sleep. Kids’ taste change as quickly as they grow. Unless there is a younger family member who may appreciate these items, gather them together for donation.
4. Text, the Old Fashioned Kind There are some books which you and your child will want to hold on to: Kipling’s Jungle Book, Winnie-the-Pooh, the Harry Potter seriesâÂ?¦But what about the potty training book and other books which are age-specific? Before the new school books come home, clean off the shelves. Again, if they can’t be used by someone else in the family, they can be donated. Find out when your local library is holding its next book sale. They may accept your donations now. Another place to send used but in-good-condition books is Reader to Reader, who donates the books to needy libraries.
5. Out with the Old Are there clothes in your children’s drawers that they haven’t worn for more than a year? Sneakers that were outgrown before they were worn out? Back to school also means back to cool. It’s time to weed through the unworn clothes. If there are some that may still fit them, have them try them on. If there are complaints remind them that you need to make room for some new school clothes. Any number of charities will accept used clothing. Look for a donation bin at a shopping center or visit a location near you. Clothes and shoes may be donated at Salvation Army or Goodwill.
6. Board Games For games your children no longer play, it’s time to donate those too. If they are missing pieces or otherwise not usable, just toss them out. Otherwise, donate them before those rainy after school days.
7. Computers If you will be purchasing a new computer before school, but don’t know what to do with the old one, there are a number of options. The National Cristina Foundation has a list of organizations waiting for used computers. Contact the site for details. Check your local area for more.
8. School Supplies Before purchasing all new pens and notebooks, check what’s already there. Your child should have their own desk, drawer or bin for all their school supplies. Grab a piece of paper and have him or her test out the pens. Throw away any pens or markers without caps. Glue sticks may need to be replaced if they haven’t been used since last year. Are there old notebooks which can be used for scrap paper? Any old folders that can be re-used again this year? Once you’ve inventoried what you have, you will know what you need to buy.
Will these tips your children’s closets and study spaces will be cleaned out in no time. You and your child will be ready for that first day of school and that first night of studying.
