Dear FlyLady,

When I set my goals for the new year, I signed up January 1st and began receiving FlyLady emails. I have felt overcome and defeated by the CHAOS in my home. Slowly over the course of this year I have been making permanent progress. I feel pleased when I look at where I have come from, but realize I still have a long way to go. The thing that has helped me the very most is the positive outlook on my CHAOS and hope that there is a way out. Thank you for your very realistic approaches to conquering my fears, perfectionism, and procrastination. I know there is hope each morning because I can just jump in where I am~whether I have been keeping up or not!

Anyway, this email really was to ask a question, but I felt I must let you know how very much you are appreciated.

As I have made my slow and steady journey from CHAOS, I have been trying to pull my children from the wreckage. We have been slowly sorting and flinging their “stuff” as well as mine. As we approach the holiday season, I am at a loss when it comes to thinking about gifts. I don’t want more “stuff” for them. My children are young (the oldest is my 9 year old Dear Daughter and my youngest is a 4 wk Dear Son and several between) and I don’t know where to begin looking for gifts that are clutter free for them.

I want them to have a nice Christmas without giving more stuff to mess up their rooms. My 4 year old Dear Son already has too many toys. He has a difficult keeping his shelf nice because he seems to take EVERYTHING off to play with something, and there is just too much for him to take care of. We went through them at the beginning of the year and it looks like we need to again.

Do you have any suggestions?

Thank you for ALL you do,
Fluttering Flybaby K 🙂

Dear FlyBaby K.

First I want to address the elephant in your children’s rooms. They have too many toys. Here are some tips to help you deal with their toys.

1. Divide the toys into 4 groups and box them up.
2. They could be sorted by seasons.
3. Establish a Keepsake bin for each child.
4. Declutter the broken toys.
5. Let your child pick which toys go in the Rubbermaid Bin
6. As they grow up they can keep what fits in the bin
7. Each season declutter the broken toys.
8. Put toys in box.
9. Bring out a new box.

This will lessen the toys that can be pulled out at one time. Have a shelf for the toys. Get into the habit of teaching them where they go. Label the shelves with pictures of the toys. This will help them know where they go.

Here is another fun thing to do with your children is to have a yard sale or a Free Yard Sale with the their have outgrown toys. You can drag out your old wrapping paper stash and set up a gift wrapping station for them to wrap the gifts for the less fortunate families. This is a great way for your children to learn the joy in giving to others. I have even seen testimonials where the kids ran back into the house to grab something they didn’t love for a parent.

We have everything you need to keep your home shining! Sometimes we need a little motivation. Our efficient tools give us a jump start! They make a tough job fun. If you make it fun; it will get done!

FlyLady here; Holiday Cruising Mission start this week. Go download your free Holiday Control Journal.