Managing children's clutter

[azazello]

I am trying (slowly) to get the house under control before I go back to work and am realising that the worst 'nests' of clutter and crap are DD's stuff e.g. playgroup bag, coat, craft and art work, library books etc. Its only going to get worse as DS gets older (although the amount of plastic tat may reduce).

What are your best tips for dealing with the constant accumulation of stuff which can't really be thrown away but doesn't have an obvious home?

Yes have the trofast myself its great. I also have hooks everywhere i can fit them on the backs of doors ill put one high and one low for the kids to reach for bags coats etc. Ikea also do the grundtal bars they can fit on wall behind a door or along dc's beds. You can hang hooks and plastic tubs on them. I have 7 of them round the house for craft stuff, odd bits lego and all the rest. I think the more baskets, tubs and troughs you have round the place the better. A minute tidys the stuff away until you have time to sort it out later.

Is trofast an ikea thing?

Occasional wild tantrums (me) and threats to throw all their 65,000 toy cars in the bin unless they help me to put them back in the sodding box.

oohh.. just looked at it, very useful. may have a trip soon, obviously on a week day to get a free cup of tea and cheap kiddy meatballs in the cafe as added bonus

The Trofast looks very handy and seems to come in pink so a winner for DD.I think the answer is going to be more hooks, tubs, pegs and scrapbooks than I ever believed possible! Many thanks

Did the binbag threat this morning, dc's had their bedroom floors cleared in3 mins!

Cupboard under the stairs has Leksvig Ikea hooks on the inside of the door at reachable height for hanging coats (the hooks are really big and strong so kids can't miss - coats don't end up on the floor. used ot have the cat's tail ones. Cute but don't work. Big basket on cupbaord floor for school bags. Hallway has a chest of drawers with one drawer for each person - stores their hairbrushes, swimming goggles etc and the bigger drawers below have all gloves and hats etc in. Also a shoe cupboard for all shoes.

Their tiny toys are in wicker baskets and the rest in white toy boxes from ikea like this

Family board games and bigger toys are hidden away in the cupboard underneath the dresser.

Give kids X amoutn of containers (ie, one toy basket, 1 box or whatever works for you) When they're full, they're full. If they want/get given something new, something else has to go. Works well for us. (also have the same rule for me in case anyone thinks am really mean!)