Day 8

Clean- Kids toy room, craft room, spare room or extra living room

One of the above rooms only, you can come back after the challenge if you have more than one of the above rooms.

Today’s task is a bit of a mix as I realise all our homes are different, some have a toy room for the kids, you may be lucky enough to have a space dedicated to your hobby, a spare room or extra second lounge room. I’d like you to clean at least one of these rooms.

Cleaning task

If your cleaning a spare bedroom, use this cleaning list.

If your cleaning a second living area, use this cleaning list.

miffy lamp available here

For other rooms such as hobby or play room use this general cleaning list:

[wlchecklist name=’CleanDay8′]

I love to have a little craft space, this one in our old house was shared with my husbands man cave.  You can read more about my craft room makeover here.

I sadly don’t have a room dedicated to crafts in my new house, but I do have it all tidy and organised in some cupboards.

Read more: How to use Labels for Better Home Organisation

Here are a few posts I have shared on my blog about organising the other rooms in the home:

• 17 Amazing Craft Room Storage and Organising Ideas
• Creating a toy inventory
• Lego Storage Ideas
• 5 tips for managing the mess of art & craft with kids
• 20 Craft Ideas for toddlers
• 4 Kids Craft Storage Ideas

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Declutter – Kids Toys

Kids toys can easily get out of control with too many given to them at Christmas or on birthdays and then their collection outgrows the storage you have for them all.  A really great solution for this is to create a toy rotation system.  This works by going through and removing a selection of toys and storing them away (in the tops of wardrobes or backs of cupboards) for 2-3 months.  At the end of this period bring the toys back out to replace the contents of the box with the toys they have been playing with the past few months.  It’s like Christmas again for the kids, finding new enjoyment out of old toys.  This system is great especially if you have lots of bulky toys.  Spend some time today to go through and declutter your kid’s toy collection.

I helped a read sort through her toy room, you will find loads of great storage ideas in this post, an amazing toyroom makeover.

This is my kids old toyroom, the only storage in it this ikea expedit unit.  I group like toy items together in the baskets, eg playdough equipment in one, train set in another, tea party sets and more.  

Read more: How to get kids to clean up their toys

While you are sorting take note of what they don’t have, what they need and what they want and add to your gift list in your Christmas Planner.

[wlchecklist name=’DeclutterDay8′]

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Organise – Family Responsibility System

My kids have been helping around the house since they were young, picking up toys from the floor, tidying the bookshelf or helping me dust. I remember when they first asked to unpack the dishwasher I didn’t think they were capable, but they were and they were so pleased to be helping.  By getting the kids to help around the home is teaching them responsibility and life lessons that dishes or clothes need to be cleaned daily or that floors don’t clean themselves. I don’t call them chores as I feel as a family these tasks need to be completed and together we can do it.  I do the dishes, but kids unpack the dishwasher, I fold the washing, the kids put it away.

You’ll find a list here of age appropriate tasks the kids can help you with.

Also read why we give our kids pocket money.

I have split my kids tasks using my tasks to do chart, I used to put this on the back of the pantry door at my old place.

Tasks to do charts are available in my shop.  Use coupon code 20daystaskcharts to get 20% off at checkout.  Click here to download.

[wlchecklist name=’OrganiseDay8′]

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New Habit – Tidy shelf

Once every 2-3 nights before I give the kids a kiss goodnight I spend 2-3 minutes straightening up a shelf or area of their room, such as books, teddies, clothes or a drawer. I find doing this helps keep their room tidy.

[wlchecklist name=’NewHabitDay8′]

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5 Minutes Only – Clean surfaces in bedroom

Hows your main bedroom looking after the wonderful clean up you gave it last week? Today’s task is to spend 5 minutes straightening it up or wiping over surfaces so you can maintain a tidy bedroom.

[wlchecklist name=’5minutesonlyDay8′]

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DOWNLOAD

Print the daily sheet and checklists to keep for reference while you are completing the above tasks.

• DAY 8 DAILY TASK SHEET – file behind ‘Daily Task’ divider – click to download.
• GENERAL ROOM CLEANING CHECKLIST – file behind ‘Checklist’ divider – click to download.
• BLANK GENERAL ROOM CLEANING CHECKLIST – use this to create your own checklist, file behind ‘Checklist’ divider – click to download.

Please share your progress in the comments below