Oct. 29, 2009 - Organizational Woes Part 2: One Mom's Trash...
is a child's treasure.
In thinking more about the whole issue of organization, I keep being reminded that 7 other people live in our house, and I need to think about their desires and wants as well as my own.
As I said previously, I am not much of a pack rat. I do have a deep desire for order and neatness. I get frustrated about the amount of STUFF we own, and sometimes have an intense desire to throw things out or give them away.
But I have to remember that what seems like trash to me may be precious to someone else. Furthermore, if I take matters into my own hands and throw a bunch of stuff out, I may deprive our children in learning the skill of judiciously tossing items.
Admittedly, I sometimes do go through bins of toys and get rid of things when the kids aren't watching. But I also need to take the time to work WITH the children in evaluating their toys and possessions. I have not done a fabulous job of this, and need to do better.
With our older girls, we have a couple of places where they can store "precious items". We have a box for each girl that lives under their bunk bed. They can keep things here that they don't want to share with their siblings.
Here is one girl's box. There are possessions here that I think entirely useless, but I firmly refrain from tossing things from this box. I do remember working with Lydia about throwing out empty toilet paper rolls. She said she wanted to save them for possible crafts. I pointed out that we generate many empty toilet paper rolls, and that her box was at that point bursting at the seams with stuff. So she threw them out.
The girls also have a big closet with a shelf for each girl.
This area is a MESS right now. The girls and I really need to work on these shelves. Probably the best thing to do is provide some small sterilite tubs to conveniently group items that are now just shoved up there.
So I'm pondering the truth that teaching organizational skills is part of our job as parents. We have many different personalities in this house, and each person has his/her own way of looking at the world and possessions. My way isn't the right way, but I certainly have more experience than my children. I hope Kevin and I can pass on some healthy views about possessions without dictating exactly which possessions are worth saving.
Comments
Nov. 2, 2009 - Untitled Comment
Posted by AnnieKate
I'll never forget the joy on my toddler's face when she discovered where to get those tubes...and the glee with which she unrolled the toilet paper to get at them.
Enjoy these days!
Annie Kate
Nov. 12, 2009 - We all have a learning curve with decluttering!
Posted by 5lilpeppers
Right now Luke and I started saving the empty water jugs we have from getting reverse osmosis water. They are clear and large -should be perfect for something maybe little 'greenhouses' this Spring! But a lot of work to store unlike say yogurt containers that can stack inside each other.
Anywho, now that we have a mountain of them in our garage I suspect we will start recycling some!
I need to go through BOOKS soon. I want to give some away that the older boys have used for the last several years but then I hesitate knowing the younger children aren't tired of them;^)
Thank you so much for the fun boxes of new to us things you send a few times a year they really are a highlight to the children/Mike&me -many of the items have become favorites.
I too have learned the hard way to ask the rest of the family before getting rid of certain things! I especially realize to be careful of what Mike thinks... a few weeks ago I was frustrated about the amount of hidden soy that is is so many of the few processed groceries we get. I started putting together some canned goods that have been sitting around unused and decided to add any peanutbutter that wasn't natural... I got a big NO WAY are you getting rid of my Skippy! from Mike.
thankfully Skippy is now making a natural variety and I can just start getting that;^)
Jacinda
