Whether you are raising one child or several, whether they are toddlers, teenagers or anything in between, and whether you are living in a small apartment in a large house, there is one constant every parent has to deal with: the dreaded clutter.
Besides being really, really cute, kids are also a never-ending, perpetual source of clutter. Their bedrooms are full of a myriad of small toys, clothes, books, pieces of paper so precious that you’re forbidden from ever throwing away, rocks, leaves, and so much more. Before the madness takes your entire home over, you need to step up and reclaim your space.
Deal with the issue early on, when it’s easy to manage. Set up house rules that everyone must follow, and you’ll not only be enjoying a clean, neat home, but you’ll also be teaching your children valuable skills they’ll be using their entire lives.
Tackle the Clutter Head-on
There isn’t a short-cut around it. You need to summon the courage and the patience to tackle the mess. Do it together with your child – you’ll avoid endless discussions later about toys you decided to donate and clothes you got rid of.
Get bags for things to donate, things to recycle and things to throw away. Go through all the stuff and decide with your child which toys they really want to keep and which ones you can donate. Throw out useless papers and broken crayons and keep only the items that are in good condition.
Do the same things with clothes and shoes. Children grow fast, so there is always a big chance that their closet contains more than a few items they outgrew. Implement the rule that children can’t get any more toys until they agree to give up on an old one. This will keep the number of toys in your home under control, will save you money, and will teach your child to appreciate all that he or she owns.
It doesn’t matter where you’re living, whether it’s a small apartment in Los Angeles or a decent-sized home in Denver’s suburbs. There never seems to be enough storage space for all your children’s items, and you might need self-storage. Renting a self-storage unit in Los Angeles, for example, will cost you $183 per month for a 10×10 unit. However, you get to save your expensive baby items for the future, and you’ll suddenly have a lot more space at home, so it’s a good compromise.
A Place for Everything
One basic rule for keeping a neat home is to have a designated spot for everything. From the moment your children enter the house, they need to know where to put their shoes, coats, and school and sport bags.
The same principle needs to be followed throughout the entire house. Toys, books, clothes, sport equipment, school papers – find a place for each category of items. Use inexpensive, easy-to-move, everyday objects to create extra storage space, if needed: baskets, crates that you can stack one on top of the other, hanging nets for stuffed animals and so on.
Shelves mounted directly on the walls are a simple, yet effective way to help you organize your child’s bedroom. Make sure your children can reach all the shelves and storage spaces by themselves – otherwise, they won’t be able to practice what you’re preaching.
And Everything in Its Place
Now that you got rid of all the unnecessary bulk and created enough storage space at home, teach your kids to put their things away and turn this into a daily task. Be consistent and enforce the rules every day. Remind your children during their daily routine to clean up after themselves.
Simple gestures like putting their shoes where they belong as soon as coming inside, or picking up their toys every evening, can be taught from an early age, and the benefits are numerous. Your children will grow up with great habits that will make their lives a lot easier as a grown up and, at the same time, you’ll spend a lot less time tidying up your own home.
Under-Bed Storage Ideas: From Options to Precautions
The space under your bed is some of the most valuable (and most overlooked) square footage in your home. For anyone needing more storage in a small apartment, tiny home, a student dorm or just a space shared with roommates, that low, hidden zone can absorb off-season clothes, spare bedding and luggage without cluttering a single visible surface. But under-bed storage rewards a little strategy. Used well, it clears your floors and frees your closets. Used carelessly, it can trap moisture against your mattress and, in time, damage the very things you were trying to protect. Here are some under-bed storage ideas to help you get the upside without the downside.
RV Storage Ideas: Smart Solutions for Every Space
The best RV storage ideas work by finding space you already have but aren’t using — under beds, inside cabinet doors, on walls, above entry steps and in the overhead bunk. Most RV owners run out of obvious places quickly, but the real storage capacity in a typical trailer or motorhome comes from vertical surfaces, divided compartments and rethinking what each space was designed for.
Kitchen Cabinet Organization Ideas for Less Chaos
The best way to organize kitchen cabinets is to store items where you actually use them: mugs near the coffee maker, plates close to the dishwasher, spices next to the stove. Small placement decisions like these turn crowded cabinets into functional ones, and they cost nothing to implement.
Where to Donate Clothes in NYC: From Pickup to Mutual Aid
Every year, 200,000 tons of clothing end up in NYC landfills — but yours doesn’t have to. Your unwanted clothes have a real second life waiting. Whether it’s a low-income family needing affordable basics, a woman reentering the workforce looking for interview wear, or an undocumented resident accessing free community support, the donation method you choose matters. Plus, there are plenty of convenient ways to go about it. Local mutual aid groups, free pickup services, mail-in programs, workforce nonprofits, and textile recycling — each one routes your clothes to neighbors and causes that need them most. Here’s where to donate clothes in NYC, according to your plans.
The Best U.S. Metros To Own A Boat
Boating is one of America’s favorite pastimes. According to the National Marine Manufacturers Association, nearly 100 million Americans go boating each year, and recreational boating contributes over $230 billion annually to the U.S. economy. It’s a lifestyle deeply shaped by geography, climate, and local culture.
Packing Tips for Moving in a Hurry: 5 Ways to Speed Things Up
Sometimes a move sneaks up on you and you wind up having to move in a hurry. A job starts sooner than expected, a lease ends abruptly, a sale closes fast, or life simply throws a curveball and suddenly you’re staring at a full house with only days or weeks to empty it. That short timeline can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to mean chaos. With a focused plan and a few smart shortcuts, you can pack up quickly, protect your belongings, and land in your new home without losing your mind.
How to Store Tools Properly: Keep Equipment Rust-Free and Tidy
Good tool storage saves you time, money and the very specific rage of finding a rusted drill you paid good money for. Cleaning, drying and organizing your tools properly keeps them rust-free and findable — and it takes less effort than most people assume. True, nobody wakes up thrilled to organize their tools; it ranks somewhere between cleaning the gutters and reading the terms of service. But here’s how to do it right without the hassle.
Drive-Up Storage Units: Pros, Cons and When They’re Worth It
A drive-up storage unit is a ground-level space with an exterior roll-up door, a lot like a detached garage. Units are usually arranged in rows with wide, paved aisles between them, so you can pull a car, van, or moving truck directly up to your door during access hours. The key feature is the access, and it comes in a few forms:
2026’s Best Cities for Roommates: Irvine, CA, and Atlanta, GA, Lead in Shared Living Gains
Americans sharing a two-bedroom apartment instead of renting a one-bedroom alone can save, on average, about $6,700 per year. In some of the country’s most expensive cities, including Irvine, California, or Jersey City, New Jersey, the savings gap widens to around $13,000. For a growing share of renters, living with roommates is less of a lifestyle arrangement and more a conscious financial strategy.