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Tips for De-cluttering Kids' Collections
Beverley Paine
Enough is enough! Sometimes those collections get a little out of hand. It can be hard to know when to stop collecting. I often found myself collecting 'spares' for 'swaps' but then not getting around to sharing. 'One of each' sounds a reasonable goal if there are ten to a set but some collectables come in the hundreds.
Here are some tips for de-cluttering those collections! The aim with organising collections is to contain a child's possessions - not his passions.
- Sit down and talk with your children about their collections on a regular basis. You'll get a better idea of what is most important for your child. Encourage your child to realise that those less favourite collections can be passed on to friends, sold, swapped, stored or given away, creating more room for their latest 'best' collection.
- Get creative and display your child's collections and use them to decorate their bedrooms or your family room: spotlight using picture frames or shadowboxes on the wall; install a high shelf around the room; set up a display table or shelf - change the display regularly, putting away one collection and showing off another.
- Become 'museum curators' and classify and label collections, storing them neatly in containers, trays and drawers. Get storage ideas from the museum next time you visit. As you categorise, label, date, name and thin the collection to only those items worth keeping. Try to think of different ways to categorise and catalogue collections - your child might have some surprising and interesting suggestions.
- Turn collections into works of art: a themed stamp collage; a fluffy toy sculpture; coin wind chimes; shell plastered pot for indoor garden, etc.
It's easy to see the educational value in organising collections - so many skills are easily and naturally learned through this wonderful and sometimes obsessive past time!
Remember though, that children derive the most pleasure - and learning - from their collections when they are handling them. Some collections will consist of rare and delicate treasures - such as fossils, crystals, pressed flowers, etc. Others are robust and should be played with: marbles, cards and toys.
See also:
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We began educating our children in 1985, when our eldest was five. In truth, we had helped them learn what they need to learn since they were born. I am a passionate advocate of allowing children to learn unhindered by unnecessary stress and competition, meeting developmental needs in ways that suit their individual learning styles and preferences. Ours was a homeschooling, unschooling and natural learning family! There are hundreds of articles on this site to help you build confidence as a home educating family. We hope that your home educating adventure is as satisfying as ours was! Beverley Paine
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