I know you were so excited to get rid of the big 25-cube Ikea shelf a couple years ago, and it was definitely the right choice then. But what I see now is lots of small pieces of furniture scattered all around the two rooms. Tiny art carts, tiny game shelves, tiny cabinets, tiny piles and bins. Stuff upstairs in your homeschool closet, stuff in these two rooms, etc. I wonder if it's time to bring in one larger piece of home-school-focused furniture where everything will fit together (like an Ikea cube shelf). Or maybe some built-ins at your next place since you're house shopping? Either way, it all looks good and you're making good progress. Thanks for sharing this journey with us!
I have been thinking about this too! There is no shame in admitting that you need more room (or focused storage) for something that is important in your life, like homeschooling for you guys! Also trying to organize a category in too many places and too little storage makes the things you do keep still feel unorganized and cluttering up your daily life. Keeping like items together is not just for the decluttering phase, it also helps with keeping the stuff organized and not letting it cumulate over time.
I agree a large dedicated storage sauce with shelves that could be adjusted would be best - wall of ikea cabinets that look like built ins could be so nice
Oh my goodness,I have thought this so many times! One large storage piece ( just like you had)😅🤣😂 that is solely devoted to home schooling. And this would in no way make your past decision a mistake at the time. Now the kids are older and used to your organizing and decluttering and putting like with like. And you have more systems in place for chores and tidy up time. Also, you used to have a lot of decor,etc. in the shelf, but if EVERYTHING related to school was there and only there, you could all be much more focused. (Of course every bin and open shelf would be labeled) The highest shelf could be your “teacher” stuff that would never get messy.😉 (You could still have a separate space for non- school books,puzzles and games if need be.)
I have found that if I put a big rubber band around each of the games I can put them in book case vertically and that way the games are easy to slide in and out and you don’t have to get games out from underneath others. You slide them in like books on a bookshelf. It works great!
I agree, and I did need the rubber bands because without them the boxes open when you pull them out and pieces spill out. I got the rubber bands on Amazon.
As a former homeschool mom (my 4 kiddos are grown now) - when they reached a certain age, their toys went to their bedrooms. It was 'interesting' enough to keep the homeschool items corralled, let alone the toys. Moving the toys to the bedrooms made a HUGE difference in keeping the shared living spaces tidy!
I had a problem with mess and clutter so I got this idea to help prevent it. I implemented one simple rule. Leave no stuff on the floor. At first it was confronting and a bit annoying but eventually it trained me to put everything back where it belonged. Before long I rarely had mess to clean up. Changed my life.
When looking at the totality of books, games, toys, and school supplies on your now well-ordered shelves and in the baskets, I can’t help but feel overwhelmed. So many colors, so many words, so many shapes make it difficult for me to feel calm in any of the rooms. I am sure, however, that there are also people out there who need this visual explosion to feel energized and creative. For me, shelving units with doors work best to shut away what I perceive to be visual distractions. See whether any of your kids would also benefit from a visually quiet space somewhere.
I was thinking the same thing. There are so many games, puzzles, instruments, activities, books, toys--it would be hard for me to settle to one activity or choose.
The Clutterbug Cassandra Aarssen is GREAT for this! Some people prefer visual simplicity and others prefer things out. I feel like Erica has referenced Cass before but not sure. Clearly you ladies prefer things behind doors 😁🤗. I know items put behind closed doors in this house tend to get forgotten about 😉. Everyone def has their own preference!
Me and my kids would have been overwhelmed with so many choices. Seems to me there wouldn’t be enough hours in the day to use all the things. I never homeschooled so maybe that is the difference. Donna
At 17:55 I want to suggest, you could put all those things from the dining table into a 6ft tall Billy bookcase (maybe dark brown, with glass doors, to fit the style of the buffet) which would stand centered on the left part of the wall, near that opening to the kitchen.
Thanks for being real about frequent resets. A home that you really live in and that involves multiple people just plain needs it. Good job prioritizing annoying areas. Great way to do that!
Are you familiar with Dana K. White's "progress not perfection" decluttering method that involves a "take it there now" piece so that when you are tired or interrupted you can stop without having a pile of items that still need to be dealt with? It seems counterintuitive, but it really does work.
First of all, great work identifying a lack of housing for your inventory being the problem! I do think you’re exceeding your “boundaries” by having the bins stacked on the floor between the shelves though, so you might still have too much inventory. I would challenge you to consider limiting games to just one cabinet in the dining room and keeping the rest in your home school closet, rotating them on a monthly basis. This would free up the other games shelf for your use. Still much better than before and great progress made.
I was thinking this same thing, so well said! It just seems to me that although great progress has been made, there is still a lot of inventory, and still things being described as “I bought this but we never used it”. This mindset shift of bringing less inventory in is different for everyone but it does seem like the same spots keep having to be reorganized over and over (for example board games were done not that long ago) and I see one of the goals of minimalism is to rid yourself of having to constantly reorganize rooms and spaces. Of course things always come and go and needs change but overall, managing less stuff makes life easier. Just my two cents!
I always love when you show your process! So many people show the mess, a fast speed through of the work, and then the final result- but that isn't very helpful.
I know, I enjoy watching Decluttering videos but if I see it is just going to be a fast forward type I just click off. It is great and much more helpful to hear the thought processes.
You did a good job getting everything off the floor but there is SO much visual clutter with everything on open shelves. Could some things go in the sideboard? Or think about, when you can afford it, of getting a cabinet with doors to replace one of the book shelves in the dining room.
I can' t tell you how many times I have watched your videos and gained inspiration from them. Even as an extreme minimalist I learn something every time I watch and always find another thing to declutter. You have helped enormously with my decluttering of sentimental items. I wanted to touch on the idea of encroachment As children, we were taught that some spaces were not for play by one parent and that it was a free for all by the other parent. Confusing. I think kids like some boundaries. Your living room seemed to provide an adult sanctuary when you first redid it, a place for the eye to rest from toys. I wonder if having a book collection, new couch, etc. next to play-doh and other messy kids things is sending a mixed message to both parents and kids about respect for space. Just a thought.As a teacher I admire all you do. Hugs!
Erica they sell game and puzzle bags, I think you could check out Amazon. They are thick plastic bags that zip then you could label you could probably get them all in a nice size basket to clear up your shelves. Looks like Hubby is losing his library that he so wanted.😁
My first comment was deleted I think, maybe because I included an Amazon link? Anywho - Fellow homeschooling mom here and I have a literal game changer to share! These sturdy zipper bags are great for storing board games, puzzles, craft kits, etc! They do come in different sizes - but for now, I’m just using one larger bag to store our smaller/card games in. With each individual small game in its own ziplock inside the larger zippered bag. Not having to store the items in the huge boxes, that are often mushed, loose, etc - whew! Takes up way less space and is easier to sort through without having to pull out the whole stack of precarious boxes. I’ve seen fancy labeling that can be done - or just shove a game in and zip it up! They take up A LOT less space and might make “shopping” your library much easier! You can stand up the bags on a shelf or place them in a basket or bin! “10 Pack Zipper Pouches A3 for Board Games & Puzzles - Plastic Mesh Zipper Pouches Document Bag - Mesh Storage Bags with Zipper - Waterproof Mesh Zipper Pouch for School Office Supplies Mesh Game Bags”
Oh and I learned from “Rooted in Rest” here on UA-cam that 2 gallon ziplock bags are really convenient for getting rid of big boxes and storing things like this!
It would have been easier for you to just 'do it' yourself BUT you had the will and patience to involve your children ... another teaching lesson for them ... pretty soon they'll just know how to take care of 'their' things without any supervision, YAY !! Wonderful Erica ... patience, and more patience for the right outcome down the road ❤️
Hi Erica, great progress that you and your kids made! One suggestion: maybe you can put the games and puzzle boxes upright into the shelves like you would do for books. It is much easier to take them out and - most important - also easier to put back like that when you do not need to lift up the upper boxes to get to a box more at the bottom.
I was thinking this too. It would then create a bit more space so on one of the black shelves you could perhaps put the play dough as that needs to be used at the table, and maybe even the in progress art projects
Especially if you put the puzzle pieces in zip lock bags inside the boxes. (Which brings me to a rant, if they can sell $2.00 butter cookies in a metal tin, why can’t they sell puzzles that way?) 😵😩😖😔😵💫🤨
When things are organized children can learn to clean up after they use an object, game, etc.😃. You are great in the way you include the children in the decision making for where “stuff” will go! My 80 lb dog would chew up all the little things on the floor… I am amazed at your Ranger, who does not!! There is a scrabble game under the front room cabinet that the kids missed😘. You have soooo much going on with homeschooling 3 children, and you do it well!!
Maybe a coffee table in the library that has storage like drawers and a shelf to store things and do the puzzles on top of instead of on the dining table so when you don't want to do the puzzle anymore but also aren't finished with it you can leave it on top of the table to finish later. You can also use it for unfinished projects and quiet play area.
You are an amazing mom ! It’s a joy to watch how you keep the kids engaged and when they do lose interest you are so clever and gentle at getting them back on task 💕
Love your recruitment of the “junior declutterers” they are so enthusiastic.My mob (now grown) were always super unimpressed by my attempts at minimalism and organization.They now have their own homes and to my surprise they have been acing adulting 👏🏻 so there is always hope.
So much better! I find that learning materials beg for closed storage, just based on the reality of bright colors, different sizes and shapes. Even when it's organized, it can still look like clutter. I'd go for a pair of taller cabinets with doors in the dining room. Then you wouldn't have to see it all when it's mealtime. Adjustable shelving so the games and puzzles can go sideways like books for ease of taking out and putting away. Just pop a rubber band around the box if needed so things don't spill (good fine motor practice!). The higher shelves can be used for rotation so the kids only need to reach the lower ones. I bet you could fit the contents of both short black bookshelves and the two carts into closed storage and really reduce the "visual clutter" in the dining room!
You are a wonderful mom and woman ✨ You respect your children’s ideas and individuality .✨ I love how you Accommodate your home according to your family needs.☀️ Watching your videos is very uplifting and motivating 💝 THANK YOU for opening your self to help us❤️ THANKS YOU for opening your home 🏡 to help us 🤩💕 I Really Appreciate ✨
I never get tired of seeing you clean and organize the same spaces. I don’t know why, but It’s so enjoyable and inspiring every time. You, your family, and your whole vibe just makes me happy.
I am so impressed you are still home schooling. I only have two kids and could never have done it. (28 and 22 now). I was too much of a control freak and it would have been a constant battle.
Loverly very productive organisation Erica , I can see your goal insight. Would you ever consider labelling the different zones/shelves just so your younger son can navigate his way to the zone. Love the library couch I’d try make it abit more of a snug nook. Your house is so spacious your school room is a fair good size. Your curriculum seems very varied and interesting. Do you do any science work, nature table? Do you rotate your board games to fit themes or seasons. Independent work, ( Highscope) method plan. Do, review. For the children working independently whilst you work with the child 1.1 maybe let them write a plan , allow time to play then Review after each activity,they could use labels to identify which area there working at on a Velcro board or wheel so if you look up you would know which area the child should be at or which zone. Your children are so lucky to have all these resources on hand, you can tell your very passionate about homeschooling it really shows and works well for your family. Also how about a timer for reading challenges and display books on a shelf as if at a library . Do you reward your children merits or stars when finished a book? a great initiative to encourage reading. Do you have a small table and earphones so maybe a child could do some independent learning while the other child is doing independent work on the floor whilst you work with the other child 1.1 that way you will have all 3 children in set zones and only 1 using floor space before they can alternate. It must be a challenge go homeschool 3 different age groups but I think you handle this incredibly well, you can see your plans are well thought out. Love your hallway entrance it looks like a school cloakroom organised. I loved this video, but I would encourage labelling. X
Oh, the Legos. I know a lot of people are against lego tables, we love ours. Lego is awesome at any age. We bought a Childcraft Multi-Purpose Play Table about 6-7 years ago and glued the logo boards on it ourselves. We love it! Has storage to put their legos/duplos underneath. It's not huge and very sturdy. An idea for a central location for lego play. 🙂
I think Dana K White’s Container Method might help here. Containers contain the mess ( so it doesn’t end up in piles on the floor, under furniture, etc.). Also Maria Montessori. Children put one set of materials away before getting out another set.
All those open shelving, looks very cluttered. You see everything all the time. Why don’t you put cupboards with doors in the dining room so that everything is not visible? Is more easy on the eyes.
When my kids were little and they had puzzles I would take a colored marker and mark the box and the back of the puzzle piece sort of color coordinated. It was so much easier to put them away and not have the pieces mixed up
Lol the ending with your doggo I totally get it my doggos love and get all ready when I get the towel to dry them and rub into it with their head and even reach their paw out to continue
Great job, Erica. I have been watching you for years and love your thought process. So, I am now moving house after 20 yrs, and your tips have helped me during this time. Managing my stress while at the same time I recruited some ‘helpers’ too. It has made such a big help. Well done Erica. 🎉🎉🎉🎉
Do you need the high chair, if not then remove from your home and put a tall bucket/container for the rolled up map or for your instrument. Very good. Be proud of your self. Use command hooks/strips to put things on wall to avoid patching holes.
Oh my goodness, the apologies at the end to the dog, I feel you on that one…. , we have 3 dogs to shuffle and let in/out and someone usually gets forgotten lol 😂
*gasps* over the water color books. 🤣 Also those books are brilliant and you take them with you to like the park or something that sounds amazing I'll have to remember that when the weather gets nice I feel like my kids would really like that!!!
A suggestion for Art supplies... I bought one of those rainbow drawer cart from Michaels. And my goal is to keep only what can fit in there. I printed out on paper and just used shipping tape to make labels. What we have in them are: Tape, Glue, Scissors Art Supplies (random things like popsicle sticks, clothespins, etc) Paint Supplies White paper Colored paper Colored pencils & pens Markers Drawing books Stickers Playdough I also have an over the door shoe pocket holder to keep mom's do not touch supplies (like sharpies, white out, post-its, washi tape, etc.) and also keep overflow here (like I bought a giant pack of glue sticks but only give them 1 or 2 each at a time, same with pencils that I bought in bulk, etc).
Jenny - I hope the rainbow cart works for you. My experience in a classroom was that it was kind of flimsy and the drawers easily fell on one another. Perhaps at home use will be more gentle and you won't run into that problem. I have come to prefer the rolling carts with three shelves that were originally an IKEA find (the raskog) and that now EVERYONE has a version of, including Michael's and Target.
@@aliciacassio4215 yes the drawers do do that sometimes. And I can imagine how they wouldn't stand up to a beating from a classroom. 😅 I don't have the wheels on mine so not moving it definitely helps! I also have the Ikea raskog cart and really like it. It's more of my mom cart for the week's books. 😁
What if you have like a tall cabinet like a pie cabinet or something I think is what they call them where it's kind of like pretty looking on the outside then you open it up you can have all your stuff in there you could leave it open during the homeschool day to have kids get things out but then shut it out at the end of the night so it's not so much visual stuff on the table at least. I know you are very visual people. But having something tall with doors that can be shut might be a good thing to have to use a vertical space and then just have like a different section thing on each shelf like you've been doing. And having the doors open throughout the day would keep its visual when you need it to be visual. But it would also allow you to have more homes storage wise for things you use.
I am a grandma of seven home schooled children. I get a whole bunch of present ideas of games and books from your channel. Don't give up the good fight, those kiddos are so worth it.
I literally (is that correct? I know how it's spelled in afrikaan 🤷♀️)cannot wait for your weekly videos. Think I've watched your declutter series twice over. Keep it coming. I love it 💜
Great video. I like your assistant. Organize your board games vertically and by height. If your family hasn’t played with a puzzle or board game in more than a year is time to sell/donate. can organize your puzzles in the zipper bags that you showed in a video, then in baskets/containers.
I second that you might need another storage cabinet. If you are using all the stuff thennit needs a home which is not stuffed. I actually prefer storage with doors for kids stuff. Just close it and you can not see the mess behind 🙈😅 Inside I use bins. What works best for your kids stuff? Is it open shelves? What do you prefer visually and in terms of organising and having easy access to? Seeing the kids tablets on the floor you might want to install a „charging zone“ for them. I am not homeschooling and we do have so much kids stuff around, so I know it is a constant struggle 🤪
Good job getting categories off the floor! This is the part I struggle the most on. I decluttered enough that it looks organized and off the floor... But then the "projects in progress" and "unusual category" didn't have a great space... And the visuals were more than I liked asthetically... One room has too many jobs. Honestly I haven't solved this problem for myself. I guess it just is what it is. Small house, too many kids, season of life. I just keep plugging away decluttering a couple tiny board games at a time. Sometimes I think it's probably just my expectations are too high, which is easy to do with commercials that show us beautiful decluttered and manicured houses all the time.
Erica, I love that you prioritize your children and their daily lives! To you, its a duh! It is just because, so many prioritize their (museum) house/show off-what they have. You are a genuine,intelligent mom, that truly loves her children! Easy to see! Your children are reaping your dedication and love! They seem happy! Also, obedient ! Their characters are very becoming! All moms should follow your example! Just had to brag about you! You deserve it!
Good job teaching your kids decluttering and organization skills. That is something that will help them for the rest of their lives. I noticed that Andy’s Library area has been pretty much taken over with the kids’ toys and projects, did he not utilize that space much? I know my Husband really enjoyed the Library in our new house but he doesn’t actually spend much time there.
I am so impressed with how you involve your kids in the decluttering process. However, I do notice that having different spots all over the the two rooms is causing things to shift a lot because it causes you and the kids to always be looking everywhere, for everything. And I think that feels chaotic for adults and especially for kids. Can I suggest something...I think you need one central location for all the kid stuff that you are keeping in the library and dining room. I would suggest replacing the three open book cases with shelving units that have walls and doors and dedicate it solely to the children's academic and non-academic items. Like 3 or 4 Ikea Pax wardrobe units (with doors). The wardrobe Pax units are deeper than the regular Pax bookcases and then nothing would be too big to fit. Then you can have big obvious labels inside the unit on bins or shelves etc because it seems like you are avoiding labels now because it's out in the open and wouldn't look so good. And visual labels (words and pictures) are so crucial to organizing for kids. Then, I would suggest using the two open style bookcases that are on either side of the sofa for your husband's book collection. No kid stuff or homeschooling stuff allowed. And I would suggest removing anything school or kid related from the dining room and moving it to the same central location as all of the other kids homeschool or play items. That way when you or the kids need to find some thing for school or to play with, you are all looking in one place: the wall of shelving units in library room and even better, everyone knows where to put it away when they are done. The great thing about a storage unit with doors is that it enables you to close it all up in the evening when the kids are asleep and it's time to recharge as adults and not see jumbled kids stuff on shelves and floor baskets everywhere. And it can even be closed during the day, which reduces the constant visual stimulus. I think that a calmer environment is always a good thing for a home, especially for children and for us busy mamas. Just food for thought. But you are amazing as always. I've been watching you since day one of this journey and you are doing a great job!!!
I agree totally on letting the children have the main living spaces! Bright,lots of room to function, less lonely. Lots of children are thrown in the basement.(to play) They are lonely down there. Just so that the parents can follow that(look how perfect we keep our house)look. Empty life! Those poor children are not the parents priority. Their small minds (ego), is their priority.
Hmm I’m thinking your library/ homeschool room would look nicer if you had shelves with doors on the bottom half, then you could hide your school stuff behind the doors and still have the library feeling with the books on the upper half. Totally understand if you’re happy with how it is now if you want to have easy access to everything.
These homeschooling videos just take me back to life when my kiddos were still home 😭 Always with the organization and then the reorganization cause...um kids 🤦♀️🤷♀️😂 but I miss it so much 🥰 Don't get me wrong grandkids are like the best but enjoy those kiddos of yours whipe you've got em ❤️ They grow up quick 🥰 Oh ya I'm a 45 year old grandma 👵 so ya that confuses some but it means at least I can keep up with my grandkids 😂
It was so nice to meet you in person yesterday! Thank you for being a good sport as I tried to contain my ridiculous excitement. Thank you for sharing parts of your life with us!
I love the experience of loving my things to death and letting them go. I knit, quilt and am getting more into some diy projects. I love doing the things but I don’t need to keep every little thing I do.
Could you use the book shelves in the library for books, puzzles, and games only? There are so many of them a larger area might be better then l the smaller categories could use the smaller black shelves in the dining area. The wall with the 3 shelves just for books, adult and kids. Then use the shelving area to the sides of the couch for games and puzzles and run over books. You could just read in the comfort of the library area no lugging. The smaller things like music, teacher, geography, etc... can come closer to the schooling area by moving it onto a shelf into the dining/homeschooling area that's already there. Love all the games. We try to play a game everyday. Did 274 days of playing a game last year. Trying for a whole year in 2022!
I applaud you on trying hard to “Tetris” so many awkward shapes into small storage cupboards/shelves 👍💪🏼 But, from the outside looking in I feel a couple of generous sized cupboards with doors could contain all your school stuff instead of multiple rooms-upstairs and down, little cute trolleys and cabinets, the vertical space is your friend. I’ve worked in both public libraries and junior schools and even the most conscientious and caring of staff want a couple of rooms free from “work” a restful staff room and dining area is so important. 😁 Caroline 🇬🇧
Eric, you did really well. The only thing I would suggest is that you move all things on the stairs to the wall side. Then you would have clear secure path up the stairs with easy access to the hand rail in case you do lose your balance. I'm 72 and just seeing that obstacle course freaks me out. 😘 Cheers.
I know you were so excited to get rid of the big 25-cube Ikea shelf a couple years ago, and it was definitely the right choice then. But what I see now is lots of small pieces of furniture scattered all around the two rooms. Tiny art carts, tiny game shelves, tiny cabinets, tiny piles and bins. Stuff upstairs in your homeschool closet, stuff in these two rooms, etc. I wonder if it's time to bring in one larger piece of home-school-focused furniture where everything will fit together (like an Ikea cube shelf). Or maybe some built-ins at your next place since you're house shopping? Either way, it all looks good and you're making good progress. Thanks for sharing this journey with us!
I have been thinking about this too! There is no shame in admitting that you need more room (or focused storage) for something that is important in your life, like homeschooling for you guys!
Also trying to organize a category in too many places and too little storage makes the things you do keep still feel unorganized and cluttering up your daily life. Keeping like items together is not just for the decluttering phase, it also helps with keeping the stuff organized and not letting it cumulate over time.
I agree a large dedicated storage sauce with shelves that could be adjusted would be best - wall of ikea cabinets that look like built ins could be so nice
Oooh I’ve been thinking about that shelf lately. So funny you wrote that!!
Oh my goodness,I have thought this so many times! One large storage piece ( just like you had)😅🤣😂 that is solely devoted to home schooling. And this would in no way make your past decision a mistake at the time. Now the kids are older and used to your organizing and decluttering and putting like with like. And you have more systems in place for chores and tidy up time. Also, you used to have a lot of decor,etc. in the shelf, but if EVERYTHING related to school was there and only there, you could all be much more focused. (Of course every bin and open shelf would be labeled) The highest shelf could be your “teacher” stuff that would never get messy.😉 (You could still have a separate space for non- school books,puzzles and games if need be.)
@@lauramitchell6725 so true. The season of life is different now!
I have found that if I put a big rubber band around each of the games I can put them in book case vertically and that way the games are easy to slide in and out and you don’t have to get games out from underneath others. You slide them in like books on a bookshelf. It works great!
Ooh great idea!
I like to store them this way too. I don't utilize a rubberband and though
I was just going to say the same thing! Not all games and puzzles need a rubber band, though. Just the ones with flimsy boxes or small pieces 😁
I agree, and I did need the rubber bands because without them the boxes open when you pull them out and pieces spill out. I got the rubber bands on Amazon.
I do vertical game storage too, but I use one of those cabinet organizers for pot and pan lids to hold the games in place.
As a former homeschool mom (my 4 kiddos are grown now) - when they reached a certain age, their toys went to their bedrooms. It was 'interesting' enough to keep the homeschool items corralled, let alone the toys. Moving the toys to the bedrooms made a HUGE difference in keeping the shared living spaces tidy!
I love how you delegate to each of your children based on their natural gifts. You're such a great mom!
I had a problem with mess and clutter so I got this idea to help prevent it. I implemented one simple rule. Leave no stuff on the floor. At first it was confronting and a bit annoying but eventually it trained me to put everything back where it belonged. Before long I rarely had mess to clean up. Changed my life.
I love how you get the children involved, it’s training them in organizing and decision making. You’re a great Mom and teacher.
When looking at the totality of books, games, toys, and school supplies on your now well-ordered shelves and in the baskets, I can’t help but feel overwhelmed. So many colors, so many words, so many shapes make it difficult for me to feel calm in any of the rooms. I am sure, however, that there are also people out there who need this visual explosion to feel energized and creative. For me, shelving units with doors work best to shut away what I perceive to be visual distractions. See whether any of your kids would also benefit from a visually quiet space somewhere.
I was thinking the same thing. There are so many games, puzzles, instruments, activities, books, toys--it would be hard for me to settle to one activity or choose.
The Clutterbug Cassandra Aarssen is GREAT for this! Some people prefer visual simplicity and others prefer things out. I feel like Erica has referenced Cass before but not sure. Clearly you ladies prefer things behind doors 😁🤗. I know items put behind closed doors in this house tend to get forgotten about 😉. Everyone def has their own preference!
Me and my kids would have been overwhelmed with so many choices. Seems to me there wouldn’t be enough hours in the day to use all the things. I never homeschooled so maybe that is the difference. Donna
At 17:55 I want to suggest, you could put all those things from the dining table into a 6ft tall Billy bookcase (maybe dark brown, with glass doors, to fit the style of the buffet) which would stand centered on the left part of the wall, near that opening to the kitchen.
Thanks for being real about frequent resets. A home that you really live in and that involves multiple people just plain needs it. Good job prioritizing annoying areas. Great way to do that!
Are you familiar with Dana K. White's "progress not perfection" decluttering method that involves a "take it there now" piece so that when you are tired or interrupted you can stop without having a pile of items that still need to be dealt with? It seems counterintuitive, but it really does work.
First of all, great work identifying a lack of housing for your inventory being the problem! I do think you’re exceeding your “boundaries” by having the bins stacked on the floor between the shelves though, so you might still have too much inventory. I would challenge you to consider limiting games to just one cabinet in the dining room and keeping the rest in your home school closet, rotating them on a monthly basis. This would free up the other games shelf for your use. Still much better than before and great progress made.
i was thinking a similar thing for the games, one of those book cases could be very useful to hold other things
I was thinking this same thing, so well said! It just seems to me that although great progress has been made, there is still a lot of inventory, and still things being described as “I bought this but we never used it”. This mindset shift of bringing less inventory in is different for everyone but it does seem like the same spots keep having to be reorganized over and over (for example board games were done not that long ago) and I see one of the goals of minimalism is to rid yourself of having to constantly reorganize rooms and spaces. Of course things always come and go and needs change but overall, managing less stuff makes life easier. Just my two cents!
@@kmac2482 I agree!
I like the idea of rotating games. There are enough to play one a day for a month.
Brilliant! I agree on all counts.
I always love when you show your process! So many people show the mess, a fast speed through of the work, and then the final result- but that isn't very helpful.
I know, I enjoy watching Decluttering videos but if I see it is just going to be a fast forward type I just click off. It is great and much more helpful to hear the thought processes.
You did a good job getting everything off the floor but there is SO much visual clutter with everything on open shelves. Could some things go in the sideboard? Or think about, when you can afford it, of getting a cabinet with doors to replace one of the book shelves in the dining room.
I can' t tell you how many times I have watched your videos and gained inspiration from them. Even as an extreme minimalist I learn something every time I watch and always find another thing to declutter. You have helped enormously with my decluttering of sentimental items.
I wanted to touch on the idea of encroachment As children, we were taught that some spaces were not for play by one parent and that it was a free for all by the other parent. Confusing. I think kids like some boundaries. Your living room seemed to provide an adult sanctuary when you first redid it, a place for the eye to rest from toys. I wonder if having a book collection, new couch, etc. next to play-doh and other messy kids things is sending a mixed message to both parents and kids about respect for space. Just a thought.As a teacher I admire all you do. Hugs!
Erica they sell game and puzzle bags, I think you could check out Amazon. They are thick plastic bags that zip then you could label you could probably get them all in a nice size basket to clear up your shelves. Looks like Hubby is losing his library that he so wanted.😁
My first comment was deleted I think, maybe because I included an Amazon link? Anywho -
Fellow homeschooling mom here and I have a literal game changer to share!
These sturdy zipper bags are great for storing board games, puzzles, craft kits, etc! They do come in different sizes - but for now, I’m just using one larger bag to store our smaller/card games in. With each individual small game in its own ziplock inside the larger zippered bag.
Not having to store the items in the huge boxes, that are often mushed, loose, etc - whew! Takes up way less space and is easier to sort through without having to pull out the whole stack of precarious boxes. I’ve seen fancy labeling that can be done - or just shove a game in and zip it up!
They take up A LOT less space and might make “shopping” your library much easier! You can stand up the bags on a shelf or place them in a basket or bin!
“10 Pack Zipper Pouches A3 for Board Games & Puzzles - Plastic Mesh Zipper Pouches Document Bag - Mesh Storage Bags with Zipper - Waterproof Mesh Zipper Pouch for School Office Supplies Mesh Game Bags”
Oh and I learned from “Rooted in Rest” here on UA-cam that 2 gallon ziplock bags are really convenient for getting rid of big boxes and storing things like this!
It would have been easier for you to just 'do it' yourself BUT you had the will and patience to involve your children ... another teaching lesson for them ... pretty soon they'll just know how to take care of 'their' things without any supervision, YAY !! Wonderful Erica ... patience, and more patience for the right outcome down the road ❤️
Hi Erica, great progress that you and your kids made! One suggestion: maybe you can put the games and puzzle boxes upright into the shelves like you would do for books. It is much easier to take them out and - most important - also easier to put back like that when you do not need to lift up the upper boxes to get to a box more at the bottom.
also the bottom ones don't get crushed anymore. I do this and i love the way it works and how nice it looks.
oh and I also keep the smaller games like uno etc in a small bin to keep them nice and less cluttered looking. 😊
I was thinking this too. It would then create a bit more space so on one of the black shelves you could perhaps put the play dough as that needs to be used at the table, and maybe even the in progress art projects
Especially if you put the puzzle pieces in zip lock bags inside the boxes. (Which brings me to a rant, if they can sell $2.00 butter cookies in a metal tin, why can’t they sell puzzles that way?) 😵😩😖😔😵💫🤨
When things are organized children can learn to clean up after they use an object, game, etc.😃. You are great in the way you include the children in the decision making for where “stuff” will go! My 80 lb dog would chew up all the little things on the floor… I am amazed at your Ranger, who does not!! There is a scrabble game under the front room cabinet that the kids missed😘. You have soooo much going on with homeschooling 3 children, and you do it well!!
Job well done by everyone 👏👍 I love how the kids help with what stays too. Stay safe and healthy. Mary, Joes wife 👏👍💐
Maybe a coffee table in the library that has storage like drawers and a shelf to store things and do the puzzles on top of instead of on the dining table so when you don't want to do the puzzle anymore but also aren't finished with it you can leave it on top of the table to finish later. You can also use it for unfinished projects and quiet play area.
Love the longer videos and how you talk us through your progress!
I loved that you dried Ranger, when he got wet from the rain, so sweet and caring
You are an amazing mom ! It’s a joy to watch how you keep the kids engaged and when they do lose interest you are so clever and gentle at
getting them back on task 💕
Love your recruitment of the “junior declutterers” they are so enthusiastic.My mob (now grown) were always super unimpressed by my attempts at minimalism and organization.They now have their own homes and to my surprise they have been acing adulting 👏🏻 so there is always hope.
So much better! I find that learning materials beg for closed storage, just based on the reality of bright colors, different sizes and shapes. Even when it's organized, it can still look like clutter. I'd go for a pair of taller cabinets with doors in the dining room. Then you wouldn't have to see it all when it's mealtime. Adjustable shelving so the games and puzzles can go sideways like books for ease of taking out and putting away. Just pop a rubber band around the box if needed so things don't spill (good fine motor practice!). The higher shelves can be used for rotation so the kids only need to reach the lower ones. I bet you could fit the contents of both short black bookshelves and the two carts into closed storage and really reduce the "visual clutter" in the dining room!
You are a wonderful mom and woman ✨
You respect your children’s ideas and individuality .✨
I love how you Accommodate your home according to your family needs.☀️
Watching your videos is very uplifting and motivating 💝 THANK YOU for opening your self to help us❤️
THANKS YOU for opening your home 🏡 to help us 🤩💕
I Really Appreciate ✨
It looks like Andy's book collection is steadily melting away. Has he discarded that many, or relocated?
The painting books would make nice greeting cards for kids birthdays.
I never get tired of seeing you clean and organize the same spaces. I don’t know why, but It’s so enjoyable and inspiring every time. You, your family, and your whole vibe just makes me happy.
I love the way you have the kids help. I also love the easy access for the kids to do projects and such.
I just sent my kids to school and I worked a job I loved, win win I say! You just have the patience of a Saint!
You are an amazing mom. That's all. 🤗
I am so impressed you are still home schooling. I only have two kids and could never have done it. (28 and 22 now). I was too much of a control freak and it would have been a constant battle.
I love this that we are all working together.
What happened to your husband's organized books and stuff that were on the open shelves and looked good
Covalence gets really fun when you cover the structure of atoms in high school! : )
Love seeing the kids helping out and part of the responsibility but also part of the learning/training process.
You did a great job with organizing everything on your list. Great video as always. Thanks for sharing with us!
I'm amazed at how well you involve your kids in projects. I'm terrible at that.
Remember The Kalax shelves that you got rid of about a year ago? Lots of designated spaces on that to keep things organized and labeled.
I like watching how your kids help and participate! ✨💪✨ Good one, Erica.
Loverly very productive organisation Erica , I can see your goal insight. Would you ever consider labelling the different zones/shelves just so your younger son can navigate his way to the zone.
Love the library couch I’d try make it abit more of a snug nook. Your house is so spacious your school room is a fair good size. Your curriculum seems very varied and interesting. Do you do any science work, nature table? Do you rotate your board games to fit themes or seasons.
Independent work, ( Highscope) method plan. Do, review. For the children working independently whilst you work with the child 1.1 maybe let them write a plan , allow time to play then Review after each activity,they could use labels to identify which area there working at on a Velcro board or wheel so if you look up you would know which area the child should be at or which zone.
Your children are so lucky to have all these resources on hand, you can tell your very passionate about homeschooling it really shows and works well for your family.
Also how about a timer for reading challenges and display books on a shelf as if at a library . Do you reward your children merits or stars when finished a book? a great initiative to encourage reading.
Do you have a small table and earphones so maybe a child could do some independent learning while the other child is doing independent work on the floor whilst you work with the other child 1.1 that way you will have all 3 children in set zones and only 1 using floor space before they can alternate.
It must be a challenge go homeschool 3 different age groups but I think you handle this incredibly well, you can see your plans are well thought out. Love your hallway entrance it looks like a school cloakroom organised.
I loved this video, but I would encourage labelling. X
Oh, the Legos. I know a lot of people are against lego tables, we love ours. Lego is awesome at any age. We bought a Childcraft Multi-Purpose Play Table about 6-7 years ago and glued the logo boards on it ourselves. We love it! Has storage to put their legos/duplos underneath. It's not huge and very sturdy. An idea for a central location for lego play. 🙂
I think Dana K White’s Container Method might help here. Containers contain the mess ( so it doesn’t end up in piles on the floor, under furniture, etc.). Also Maria Montessori. Children put one set of materials away before getting out another set.
All those open shelving, looks very cluttered. You see everything all the time. Why don’t you put cupboards with doors in the dining room so that everything is not visible? Is more easy on the eyes.
When my kids were little and they had puzzles I would take a colored marker and mark the box and the back of the puzzle piece sort of color coordinated. It was so much easier to put them away and not have the pieces mixed up
My stepmother did that with the puzzles my kids played with.
Lol the ending with your doggo I totally get it my doggos love and get all ready when I get the towel to dry them and rub into it with their head and even reach their paw out to continue
Great job, Erica. I have been watching you for years and love your thought process. So, I am now moving house after 20 yrs, and your tips have helped me during this time. Managing my stress while at the same time I recruited some ‘helpers’ too. It has made such a big help. Well done Erica. 🎉🎉🎉🎉
I can hear your husband’s voice in Brandon. So neat how sons can sound like their dads! 😊
Do you need the high chair, if not then remove from your home and put a tall bucket/container for the rolled up map or for your instrument. Very good. Be proud of your self. Use command hooks/strips to put things on wall to avoid patching holes.
I've said it before, I love following you thought process. Please let us know in a few months how all worked out and what was a fail. 🤩
Oh my goodness, the apologies at the end to the dog, I feel you on that one…. , we have 3 dogs to shuffle and let in/out and someone usually gets forgotten lol 😂
*gasps* over the water color books. 🤣 Also those books are brilliant and you take them with you to like the park or something that sounds amazing I'll have to remember that when the weather gets nice I feel like my kids would really like that!!!
How's that reading corner working for Andy? That dining room just took a deep breath!
Everything looks great!! I love how it's been coming together
Pull Scrabble out from under the grey cabinet in the library and put Becca’s rock project there.
A suggestion for Art supplies... I bought one of those rainbow drawer cart from Michaels. And my goal is to keep only what can fit in there. I printed out on paper and just used shipping tape to make labels. What we have in them are:
Tape, Glue, Scissors
Art Supplies (random things like popsicle sticks, clothespins, etc)
Paint Supplies
White paper
Colored paper
Colored pencils & pens
Markers
Drawing books
Stickers
Playdough
I also have an over the door shoe pocket holder to keep mom's do not touch supplies (like sharpies, white out, post-its, washi tape, etc.) and also keep overflow here (like I bought a giant pack of glue sticks but only give them 1 or 2 each at a time, same with pencils that I bought in bulk, etc).
Jenny - I hope the rainbow cart works for you. My experience in a classroom was that it was kind of flimsy and the drawers easily fell on one another. Perhaps at home use will be more gentle and you won't run into that problem. I have come to prefer the rolling carts with three shelves that were originally an IKEA find (the raskog) and that now EVERYONE has a version of, including Michael's and Target.
@@aliciacassio4215 yes the drawers do do that sometimes. And I can imagine how they wouldn't stand up to a beating from a classroom. 😅 I don't have the wheels on mine so not moving it definitely helps!
I also have the Ikea raskog cart and really like it. It's more of my mom cart for the week's books. 😁
What if you have like a tall cabinet like a pie cabinet or something I think is what they call them where it's kind of like pretty looking on the outside then you open it up you can have all your stuff in there you could leave it open during the homeschool day to have kids get things out but then shut it out at the end of the night so it's not so much visual stuff on the table at least. I know you are very visual people. But having something tall with doors that can be shut might be a good thing to have to use a vertical space and then just have like a different section thing on each shelf like you've been doing. And having the doors open throughout the day would keep its visual when you need it to be visual. But it would also allow you to have more homes storage wise for things you use.
Love the jazz hands!
I am a grandma of seven home schooled children. I get a whole bunch of present ideas of games and books from your channel. Don't give up the good fight, those kiddos are so worth it.
I literally (is that correct? I know how it's spelled in afrikaan 🤷♀️)cannot wait for your weekly videos. Think I've watched your declutter series twice over. Keep it coming. I love it 💜
Your little boys are so helpful!
I would LOVE a list of the games you all kept! There’s so many that sound interesting
Great video. I like your assistant. Organize your board games vertically and by height. If your family hasn’t played with a puzzle or board game in more than a year is time to sell/donate. can organize your puzzles in the zipper bags that you showed in a video, then in baskets/containers.
I needed an idea for the quiet time. Usually my 7yo finishes work faster than my 6yo. Thank you so much
I second that you might need another storage cabinet. If you are using all the stuff thennit needs a home which is not stuffed. I actually prefer storage with doors for kids stuff. Just close it and you can not see the mess behind 🙈😅 Inside I use bins. What works best for your kids stuff? Is it open shelves? What do you prefer visually and in terms of organising and having easy access to?
Seeing the kids tablets on the floor you might want to install a „charging zone“ for them. I am not homeschooling and we do have so much kids stuff around, so I know it is a constant struggle 🤪
Good job getting categories off the floor!
This is the part I struggle the most on. I decluttered enough that it looks organized and off the floor... But then the "projects in progress" and "unusual category" didn't have a great space... And the visuals were more than I liked asthetically... One room has too many jobs.
Honestly I haven't solved this problem for myself. I guess it just is what it is. Small house, too many kids, season of life. I just keep plugging away decluttering a couple tiny board games at a time.
Sometimes I think it's probably just my expectations are too high, which is easy to do with commercials that show us beautiful decluttered and manicured houses all the time.
Love your video...best think is the big dog in the middle of everything!!!
Erica, I love that you prioritize your children and their daily lives! To you, its a duh! It is just because, so many prioritize their (museum) house/show off-what they have. You are a genuine,intelligent mom, that truly loves her children! Easy to see! Your children are reaping your dedication and love! They seem happy! Also, obedient ! Their characters are very becoming! All moms should follow your example! Just had to brag about you! You deserve it!
I need to do something like this. Too much other stuff going on right now, cleaning basement and the big den paperwork project ugh 😩
Hi Erica love your channel ❤️💖🇮🇱💝have been with you from the very start& you have done a fantastic job 👍🏼✅
Good job teaching your kids decluttering and organization skills. That is something that will help them for the rest of their lives. I noticed that Andy’s Library area has been pretty much taken over with the kids’ toys and projects, did he not utilize that space much? I know my Husband really enjoyed the Library in our new house but he doesn’t actually spend much time there.
I am so impressed with how you involve your kids in the decluttering process. However, I do notice that having different spots all over the the two rooms is causing things to shift a lot because it causes you and the kids to always be looking everywhere, for everything. And I think that feels chaotic for adults and especially for kids. Can I suggest something...I think you need one central location for all the kid stuff that you are keeping in the library and dining room. I would suggest replacing the three open book cases with shelving units that have walls and doors and dedicate it solely to the children's academic and non-academic items. Like 3 or 4 Ikea Pax wardrobe units (with doors). The wardrobe Pax units are deeper than the regular Pax bookcases and then nothing would be too big to fit. Then you can have big obvious labels inside the unit on bins or shelves etc because it seems like you are avoiding labels now because it's out in the open and wouldn't look so good. And visual labels (words and pictures) are so crucial to organizing for kids.
Then, I would suggest using the two open style bookcases that are on either side of the sofa for your husband's book collection. No kid stuff or homeschooling stuff allowed.
And I would suggest removing anything school or kid related from the dining room and moving it to the same central location as all of the other kids homeschool or play items. That way when you or the kids need to find some thing for school or to play with, you are all looking in one place: the wall of shelving units in library room and even better, everyone knows where to put it away when they are done.
The great thing about a storage unit with doors is that it enables you to close it all up in the evening when the kids are asleep and it's time to recharge as adults and not see jumbled kids stuff on shelves and floor baskets everywhere. And it can even be closed during the day, which reduces the constant visual stimulus. I think that a calmer environment is always a good thing for a home, especially for children and for us busy mamas. Just food for thought. But you are amazing as always. I've been watching you since day one of this journey and you are doing a great job!!!
I agree totally on letting the children have the main living spaces! Bright,lots of room to function, less lonely. Lots of children are thrown in the basement.(to play) They are lonely down there. Just so that the parents can follow that(look how perfect we keep our house)look. Empty life! Those poor children are not the parents priority. Their small minds (ego), is their priority.
Well done!
Ranger looks SO BIG compared to your children!!!! 💜💜💜
You need just difrend furniture. Too much stuf for those shelvs.
Hmm I’m thinking your library/ homeschool room would look nicer if you had shelves with doors on the bottom half, then you could hide your school stuff behind the doors and still have the library feeling with the books on the upper half. Totally understand if you’re happy with how it is now if you want to have easy access to everything.
Turned out great!!!!!
The modeling of each area by the eldest... A+, excellent work. lol
Hi Erica! Looks much better now. You did a lot of work on it. :)
You’re such a good mommy❤️
It would be so much easier to manage if you just had one of the shelves in the dining room for games and the other one for puzzles.
These homeschooling videos just take me back to life when my kiddos were still home 😭 Always with the organization and then the reorganization cause...um kids 🤦♀️🤷♀️😂 but I miss it so much 🥰 Don't get me wrong grandkids are like the best but enjoy those kiddos of yours whipe you've got em ❤️ They grow up quick 🥰 Oh ya I'm a 45 year old grandma 👵 so ya that confuses some but it means at least I can keep up with my grandkids 😂
turned out great !!!
It was so nice to meet you in person yesterday! Thank you for being a good sport as I tried to contain my ridiculous excitement. Thank you for sharing parts of your life with us!
I love the experience of loving my things to death and letting them go. I knit, quilt and am getting more into some diy projects. I love doing the things but I don’t need to keep every little thing I do.
Could you use the book shelves in the library for books, puzzles, and games only? There are so many of them a larger area might be better then l the smaller categories could use the smaller black shelves in the dining area.
The wall with the 3 shelves just for books, adult and kids. Then use the shelving area to the sides of the couch for games and puzzles and run over books. You could just read in the comfort of the library area no lugging.
The smaller things like music, teacher, geography, etc... can come closer to the schooling area by moving it onto a shelf into the dining/homeschooling area that's already there.
Love all the games. We try to play a game everyday. Did 274 days of playing a game last year. Trying for a whole year in 2022!
I noticed you have 5 bookshelves in the reading room; have you ever thought about designating one per person in your family?
You are doing great! I think you need more vertical storage.
oh my gosh, Ranger was so good coming in the house!
I would put the “time bingo” with the “time unit”.
I applaud you on trying hard to “Tetris” so many awkward shapes into small storage cupboards/shelves 👍💪🏼 But, from the outside looking in I feel a couple of generous sized cupboards with doors could contain all your school stuff instead of multiple rooms-upstairs and down, little cute trolleys and cabinets, the vertical space is your friend. I’ve worked in both public libraries and junior schools and even the most conscientious and caring of staff want a couple of rooms free from “work” a restful staff room and dining area is so important. 😁 Caroline 🇬🇧
Eric, you did really well.
The only thing I would suggest is that you move all things on the stairs to the wall side. Then you would have clear secure path up the stairs with easy access to the hand rail in case you do lose your balance.
I'm 72 and just seeing that obstacle course freaks me out. 😘
Cheers.
Great jobs kids and mama. I love that you think about where and how you use the items.
What do you identify as a lady bug, butterfly, cricket or bee? (From Cass) This will help.
Wow you look so good in your pj, you have become smaller
Good video, Erica
Your oldest son needs to audition for "The Price is Right," lol, or he could just continue assisting you. So cute!🙂👍