The Art of Being Ruthless (ish): Editing Your Children’s Art

Now that Kid Chronicles are officially available (click here for our shop page), it is time to dig into how to edit your children’s paperwork and artwork. We have touched on reviewing and saving art before but we took a deeper dive in this piece should you need a little help kick starting the editing process.

Happy Organizing!

Make a Drop Zone

The first step is to find a place that is easily reached to gather everything that comes into the house. This is often called a Drop Zone. Then, once a week or once a month or even every day, take the time to review it. 

Take a Que from Frozen and…Let It Go. 

When evaluating the onslaught of paperwork and artwork and…, ask yourself if it would mean something to you down the road if your child’s name wasn’t on it?  If the answer is no, it is probably safe to get out the recycling bin.  Self-portraits, holiday-specific pieces or reflection work are definitely worth saving as they tell a story and are fun to have as part of a personal history – likely a bit more than math homework or English quizzes.  Outside of those “keep” pieces, it would be wise to save anything you love, that sparks a memory of a shared experience or anything tied to proud accomplishments in your child’s life. This can also include non-school related items such as family holiday cards, party invitations, soccer team photos, field day ribbons, cards from friends and family for birthdays and holidays and even teeth x-ray pictures from the dentist.  

Put it Away.

Once you determine the pieces you want to keep, transfer them to your child’s Kid Chronicles box. Ideally the box should live in an accessible place near a landing spot where all of these items are dropped off in the first place. In our house, this box lives in my son’s room but many clients keep their boxes in the kitchen or home office.

Year End Edit and Long-Term Storage.  

The end of each school year is a good time to review all of the items that ended up in your child’s memory box again. You will likely find that even a review after nine months can make it easier to part with things. 

Some children are very prolific artists and sometimes you want to keep more than can fit in one hanging folder so feel free to add others as needed for these situations.

Last But Not Least – Label It. 

Each Kid Chronicles box also includes a set of labels for all of the 3-D artwork and others pieces that were not originally signed by the artist. And, although the clay item will not fit in the box, you can order an additional name place and attach it to a secondary storage box to save those creations. Some of our favorite secondary storage boxes are linked here.

Disclaimer for Parent of the Overly Sentimental Child. 

A lot of children like to squirrel away any and every item they put effort into and don’t like the idea of getting rid of them. We think it is never too early to begin teaching the littles organization skills and artwork and schoolwork are a great place to start. If you need a little guidance in this area, you can check out our earlier post on the topic. 

To purchase your own Kid Chronicle’s memory box, head to our Shop page.

Tips for Organized Travel with Kids : The Carry-on

Source: Mercer & Green / Photo by Mia McDonald

We have shared our tips for organized travels with kids in the past and now we are sharing our tips for organizing your kid’s carry-on bag. Once they are old enough, you can task them with the “heavy lifting” and make sure it is not just beanie babies and lollipops that make it in the backpack. 

Happy Organized Travels! 

Carry-on for Kids

Once you little traveler is old enough to bring their own bag, work with them to pack their own carry-on that is full of tricks to make the whole experience go much smoother. 

• Pack a full change of clothes, a swimsuit, sunhat and sunscreen just in case your luggage is lost and you still want to hit the beach before it arrives. 

• Outside of the toys that you know will be a hit on the plane, try packing a few new surprises to keep your child entertained. We really love magnetic games like the ones from The Purple Cow (so pieces can’t be lost) and new marker sets and pads of papers so you have supplies for the duration of the trip. 

• We all know that snacks are key to keeping children entertained but outside of the normal healthy items you typically give them, try having a few “forbidden” items in case you need reinforcements. 

• As an alternate to iPads and other screen devices, we pack headphones and audible books on CDs for older children to help keep them entertained during the flight or even on the beach if they are tired of playing in the sand.

Carry-on for Baby + Me

Here are a few tips if you are sharing a carry-on with your littlest one. 

• Along with all of the baby essentials – wipes, blankets, bottles, diapers, etc., pack an extra change of clothes, a pair of leggings in case of a cold plane, sanitizing wipes for the arm rests and tray table as well as some Infant/Children’s Tylenol. You don’t want to get stuck without medication should a fever come up suddenly. 

• For mom, bring an extra top in case of a spill, a swimsuit and cover-up so you can hit the beach immediately, clothing for a day should your luggage yet lost, any important electronic chargers and extra batteries for any devices you are carrying that may need them. 

For more travel advice when traveling with kids, check out our other post here and read our tips for Sara of Mercer & Green here.

What to Buy : Organizing Big Toys

Clockwise from Top Left: Basket Lady | The Home Edit | Serena & Lily | The White Company | West Elm | Ikea | Serena & Lily | Ikea

Little kids come with big toys especially around the holidays and we are often asked how to organize them. Thankfully the years of “big” toys are numbered but that doesn’t make it any easier to contain them. So, outside of throwing them all out – and we aren’t totally opposed to that option (!), we have a few ideas on how to make it a little easier to keep them a little neater in the meantime. 

Happy Organizing!

Open Shelving (Ikea)

Open shelving is a great way to keep larger toys, cars/trucks, etc. off the floor. This option from Ikea is great because it is easy on the eyes and wallet and it is lower to the ground and therefore not as easy to turn tip. 

Enclosed Cabinet (Ikea)

If space allows, the PAX system has a 22” deep cabinet and it comes with hinge and/or sliding doors that make it easier to keep bigger toys out of sight – and maybe even out of mind for at least a little bit. 

Rolling Baskets (Serena & Lily | The Home Edit)

Rolling baskets are great for keeping toys hidden and portable which can be helpful in smaller spaces. From stuffed animals to sports balls, rolling baskets provide the ease to move the toys between different spaces in your home.  

Big Baskets (Serena & Lily | The White Company)

If containing big blocks and other toys are one of your issues, big baskets such as these options are a great option for keeping them contained and neat. Plus there is a lid to keep them completely concealed if you need to store them in shared space such as a living room or kitchen. 

Underbed Storage (Baskets Lady | West Elm)

When in doubt, underbed storage is a great option to maximize underutilized space. This is a wonderful option for children that have anything from a toddler bed or larger and can house items such as board games and dolls.

For more of our favorite organizing products, you can check out more of our favorite products here.

Designing a Closet That Will Grow with Your Children

To be a parent is to embrace a life of constant change. Your lifestyle changes. Your home changes. Your bank account changes. And, most importantly, you baby changes and in the blink of an eye they grow out of clothing, shoes, toys, books, furniture, cribs… And, you may ask yourself - is can anything last for more than a few months or even years? The answer is yes – closets.  

Many clients ask us to help them organize their baby’s room and often that includes designing or re-designing closets that can grow along with their children and accommodate their ever-changing needs. If this sounds familiar, read on for some of our best tips for creating a closet that will last through the ages.

1. Stacking on the Shelves: Add a lot of shelving to house all of the diaper supplies and folded clothing. Make sure that the shelves are fully adjustable shelving to allow maximum flexibility. And, when it comes to organizing shelves consider adding some bins to help contain smaller items and keep the space clutter-free. 

2. Make it a Double…Rod: Babies have very little need for hanging space since most of their clothing can be folded and it easily fits in drawers and in bins on shelving. By the toddler years, it is typically helpful to have one low hanging rod to hang items and make things more accessible for little hands. Then, over time you can create more hanging space with a double rod by just removing some shelving and adding an additional upper bar. 

3. Digging Drawers: Drawers in a closet may seem like a luxury but it can be worth the investment as it can replace the need for a dresser down the road. This can free up space in the bedroom for different furniture configurations, toy storage and school desks as they get older. When deciding on the drawer sizes, add at least 2-3 four-inch drawers for smaller items and then a few deeper drawers to house bigger items. If you aren’t sure how deep you need them try folding some items and measuring them so you can be sure of the actual depth needed. 

4. Shelves to Spare: Be sure to include a few extra shelves near the floor for shoes. This will free up floor space, help keep the closet tidy and maybe even allow some extra room for a freestanding laundry hamper to fit larger toys that don’t fit into smaller bins. 

5. Hook it Up: Hooks are a great way to clear floors as they can be used for almost everything from school backpacks and helmets to sports uniforms and robes. If space allows, consider adding two rows (a low one and high one) to maximize space and to let your little one help hang up things up too. 

Hopefully, these tips are helpful when it comes to designing your next closet…now, if only it was as easy to teach our little ones to put their items away in their closets.

Happy Organizing!

For examples of some of our closet designs, click here.

Giving the Gift of Organizing

You may or may not know that we offer gift cards for people who like to give the gift of organizing for holidays and special occasions. We have been gifted to a number of people over the years from broker gifts for the sale of a new apartment to wedding and housewarming gifts. So read on for some feedback from those happy recipients and maybe even find some inspiration for the next time you find yourself shopping for a gift. 

Happy Organizing!

Broker Gift

"Our broker gave us a gift card for our closing and it made all the difference. My husband and I have crazy work schedules so it was a relief to have Michelle and Annie come in and handle all of the move logistics for us. From decluttering before the move to coordinating with the movers through the pack and moving days and unpacking us in our new home, they handled the whole process. And, I can't tell you what a joy it was to walk into a fully set up home instead of wading through boxes for what would likely have been weeks on end."

Wedding Gift

"We received so many presents for our wedding (some even off the registry!) and had no idea how to fit them all in our apartment given the seemingly limited storage options. Henry & Higby found space we did not even know existed! They worked wonders in our small space and made everything so accessible that we don't have an excuse not to use them." 

Birthday Gift

"My husband gave me a Henry & Higby gift card for my birthday. My home office had become a dumping ground and I was overwhelmed with the thought of trying to tackle all of the clutter that had accumulated over the years. It was not a total disaster but it was definitely not my favorite spot in my home. When Michelle and Annie showed up, I quickly became relaxed as they talked me through the steps to getting my space cleaned out and usable again. As an added bonus, they even helped me accessorize the room a bit to help my turn my office chaos into a calming sanctuary." 

Housewarming Gift

"A good friend gave us a Henry & Higby gift card when we moved to the burbs because she knew that we were struggling a bit. Coming from the city, we thought that we had it figured out but with all of the space that our house had we got a little overwhelmed and everything seemed to end up in our basement -- a pile of unmade decisions. Once Annie and Michelle came in, we came up with a space plan for the closets and rooms that really made sense and got all of our remaining boxes unpacked and in place . We owe them so much for their quick and smart suggestions -- and now we have an empty basement!"

If you want to give the gift of organizing, reach out to us at hello@henryandhigby.com for more information. 

Getting Organized for Summer

Many of us are nostalgic for the summer days of our youth but summer gets a bit more complicated when you become a parent. Between ever shifting schedules, busy social calendars, sleepovers, camps and the days when the kids are home in between, parents have a lot on their plates and living isn’t always easy. However, with a little preparation and organization, you can relieve some of the summer stress and enjoy some more restful moments. 

Read on for some of our tips on how to plan now for a stress-free summer with your family. 

Happy Organizing!

Create a Calendar: Start updating your family calendar for the summer months so you can capture all activities that you and your children will participate in including camp, playdates and travel. This way you will know what is coming up and what weeks or days you still have to fill up. Color coding the calendar by activity or child makes it easy to quickly reference commitments.

Make a Date: Plan outings and get togethers for those free days and weekends of summer to help you stay in touch with friends and family. And set aside time for some of the activities that are unique to summer such as days at the pool, leisurely BBQs outside, running through sprinklers and catching fireflies in mason jars. With services such as Amazon Prime and grocery delivery apps, we find it easy to stay on top of prep by creating an alert in our phone calendar a few days before a planned activity to stock up on necessary supplies. 

Banish Boredom: When you come up with fun activities, write them out on index cards and pin them next to the family calendar. That way when the “I’m bored“s start (it’s inevitable, right?), you already have a list of ideas ready to go. Letting kids choose the activity too makes them part of the process as well! 

Keep Learning: Look for activities that will keep your children engaged and learning about the world around them. Planting a small garden is a favorite in our house because you can plant the seeds together when school lets out, task your children with watering them every day and then reap the benefits and have a fun cooking project come August when the plants are fully grown. 

Check Your Supplies: Summer means days with lots of sun and bugs, so start stocking up now on sunscreen and bug repellant and check your first-aid kit to see what needs to be replenished. Grab extras to make “to go” packs that can be popped into bags on the way out of the house in the morning. That way everyone is covered no matter who is taking care of the kids that day. 

If you are looking for more ideas on getting organized for summer, check out our blog post, Simple Steps to Get Ridiculously Organized for a Stress-Free Summer, posted on What Moms Love. 

Organizing Your Children's Art Projects

Children come with lots of stuff and a lot of that stuff - particularly when they start going to school - is art. From paper drawings to clay creations and larger mixed media sculptures, the number of art projects that come home in a day can be staggering. So for parents that are wondering what to do with all of this art, we have a few tips and tricks for trying to manage the flow. 

Happy Organizing! 

Create a Display Zone: Establish a display/drop spot for paper art and larger sculpture projects that come in each day. We typically recommend a shelf with limited space for the larger art and sculptures and a paper tray for the smaller pieces so that it doesn't take too long to fill up.  Then, once the space is full,  either on your own or together with your child you can review the pieces and make decisions about what can be discarded. This process can help teach your children that how to make choices about what to keep and what to get rid of on a regular basis. If horizontal space is a challenge for your configuration, go vertical. The same concept can be implemented on a cork board hanging on a wall. 

Let it Go: If you or your child have issues letting go of some of the art projects, try taking a photo of each piece that you are planning to discard. The process of photographing the art and looking at the photos afterwards can provide them with a sense of closure and can make letting go a little easier. It is simple to create an album on your smartphone or tablet which your child can reference later on. 

Archive the Highlights: For the pieces that you want to keep long term, put a label on the back with the year it was created and place it in a large portfolio like this one for paper art or a sentimental box like this one for larger, sculptural pieces. 

Preserve the Memory: If you want to take it a step further, you can even make a book at the end of the year with the photos that you took throughout the year - a beautiful visual reference of their creations - using services like Plum Print or Artkive. We have used personally Plum Print in the past with great results and have found that these books are actually referenced quite often when it's time to walk down memory lane. 

For more blog posts about getting organized, check our posts on organizing toys, bathrooms, and a desk space for kids. 

Organizing Your Bathroom for Kids

Families often come to us looking for help creating and/or updating their routines to make everyday tasks a little easier. And, most often, the bathroom is a large part of the struggle. Whether it’s trying to get your kids ready in the morning or trying to get them ready for bed, there is a lot to get done in one space. 

If the bathroom routine is a struggle for you, take some time now to get your bathroom more organized and streamline your routine with our tips below. Happy Organizing!

• Clear out everything from your bathroom cabinets and start to categorize the items by usage – for instance, first aid supplies in one spot, medicines in another and outdoor items like sunscreen and bug spray in a third. Then, once the items are categorized find a container that fits in your space and can hold all of the items comfortably with a little room to grow.
• Create stations for each step of your regular routine to make getting through them For instance, store all of the items needed for brushing teeth, styling hair or even handling bumps and bruises.
• Brighten up the space and make the routine more cheerful by adding a pop of your child’s favorite color to the room. Here the little one loved orange so we added the rug.
• Make getting out of the bath more fun with a personalized bathrobe or towel to run around in after the deed is done. When you have a child who loves being in the water, we have found that having a few tricks up our sleeve to get them out is always helpful.
• Simplify clean up by using a milk crate or other drainable container to keep the bath time toys tidy and dry. 

If you are looking for more ideas on how to organize your bathroom for kids, check out our blog post,  Ready, Set, Wash: Bathroom Organization Ideas, posted on the Crate and Kids blog. 

How to Organize Toys at Home

Outside of buying new furniture to house all of your child’s play things - toys, dolls, costumes, blocks, etc. - there are a few less expensive ways to keep chaos at bay. We have used these ideas with our clients and even in our own homes so hopefully they work for you too. 

Under-bed: Under bed storage boxes are an easy way to get toys and items out of sight while still being easy to access when your kids are playing on their own. We use them to store dress up clothes and costumes or even boardgames and other large flat items that are hard to fit in other areas of the home. 

Baskets: Sometimes the best storage option for larger, bulky toys is a large basket or milk crate. This not only makes cleaning up easier but it encourages your child to pick up after themselves. We typically use this type of storage for larger items like wooden building blocks, stuffed animals or sporting goods. 

Plastic Boxes: If you have toys with lots of small pieces like Legos, puzzles or board games, we recommend using clear plastic boxes with lids. They come in a variety of sizes, are typically pretty inexpensive and are see-through which means that your kids can see what is being housed inside. We also recommend using them with labels so that everyone can get involved with clean up. Word to the wise - only stack these boxes two or three high since it will be hard to access the bottom bin if you go much higher especially for little kids. 

Drawers: To make use of vertical space, use clear stackable drawers for craft supplies, games and even books. Drawers make all of the items accessible no matter how high you stack them and clear plastic ensure that you can see the contents. We like both of these options - one and two - depending on what types of items you need to store. 

How do you like to organize your toys at home? 

Creating a To-Go Bag for Kids

Kids can be unpredictable so it is up to parents and caregivers to try to prepare for the unknown everyday. For these unexpected moments, we recommend creating and carrying a to-go bag. This bag typically includes a few essential items that will help you deal with whatever comes your way. Below are some of the items we like to pack in our to-go bags. 

• Mini First-Aid Kit including Band-aids, Antibiotic ointments, etc.
• Sunscreen wipes
• Wipes - we love Babyganics
• Small reusable water bottles like klean kanteen
• Snack packs
• Copy of an Emergency Contact Sheet (Check here for more information on what to include on this sheet.)
• A favorite small toy to distract them like our lego pack
• A change of clothes depending on age of your child 

As for the to-go bag itself, we love Baggu zipper pouches but have also repurposed giveaway bags from make-up counters in a pinch (thanks, Clinique!). 

What would you add to your to-go bag? 

Organizing Your Life with Kids

Life can be overwhelming enough with kids and partners and work and pets and friends and...all requiring time and attention. However, there are some things you can do now to get organized for life with kids that will help make your days a little easier. 

First Aid Kit: Create your own personalized first aid/allergy kit with a latched plastic box (like this or this) and put it somewhere central so it can be used should there be a situation. Be sure to add in a few character bandages (they make you feel better faster, right?) and any other products that your family needs and uses regularly including allergy medications, etc. Here is a resource for how to make your own kit and what to include. At the same time, think about creating a portable version in a small pouch for you or other supervising adults to bring when hanging with the kids outside of the home. 

Contact Sheet: An emergency contact sheet is very important not only for the sitter and any visiting family but also for your own peace of mind. Make a list of all important emergency contacts including the following: doctors, parents, key friends/family that could help in a jam, etc. Once this is created, make copies for friends and family and post one in a central part of the home - likely the kitchen - so that it is readily available in the event of an emergency. 

To-Go Bag: Make getting out of the house with kids easier by having a to-go bag with all of their favorite toys and essentials ready to go near the door. The bag can store their water bottles and favorite outdoor toys for time at the park but it can also serve as a place for them to put those toys and items when inside so that they don’t get lost. Also consider including an on-the-go first aid kit and a copy of the emergency contact sheet mentioned above. 

Kids in the Kitchen: Set aside an easily reached section of the kitchen for your kids lunch boxes, water bottles and treat containers so that they can learn how to put them back themselves. Giving them access to these items will help teach them a little independence and give you a bit of a break. 

Labels: Help stem the tide of missing items from clothing to cups to shoes with personalized labels. Look for washable ones like these or these to make sure that they aren't destroyed in the laundry or dishwasher.

What do you do to make life easier with children?