It’s week 21 of my Declutter 52 Things in 52 Weeks Challenge. If you haven’t signed up yet, join me today as I help you remove all those things in your home you no longer need or use.
When my children were young I found that keeping their books organised, accessible, and age appropriate, meant they were much more inclined to read them – and it looked a lot tidier too!
My kids are older now so I don’t have a need for a bookshelf of kids books anymore – instead my children keep their favourite fiction novels on a shelf in their room. Special books from their childhood have been boxed up and saved for ‘my grandchildren’ (did I just say that?!), and all the others have been passed on to my nieces to read. They can then pass those books on to others when they’re finished with them.
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Decluttering Task #21
Kids Books
Kids seem to accrue a lot of books, and as a parent you feel guilty even thinking about parting with them. We’re told how important reading is for growing minds, but surely this only applies if the books are actually being read, right?! An organised, accessible, and age appropriate collection of books will help make reading a calm and enjoyable activity for all involved, which is exactly what this week’s declutter task is all about.
Image credit: @marsh.mel.lo via Instagram
TODAY’S TASK: PURGE AS MANY KIDS BOOKS AS YOU CAN
Note: My definition of purge – sell, donate, repurpose or throw away items as you see fit
- Put aside all books that are damaged or too young for your child.
- Mend the damaged ones if possible, otherwise discard of them in the recycling bin.
- If you’re planning on more children, box up the younger books that are in good condition and store away somewhere safe.
- If you’re not planning on more children, simply box up the special ones that you’d like to keep (maybe for grandchildren) and store them away.
- The remaining books that are too young can go to the charity shop, be gifted to friends or relatives, or go in the recycling bin depending on their condition.
- Look at your kid’s remaining books and see what storage solutions aren’t working.
- Remove all books from the bookshelves, grouping like items together.
- Determine what books you haven’t read in over 12 months and consider purging them.
- Add any new and/or your current storage products in your bookshelf to help you keep it organised.
- Place books you don’t use often towards the top or back of the bookshelf.
This great book storage idea was found via Les Petits Gazette, it reminds me of the going to the library when I was little.
I put together a great book guide last week, courtesy of our readers, and includes 25-page turning books that apparently you won’t be able to put down!
READ MORE: Top 25 Best Books To Read
AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE: Encourage your child to read each day with My Reading Chart – available via instant download.
