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Buying storage? Great. Seems easy doesn't it? Look at the space you have available and simply fill it with boxes - if only life were that simple!

What makes it complicated? Kids! Don't they always!

If there is one thing kids know how to do best it is un-store items. They are mess makers. Mess is their thing. Whatever your grand schemes may be for tidying their rooms - they are sure to undo all your work in seconds!

However there are a few simple tips to bear in mind when it comes to storage. It isn't just about making the best use of space - it is more about attitude!

FIRSTLY - involve your child. Get them to select storage items where possible and then get them to decided what will go where. That way they take ownership both of the mess and, more importantly, the tidiness. If they have helped find a place for everything in the first place they are far more likely to keep it up. You might even like to try buying plain "paint your own" boxes, and make an activity out of decorating their storage too.

SECONDLY - make it fun. You can get some great storage bins these days especially for kids, frog shaped bins and the rest. Make a game of packing things away. "Feeding the frog" rather than just tidying up. You could even try timing them every day to see if they get faster at it, or pit one child against another to see who does it first.

THIRDLY - keep it simple. One box for one type of thing. This makes it easier when they decide to unpack it all! And more importantly easier for you when it comes to packing it all back up again as, for example, all the building blocks go in one tub and all the lego bricks in another, you simply line up the boxes and throw everything back in again. This usually means lots of smaller boxes rather than one big one, but it pays dividends in the long run.

Learn more about this author, Joanne Smedley.
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