Do you struggle with keeping your children’s room, playroom, or even the common areas in your home organized? Even the most organized people can struggle when it comes to teaching children to tidy and clean up their toys.
Why Traditional Labels Fall Short
Even the best organizational systems may fall short for children. Traditional labels are useless for children who can’t read, and may also be ambiguous or cause confusion, resulting in messy bins, frustration, constant reminders to clean up, and frequent re-organizing.
What are Photo-Labelled Bins
Photo-Labelled bins focus on simplicity and effectiveness. The method involves 3 steps:
- Lay out items for one category/bin
- Take a photo
- Attach it to the bin
While it may take a bit more time to set up this organizational system at the beginning, the rewards are more than worth it.
Why This Method Works
The visual clarity helps children process faster, allowing them to make decisions more quickly. This keeps children interested and involved in the clean-up process, while reducing overwhelm and encouraging independence.
It also helps develop organizational skills that will serve them well throughout life.
How to Create Photo-Labelled Bins
The first step to creating photo-labelled bins is to declutter! Once you’ve completed the decluttering process, sort items into their categories and lay them out neatly so that all items are visible.
Take a few photos from different angles, making sure they are clear and using a plain background.
Print out the photos in colour and attach them to the bins using double-sided tape or these clear adhesive pockets.
Pro Tips for Success
- Keep categories simple
- Don’t overfill bins
- Make the labels durable by either laminating or using clear tape over the entire label.
Best Uses around the Home
This system is best used in:
- Playrooms (toys, board games, blocks, cars, etc.
- Bedrooms (socks, undies, pyjamas)
- Craft areas
- Mudroom (mittens, toques, umbrellas, etc.)
- Pantry (snacks)
Growing with Your Child
Adapt the system to suit your children’s ages and needs. As your children grow, you can add text under the photo. As your children’s skills progress, consider transitioning to text-only labels.
As with many things, simple systems are better. Making organization visible and intuitive are the best ways to help children stay on task when tidying up, create habits that last and reduce stress and frustration. If you’re new to this method, we suggest starting in a small area to see what works and what doesn’t for your family. Then you can move on to larger areas.
If you’re ready to get organized but don’t know where to start, contact our team of professional organizers in Vancouver today. We can help you implement an organizational system that works for your family.
We offer free phone or video call consultations, or book a 30-minute in-person consultation for $50+tax. You can also send us videos of the areas you need help with via WhatsApp at 604-446-3939, and we would be happy to provide you with an estimate.
