It’s officially spring time, which means it’s time to open our homes and let in the fresh air. When the weather turns nice, it’s the perfect opportunity to do some deep cleaning.

When we think of spring cleaning, we usually worry about public places in our home (like the living room and kitchen) and storage places (like the garage or attic), but our kids’ rooms need some work too. Here are some spring cleaning tips for your kids’ rooms.

1. Remove everything first – Kids tend to accumulate a lot of stuff in their room. Before you start cleaning anything, pull the big items out of the room and into the hallway or an adjacent room. Once the crib, dresser, and chair are removed, you’ll be able to find those runaway toy pieces or messes you didn’t even know about.

2. Remove what they don’t use – This is the perfect opportunity to clear out anything that isn’t wanted anymore. If they don’t play with it, don’t keep it around. I prefer to donate my kids’ old toys. If you think you’ll have more children in the future or you want to rotate toys out occasionally, store them some place safe.

3. Implement an organizational system – Once of the reasons kids make messes is because we don’t organize items in a way they understand. Create an easy-to-use storage system with baskets or see-through bins so kids can find items they want to use without taking everything out. Make sure storage options are low to the ground or at least where they can reach to grab and put things away.

4. Consider the room’s design – Make sure you’re using space in an optimal way to limit messes in the future. For example, if you find your kids playing in the hall or living room a lot, maybe there isn’t enough space in the playroom or their bedroom. Can something be removed so they can keep all the toys in one place?

5. Use labels – Label places where items go so your kids know where to return them. If they can’t read, you can use some simple picture labels to indicate an item’s spot.

6. Make your kids help – Help them learn responsibility by making them a part of the room cleaning process. If you always clean it for them, they will expect that behavior from you forever. Don’t just give directions, either. Ask for their opinions, like “Would you like the chair in this corner or that one?”

How do you spring clean your kids’ rooms?

Written by Alicia Overby - Founder & President of Baby Elephant Ears

Alicia is wife, mother, and creator of Baby Elephant Ears. Baby Elephant Ears was created out of parental concern, not financial desire. In 2005, when their second child was an infant, he cried all the time and just couldn't seem to get comfortable.

After seeking advice and suggestion from the medical community and alternative medicine, they eventually ended up in the chiropractors office where their baby was successfully treated for asubluxation, discomfort most likely the result of the strain during labor, which was now being exacerbated by the normal lack of infant neck strength. Only proper neck, head, and back alignment would offer him relief. When they couldn't find a product to give their baby the necessary support, Alicia took matters into her own hands and crafted her own infant support pillow. The first Baby Elephant Ears was born!

For more information, visit www.babyelephantears.com.

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