About Children's Closets
We wouldn't need closets if we didn't have so much stuff. Our grandparents--who didn't have nearly the stuff we have--kept most of their possessions in armoires, cabinets, benches and boxes. As middle class affluence grew, closets were put into the wall instead of in front of it. Our children, accomplished collectors that they are, personify this trend. One look in the closet of a 6-year-old is enough to convince any parent that the old days were, if nothing else, easier for parents to manage their kids' stuff. Does this Spark an idea?
History
Once upon a time, children's clothing was carefully kept in standing cabinets and their toys were kept out of sight in boxes or cabinets in the nursery. Children wore what their mothers decided they would wear. There was little need for closet organizers because there wasn't too much to organize, and the adults had--or took--the time to organize it. Improved transportation, better-paying jobs and availability of goods put more clothes and toys in children's closets. Working parents intent on raising self-reliant children expected children to hang up their own clothes and stow their own toys. Builders started cutting closets into walls, using the space between walls in the smaller homes of the 1930s and 1940s. Closet space became a selling point for the little ranches that were built by the thousands for returning GIs and their families. By the 1970s, the children Baby Boomers opted for larger closets, bathrooms and more informal living spaces than the homes of their youth.
Function
Closets keep clothes clean and organized so items can be found when needed. Kids' closets hold much more than clothes, however. They hold books, toys, school supplies, outgrown clothes and too-big hand-me-downs. They hold last week's geography project and the crafts from last year's day camp. They are, in short, your child's life in microcosm.
Considerations
Closets are considered territory by your child. The clothing and other items it holds may look like outgrown stuff he never uses but it is a collection of bits and pieces of his life. Never reorganize or remove pieces of his life without his involvement and consent. When reorganizing, encourage your child to judge whether something goes in the "going to use every day" or "pack away for another day" pile. Start organizing as early as your child is able to participate; 2- or 3-year-olds can help in short spurts and are much more agreeable to work with on organization. If you wait until they're 6 to start sorting ruthlessly, you're in for some mainstream stubborn resistance.
Features
Keep in mind the basic rules. Sort first, stow later. Use baskets or boxes for shoes, socks, underwear and sweats on lower shelves. Avoid clever shoe racks--kids are "tossers," not "filers." Put hanging racks and bins or drawers for things that are used daily at child height--it increases the probability they'll be used. Store keepsakes and "grow-into" clothes on the top shelf where you can control access--and the number of times they end up on the floor. Finally, make your design flexible so that hanging rod heights and shelf-drawer balances can change as your child grows.
Benefits
Working with your child is not only a bonding experience, it also sets an example that she can follow for the rest of her life, saving her (and her parents) hours of frustration and helping prepare her for adult life.
Tags: your child, About Children, About Children Closets, didn have, much more, pieces life, their toys