Together, we're going to learn how to clean and organize your kid's room in about an hour, with tips from certified professional organizer Ellen Delap.
Delap visited the playroom of ABC13 consumer reporter Patricia Lopez's kids to show you how quickly you can de-clutter the room using her top tips.
With four kids, the playroom floor was being buried under a mountain of toys. But an hour later, sweet relief!
Here's how to get started:
1. Get a sitter
Delap says it's important to set aside an hour and get someone else to watch the kids, that way you don't have second thoughts of the things you plan to get rid of or donate.
2. Grab the trash bags
For this one-hour exercise, you'll need two trash bags: one for toys going in the garbage, and another for toys you want to donate.
3. Look for the broken toys first
To begin the process, get rid of any toys that don't work, and throw them in the garbage bag designated for trash.
4. Store all the tiny pieces
From Legos to doll accessories, find a plastic container and store all of those tiny toys and pieces together in one place.
5. Determine what toys aren't used anymore
Time to be honest: What toys are the kids not using anymore? These are the items you want to put in your bag for donation to a viable charity.
6. Separate and organize
Finally, so you don't get overwhelmed, Delap advises you start with one section of the room at a time and group things by categories. She says it's a lot easier to make decisions that way.
If you are donating a lot of toys, there's a free resource called ItsDeductibleOnline.com. Make a list of your donations, and recoup some of the things you are donating through your taxes.
To get more of Ellen Delap's tips, head over to Professional-Organizer.com.