Janet,

When I started reading your post I was worried about what your daughter's reaction may have been. I'm so glad it was favorable.

My mother commented once that she was always afraid I'd be angry when she did that to my room. She was surprised to learn that I always liked it because she came up with so many good ways to organize things.

Oh, Janet--My kids were away last week at Grandma Camp, and part of my thought I should have done what YOU did.

Instead, I had a social life! Considering that I never have time for one elseways, I decided it was the best way to spend that time.

(In fact, I came here to start a thread titled "wasted opportunity," LOL! Though I invested in my sense of fun and my marriage)

I didn't even go in their ROOM except to feed and water the guinea pig.

I have a lot of the same revelations, though--have had for a while.

Your Revelation #1. I don't know HOW to teach my kid this. I can do it for myself, so I try to be more vocal about it.

Your Revelation #3: Ditto. Unfort., daddy's often the guy putting them to bed, since I often work late. And he does NOT do this, I cannot get him to. Right now there are enough other things to be on his case about; I can't deal w/ disciplining HIM too on this.

I *have* the small hamper in her dressing room--she throws it ALL on the floor anyway! This may have to be a hard-nosed kind of thing.

My DD is 11, and a young 11 at that; she's got one foot in each kind of playing w/ toys--younger toys, that take up lots of room; and older toys (music, books) that don't necessarily.

janet, as the mother of two grown boys, I can say that you HAVE to do the clean-out now and then, and when the kids are gone is best. Children go through so many phases as they grow, if you don't root out the old stuff, keeping current interests, clothes, etc. on hand, you'll just sink under the weight of it all!!! LOL

I do think it is better to involve the "child" in the process so they can learn to organize and get rid of things not being used. But sometimes you just have to take the bull by the horns and get it done right!

Good for you. Believe it or not, my 22-year-old son is home from college and we went through his room last week. Got rid of some posters, high school papers, books, etc.

What I really liked were the ideas you came up with that put things into her room. It wasn't until I was in my thirties that I realized buying things to help stay organized could really work. I think that's quite a lesson right there.

Good for you!
-a

Excellent job -- I have to wait until the DH is out to really clean up and throw away things too!! LOL!!!

Wonderful ideas too -- and your daughter will always benefit from organizing ideas!!!

I just can't help it, I find myself sneaking peaks (almost daily) into her drawers and closets to make sure things are still neat and tidy! So far so good!

And... she really does seem so much happier now that she's organized.

I think it helped that she was gone many many miles away when I cleaned out the room. From past experience I can tell you that there probably would have been a lot of yelling! LOL!

Gee, how lucky you are. I have 3, 14 year old granddaughters and they would be irate if someone invaded their privacy. Vique.

When I was younger,I was very terribly orderly and kept my bedroom immaculate and completely organized. At least twice a year, I would go thru every drawer, the closet, and throw out old toys, old school projects, anything I felt I no longer needed. (I'm sorry now that I threw out my Barbie and Midge dolls, and my stamp collection.) Once when my younger sister was away at camp for a week, I completely cleaned and organized HER bedroom. She was very messy in those days. I thought the room turned out great when I had finished, and she was also very pleased. Flash forward 40 years (yikes). I am the packrat and she's the one with a house ready for House and Garden magazine.