the pre-Christmas purge + a peek at the kid's shared room

Two weeks before Christmas is prime time to do a whole house purge, but if you don't have the time with the added festive events filling up the calendars, just do one room: your kids'.  Think about it. The kids are about to receive a slew of new toys, books, and clothes for Christmas. Where's it all going to go? What's going to be seriously used and enjoyed this winter, and what needs to go to make room for new additions? 

 Our family is kind of tricky too because all three of our kids have Autumnal birthdays, so they recently all received many new toys and books only a couple of months ago (and in some cases, a couple of weeks ago!) I often suggest giving experiences instead of material things for the holidays, but even so, the reality is, our kids will receive many material things this year (many from us, too!). While I'm thrilled for the zoo membership that the kids will be getting this year, I'm also excited to see my girls love on their new dolls and Oli build his new bridge suspension kit and snuggle up with all of their new books. Material things aren't bad, but they need to serve us, be enjoyed by us, and used by us, or there's no point.

  

 

 

With all this in mind, we did our annual pre-Christmas purge at the end of November and the kid's room was so tidy afterwards that I decided to snap a few pics. A large amount of my blog traffic comes from people looking for resources in room sharing, three kids to a room, and minimalist family tips, so even though I feel like I shared their room not too long ago, here's another look. The List of Countries is a huge hit and the newest addition to their room. Bold Tuesday sent it to me along with a few other maps that are in our living room. It's no secret that our family loves to travel, so it felt like the perfect blend of educational art and wanderlust. I like adding art to the kid's room that isn't necessarily children's art - this is a simple black and white graphic but I think it's perfect for a kid's room!

 

Their room is always evolving as the three tiny inhabitants in it are as well. The kiddies really are growing before our eyes and their room reflects a bit of the spurt we've experienced recently. They have fewer toys and a heaps more books than in the past, and they recently donated all of their puzzles and many of their stuffed animals. Involving them in the purge is so important! It gives them a vision for owning less, and reminds them that they rarely play with excess, but when they have the right amount of toys that have long playability, they're better entertained and have less to clean up!

 

Their room is a bit lighter heading into the Holidays which is exactly where it should be. We don't give our kids a ton of gifts, but when you combine three sets of grandparents, doting aunts and uncles, and our recent birthdays, it can get to be a lot, so I love doing a good purge before we're in the thick of it. Of course, I always suggest giving your old things to friends who might use them (especially clothes  - find a friend with younger kids and bless her with your favourite too-small pieces of clothing!) and if no one you know is in need, donate to your local thrift shop. 

I'm always asked where I go thrifting and the answer is - EVERYWHERE, haha! In Montreal, I recommend Village des Valeurs (Savers), Renaissance (Good Will), and Armee du Salut (Salvation Army) and in my neighbourhood there's also Le Chainon, a great local feet on the ground charity that helps women in dire need. Happy purging and giving :)