Over the past few years, my nearly 9 year old son has earned a new nickname: Magpie. Since he was small, Zack would pick up anything shiny he found on the ground. I would find all sorts of trinkets in the dryer after I did laundry each week.
Recently, I took him to the skating rink and my toe stop fell off of my skate while I was working on some roller derby foot work. I couldn’t find the lock washer that helped hold it in place once it flew off, so I thought I’d need to pick up another one at Home Depot. Lo and behold, I found it in the dryer a few days later. My Magpie had saved the day, although he had no idea that he had picked up something that I was looking for.
While Zack’s shiny object obsession occasionally benefits me, it really causes more problems with clutter than it actually helps. And as he got older, he began including scraps of paper in his collections, too. Anything on which he had colored or written – Post-It Notes, children’s menus from restaurants, bits of construction paper left over from other projects – was piled up on his dresser or shoved in his drawers. Whenever I suggested that he didn’t have to keep every single piece of paper that crossed his path, he got really upset. I don’t believe that Zack is an actual hoarder per the medical definition – I don’t want you to think that I do or that I’m belittling the disorder. I do, however, think his collecting habit is just turned up higher than most other kids his age and he has a deeper sentimental attachment to things than he should.
About a year ago, I just couldn’t live with his room like this any longer, so we made a compromise. I bought him a plastic storage tote and told him that he could keep whatever special things he wanted to keep in it, as long as he could close the lid. We went through every drawer, his closet, and under the bed, and he chose what things were important enough for him to put in the box. Everything else, he chose to throw away on his own.
He’s a cute little Magpie, though.
Zack’s Special Things Tote has really seemed to help. He’s much more discriminating about about he keeps, because he knows that he will need to go through and get rid of things once the box is full. I no longer feel like I am trying to force him to get rid of things because there is just too much stuff everywhere. He really was fearful that he’d come home from school one day and all of his collections would be gone (I wouldn’t have done that, but he thought I might). Neither of us has to worry now.
As you can see, he has several different collections in his box. I have my own box that I keep some of his special baby clothes, birthday cards, and artwork in. But, this box is where he puts his own things, like rocks, “lucky” bottle caps, artwork, and notes and drawings from his friends.
I try to make sure that my kids have lots of storage space, like faux built-in cabinets or a custom built dresser. But, I also want them to learn that they don’t have to keep every single thing that crosses their paths!
Do you have a little one who loves to collect things? How do you help them keep it organized? Do you have any other kid organizing ideas to share?
Thanks for this great idea! I’m planning to try it with my 3rd grade daughter!
Let me know how it works for y’all!
OMG…. my daughter is just the same!!! Emotionally attached to everything she every touches/touched!!! She is also VERY creative and quick to come up with solutions for fixing things. When I tell my two girls it is time to write thank you cards for the holidays one makes a big deal of it, like I’m asking them to fly to Mars on a space ship they built in two hours in the backyard. The one that jumps in without complaining and creatively comes up with a cute thank you card…. is “this one”. The little creative hoarder. I’m guessing he has your creative genes. This will all serve him very well in the future!
Awww! Well, he’s not creative with his stuff like your little one. He does draw his own board games and write his own books, which are all in the box. I guess he is creative with what he makes.
Thanks for your help! Great advice for the home like always!
Thank you so much for this idea. I am dealing with a very similar sitaution with my 3 year old daughter. I am going to try this out! My car is currently consumed by a full on forest ( her nature collection), her paper collection, which includes menus, flyers, coupons, receipts, a bag of trash she will not let me dispose of, and a bin of toys. I have found so little on the idea of children who hoard, but I was happy to read how light hearted and innovative you are being about it. and Thanks again!
Drift Boss is raw instinct, a primal battle against physics. No rules, just survive. Or die trying.
I’m going to give this a shot! My car is filled of her nature collection, which is a whole forest, as well as her paper collection, which includes menus, fliers, coupons, receipts, a bag of melon playground garbage she won’t allow me throw away, and a bin of toys.
I don’t think the title of your article matches the content lol. Just kidding, mainly because I had some doubts after reading the article.
Such relatable advice! Kids really do hoard the most unexpected trinkets—finding little treasures in the dryer is a classic experience. The storage bins and labeling strategies you mentioned are super helpful for keeping clutter under control while letting them keep their favorite items. Thanks for sharing these creative kid organizing ideas!
Such a relatable post! It is so common for kids at that age to find fascination in collecting small trinkets and everyday treasures. Having structured bins and designated display spots really helps keep the clutter manageable while letting them hold onto what they love. Thank you for sharing these practical organizing ideas!
Such a relatable post! My kids also love collecting little treasures and trinkets from everywhere they go, from random pebbles to washers and bolts. Having small organizer bins or tackle boxes labeled for their specific ‘finds’ really helped us keep the clutter contained while still letting them keep their special items.
The dryer finding the lost lock washer made me smile! Kids who collect small trinkets and treasures have such keen eyes for the little details in their surroundings. Having dedicated bins or a special treasure box really helps them feel like their collections are respected while keeping the clutter under control. Thanks for sharing such a relatable and practical post!
This was such a fun and relatable read! Having dedicated bins and sorting zones really makes a huge difference when helping kids manage their collections without feeling overwhelmed. Thanks for sharing these great tips!
The single plastic tote is a clearer rule than a talk about every scrap of paper. He still keeps the colored menus and the shiny bits, but only what fits, which is the compromise you made once the room was impossible. I also appreciated the careful line that this is not the medical meaning of hoarding, just a stronger attachment than most kids his age. The lock washer turning up in the dryer is exactly why a total purge would have been the wrong move.
Reading this made me feel a lot better about my own nine-year-old’s room, and the fifteen-minutes-a-day approach is far more realistic than a weekend purge. Letting him set up his own system worked for us, though we had to agree in advance that the laundry basket was part of his job too.
That’s a relatable story! My younger cousin was similar, always collecting little “treasures” he found. We eventually got him a special box, kind of like your son’s, and it really helped him organize. It’s amazing how a simple solution can make such a big difference, and it reminds me a bit of how satisfying it is to organize levels in Geometry Dash – finding the perfect spot for every detail!
This is such a relatable post! My kids also have a knack for picking up and saving every little washer, pebble, and random piece they come across. Designating specific small containers or treasure boxes has been a lifesaver for keeping clutter in check while still respecting their collections. Really appreciate these practical organizing tips!
This tote compromise sounds like a smart way to respect his attachment without letting the clutter take over. My nephew went through a similar phase, and what helped most was letting him decide what mattered. Once he had a clear limit, he started trading old figures and cards with friends on the Fnaf platform instead of holding onto everything. It gave him a sense of control, and his room stayed manageable. Zack seems to be doing the same thing: keeping the special pieces and letting go of the rest.