Taking Back the Children’s Room

Their story:

Andrea and Vincent love their home and their family deeply, yet the accumulation of belongings was starting to create tension. With two demanding jobs, commuting, children in two different childcare structures and a household to run, it’s no surprise that things crept up on them: far more was coming into the home than going out. Well-intended family members kept gifting toy after toy, and Andrea struggled to keep up, to say no, and to let go of guilt about parting with items her children had been given.

After reaching a tipping point, she reached out to tackle the kids’ room, which had become a daily struggle. We took time to understand the issues at hand, decluttered zone by zone, introduced new systems for the overflowing space, and mapped out a clear process and vision for the future. Along the way, Andrea grew in confidence, flexed her decluttering muscles and became an absolute master of letting go.

Result: A complete overhaul of the children’s room, which is now used for sleeping rather than only for play. We put in place a self-serve, visual system so her son can get dressed independently. The family then went a step further on their own, working together to revamp one wall with a closed cabinet that gives a home to many items that previously had none, as well as add a reading nook now that the books are more easily accessible.

What Andrea had to say:

“I worked with Monika in two different life stages: the first was after I moved and downsized after my divorce. She accompanied me on a very personal journey of deciding what to hold on to and what to let go of in my new space and new life chapter. It was a very emotional process, and Monika was compassionate, patient, and sturdy as she journeyed with me. She taught me new habits and gave me a new vision to live in a space that was different and smaller but wholly mine.

The second time that I worked with Monika was years later, in a new context: now a mother of two young children, I was overwhelmed with the amount of toys and clothes that had accumulated. She helped me define and stick to my boundaries and cultivate a sense of authority in managing the kids’ room. It has become a place they truly enjoy, somewhere to rest, play, and read, rather than a dumping ground. My son even retreats there on his own for a moment of calm, and now that it’s clean, he really cares about keeping it orderly. That motivation comes from him now, not me. Their things no longer spill into the rest of the house, either.

The best thing about Monika is she will meet you where you are at. She is sensitive AND practical, she is motivational AND patient. Having these somewhat opposing strengths all at the same time is what keeps this process one that is grounded, emotionally safe, and really effective. I highly recommend her.”