Cleaning the Nursery

Cleaning the Nursery

by Jennifer George

Does your church nursery seem dingy and cluttered. It may be time for extra cleaning!

Step # 1

Don’t let yourself be overwhelmed. Use the pile system, to get de-clutter, clean, and ensure the safety of the children in your care. Dump out every bin and toy box, and empty every shelf. Look closely at all the toys. Then, sort them into three piles.

Pile 1--Throw It Away

Any toy broken beyond repair goes in this pile. Are buttons or parts missing? Is the battery cover gone? Throw it away. Does the stuffed animal smell musty? It poses an allergy/asthma risk.

Throw it away if it is not machine washable, or has cracks in the plastic as it could pinch small fingers. If a toy still plays music, but the other parts don’t work, the toy is broken. Even if the broken toy is a nursery favorite, throw it away. Don’t worry about offending the families who donated the toys to the nursery. They wouldn’t keep a broken toy, and you don’t have to keep it, either.

Pile 2--Maybe.

If you’re not sure whether the toy is actually broken, or if its parts are simply scattered around the room, put it in the "maybe" pile. Include scattered toy parts as you find them. If you think you can fix a broken toy, put it in your maybe pile. If a toy is dirty but cleanable, then put it in this pile. If a toy needs a new battery, put it in this pile. Also include toys that look okay, but the children do not like them or never play with them.

Pile 3--Keep it.

All toys in perfect working order and have all their parts belong in this pile. Stuffed animals that do not smell musty belong in this pile.

Step # 2

After you have thrown away all the unacceptable toys, it’s time to re-check your "maybe" pile. If you have reunited a toy with all its parts, move it to the "keep" pile. Try to fix toys in need of minor repairs. (If it cannot be repaired, throw the toy away.) Wash any dirty toys with warm, soapy water. If the dirt does not come off the toys, throw them away too. Then, replace the batteries in any toys that need new batteries. (Test the toy to make sure the battery was the only problem.)

Some of the toys may no longer interest the children in your nursery. As you examine each toy, ask yourself these questions:

1. Can I figure out how to play with this toy? If I can’t, then the babies can’t, either. It needs a new home.

2. Is this toy age-appropriate? A busy toy with many buttons to push or that requires standing up may need to move to a nursery for older babies or toddlers. Very complicated toys may belong in a two-year-old nursery or the preschool room.

If you deem a toy inappropriate for your nursery, offer it to the classrooms for older babies, toddlers, and preschoolers. If they do not want it, then donate it to a day care center, a thrift store, or a charity. If you have many unwanted toys, sell them as part of a church garage sale. This will give you more money to buy newer toys.

Step # 3

Before you put the toys back in their place, clean each shelf and bin with a bleach solution. (One part bleach per 100 parts water is a safe solution that requires no rinsing.) Then, use this same solution to clean off all the toys. We suggest cleaning toys in this manner each week.

{* The pile system for nursery cleaning was inspired by Denise Schofield’s book, Confessions of an Organized Homemaker. This book is available at www.barnesandnoble.com. It is a quick and helpful read for any person who would like to de-clutter a living or work space.}