In a large household, there is a need to keep things as simple and organized as possible. One of the things we do to keep life running smoothly is to color code our children.
It actually started as a way to keep track of cups. I got so tired of washing 90 million cups a day simply because no one knew which cup was theirs. I decided if they each had a color, I would cut out at least one job on my to-do list.
From there, they got color coded for their school and chore lists. Beyond that, we try to color code as much as possible because it makes life so much easier. Here is a list of just a few of the things we have color coded by child in our household:
*van blankets: (we have 4 different colors of fleece blankets – courtesy of Ty’s mom. Each of the older kids has a c0lor all their own) They are not in the colors we use for their cups and school work, but they are all different so each child knows which is theirs.
*socks: one of the best inventions was when sock manufacturers decided to put distinguishing colors on each different size of sock! A mother’s dream come true! However, the color coding seems to be limited to girls socks. I would love it if they would do the same for the boys! For now, I just try to buy different brands so they look different.
*Flip-flops: Around here they are called “flippies” and whenever possible, I try to match to their color. Since flippies wear out rather quickly, I don’t worry about handing down the “wrong” color.
*Anything that needs their name written on it. This is especially helpful for those who can’t read (Although my boys have a 50% chance of being color blind since my dad was. So far, they all seem to see color just fine) I can write their name on something in their color and they know that particular item is theirs.
I know some people who color code their children’s bath towels. Others color code their children’s plates. Some even go so far as to color code their children’s entire wardrobe. So, what do you color code?
This post is linked to:
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This a fantastic idea! I love color coding for organization. I’ll have to keep this in mind when we have children.
I definitely remember my brothers getting the same presents all the time, one blue and one green. I was the only girl so I got all the girly colors or red or yellow if I got the same thing too.
My triplet cousins were always in color coded clothes so my aunt could tell them apart!
I only have 1baby so far though so no color coding necessary yet!
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We do the towel thing, and then when I made a schoolwork chart I made the tabs in their color too. Works for us!
This is BRILLIANT! Here everyone already has a color for the chore chart and for their “Bible” folder…so now I’ll try incorporating this into other areas too! THANKS Amy!!!
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That is seriously so smart!! You had me “washing cups so much” … and I only have 2!!
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I’ve color-coded their schoolwork folders – with 9 children that can be a challenge to find that many different colors, but it’s worked. I’ve done towels, cups, and even socks. I’ve gotten away from it for a while and should get back to it to simplify things!
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I do their toothbrushes as much as possible (this does get changed up a little when it’s time to go to the dentist). I also have their laundry sorter labeled in a specific color (you can read about it at my post at http://www.minnesotamamma.blogspot.com)
Why have I never thought to color code their cups?!?! I color code everything else that the boys have, otherwise they would fight over it–but never thought of their cups!
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I do this too. Makes life soooo much easier and it’s so simple. We do notebooks for school work or papers, backpacks, blankets, and many other things too. I hadn’t thought of cups but I’m goint to invest in some soon. UH the madness of cup washing!!! I have found boy socks that have the different color sizes on the bottom. Champion from Target. Boys large is red and med. is orange. So nice.
Thanks for the heads up about the socks at Target!
I love color-coding! Something we’ve found that really helps with color-coding in the kitchen is not just cups, but entire dish sets. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the “Kalas” dishes from IKEA. A set of utensils or cups or bowls or plates is only $1.99 and you get 6 different colors so an entire dish set in 6 different colors is less than $20!
I hadn’t thought of color-coding toothbrushes before; I’m going to have to try that one!
I have those plates, but they are awfully small. Do they make larger ones?
Wonderful! We have four, and the little one was born to an assigned color (pink!). We have color coded binders, marbles (for incentives!), bath towels, swim towels, toothbrushes, plates, backpacks…if it is made in four colors, they are assigned! The size of laundry basket I needed only came in white, but that’s what permanent markers are for (they had fun with that one).
Great idea!
That makes it a LOT easier!
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This isn’t color coding, but along the same lines. My friend taught me to put one dot on the tag or inside hem of shirts, pants, underwear and on the bottom of the toes of socks. You do this for the oldest boy and girl. When they outgrow the clothes, add another dot before putting it away or handing it down to the next kid. That way the second boy’s clothes are easy to tell apart from the first’s. Add a dot for each child of that gender, so the fourth girl has four dots and the third boy has three dots. This way, any one can sort laundry and get it to the right person.
I do this -exept instead of dots I make a line- with my girls (I have four girls) so my oldest gets 1 line and so forth It works awesome since 2 of my girls usually run the same sizes, especially for underwear and socks.
When I was in the states last Christmas we stocked up on Hanes boys sports socks. They are now color coded by size. My eldest’s socks have blue writing on the toes and the younger one has green writing. I thought this was soooo clever. So, check out Hanes socks!
Yes, I was going to recommend the Hanes socks too. They seem to last pretty well, too.
Brand new reader. This isn’t in response to your most recent post but to your little Emily’s story. I couldn’t read something like that without telling you how it affected me. As I read, I sobbed. A momma to three here and oh how it hurt to hear your pain. I am sure you are healing a little more everday and knowing she is with Jesus and waiting for you… Still, I will pray for you today that God will continue to comfort you and cosole you – assuring you that He has her cradled in His everlasting arms and will embrace you too one day in those same arms with her! What a sweet reunion to look forward to.
.-= Rebecca´s last blog ..GNITNERAP – Parenting Backwards! =-.
I color code the water bottles, beach towels, socks, sometimes their crocs if we can successfully find everyone’s color. I also color code their specific events/activities/classes on the calendar. My mil had recommended it to me years ago (she had 3 boys too) and it has been a time and frustration saver.
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What a brilliant idea! My kids are still young (2 and 11 months) but I can tell how the oldest certainly has a preference for the same color cups/plates/etc every time. Might just become her “color”!
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With 7 kids, we color code almost everything also-toothbrushes, cups, waterbottles, folders, towels, etc. We’ve even color coded their shoe storage boxes-with a strip of duct tape. We keep a roll of duct tape in each child’s color. Since there are so many colors, it makes it easy. Once I got past the first 4 colors, I did find it hard with the school stuff but ended up buying the 3 ring binders that you can put a label/paper in and, of course, the label is color coded. I also have highlighters in each of their colors for assignment sheet and booklist checkoffs.
Good idea w/ the duct tape! I’ve found that 4 colors is almost the max, but if you get creative, you can stretch it like it you did.
I love this post! So far, we have two girls and all of their “hanging clothes” are on color coded hangers. The youngest is only 2 months old, so we haven’t gotten to cups and plates yet, but I definitely agree that color coding makes things so much easier!
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Since I only have one right now I don’t have to color code anything but you can bet I’m taking notes for the future!! Such a great tip!
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GREAT idea! i’m on the cup dilemma – awesome solution!
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I’m late to the party. I have no kids yet, but was thinking of your socks issue. My mom only had two girls and we’re 3.5 years apart. My feet are small, Sis’s are big. We wore the same size socks for years. My mom sewed a little green (my favorite color) in the toe–where it wasn’t seen–so we knew whose were whose. Instead of sewing, you could do a little dot with a marker in the kids’ colors–Sharpie makes all kinds of colors now.
That’s a good idea (I like the sewing idea for sure!)
I only have 2 boys and I have always color coded them, too. One is always green and the other blue. Those were their favorite colors and it turned out that it’s easy to find cups, blankets, etc in those colors, often even in a two pack of something. It has simplified things in amazing ways!
When my husband and I went from a single 3.5 year old girl to adding a 20 month and 3.9 year old boys, I was DESPERATE. Meal times were awful, folding clothes was drudgery, I was SINKING. I spent one night in the “baby care aisle” at the local grocery store and stumbled upon the solution, COLOR CODING! Playtex had blue plates with cars, green plates with dinosaurs, and pink plates with flowers. (they also had matching sippy cups). I ran with it! From then on my daughter became Pink, her modified twin became Blue, and the little Monkey because Green, except when I can only find it in another color. My friends laugh, but I swear by it! Now I know who still needs to clear their space at the table, who left a sippy cup laying in the living room, etc.
As for the socks, since we thrive on hand-me-downs, I buy all white socks (especially for the boys) and write the SIZE of the sock on the bottom. They know what size they currently are, and it makes it much easier for me while sorting and putting away for the little guy.
Growing up my 3 brothers were all the same size . My mother would mark the bottom of their socks with a dot of fabric paint on the foot. Each brother had a certain color so they would know which socks were theirs. I imagine this would make it faster to sort socks as well.
I thought I was the only one who did this! we color-code cups, sheets and blankets, towels, socks, winter hats and jackets (although sometimes they get passed down…), headphones, pillowcases, waterbottles, backpacks, shoes (sometimes this doesn’t happen), binders and toothbrushes.