Kill the Clutter: How to Organize a Child’s Room

Say ‘Goodbye’ to Kid Clutter!

When you have kids, their toys and books can start to take over. Some people are not bothered at all by clutter and others are practically offended by it. Wherever you stand on the spectrum, keeping your child’s room neat is a way to help to make your life a little easier because when you need to find things, you will be able to.

Helping your kids learn to be organized is a skill that needs to be taught. If the chaos in your child’s bedroom or playroom is out of control, there are some practical steps you can take to keep the mess at bay and to also have them help along the way.

End the Clutter with These Tips!

Eliminate. This one is hard for me because I always think, “What if they might play with it some day?” If you have toys with broken or missing pieces, or your children have outgrown them, toss them or donate them. There is a benefit to being able to find the good, usable toys without having to sift through a cluttered mess.

Have a place for everything. Starting with a general plan of organization will get you off to a good start. For example, keep all puzzles and board games on one shelf, bin, or basket. Create an area for shoes, backpacks, and jackets with a hook and basket for each child’s belongings.

Conquer one task at a time. If you look around your child’s room and feel like a deer in headlights, don’t get overwhelmed. Choose one area to work on and stick with it. First, you could go through your child’s dresser and sort out what fits them still and what needs to be taken out because it is too small. As you accomplish each task, you will be able to see the big picture emerging.

Give your child age-appropriate responsibilities. You don’t have to behave like your kids’ personal assistant to keep your house organized. Give your kids things that they are responsible for getting done each day to help alleviate your work load. My 4 year old knows to put his jammies directly into the laundry room each morning, while my 8-year-old knows how to take out the trash.

Rotate toys they play with. Routinely putting some toys away and bringing out once they have not seen or played with in a while is a good way to keep their attention span’s fresh. It also allows you to control how many items are available for them to take out and make a mess with!

Invest in the right equipment if possible. These potato bin-style toy organizers from KidKraft are great! They hold toys snugly while allowing your kids to see what is inside.

I also love cube storage, like this one from Hayneedle, with baskets that you can label. The bonus is that even if there is clutter inside of them, you can’t actually see it.

Maintain what you have done. The reality is that kids are going to continue to make messes and will accumulate yet more books and toys. However, if you routinely take a look around and assess what needs attention, the less likely that things will get out of control again.
 
 
Meet The Bella Behind the Blog: Kristen Farley is a mother of three and a domestic goddess. She is a former teacher who enjoys spending lots of time with her kids, healthy eating, volunteering at school, and mommy blogging for the masses.

Be on the lookout for more of Kristen’s expert advice and brilliant tips!