As a parent, keeping your child’s playroom clean and organized can feel like an impossible task. Toys seem to multiply overnight and clutter builds up quickly. But having an organized playroom is important – it teaches children how to be tidy, makes cleanup easier, and creates a calmer environment.
The good news is organizing a playroom does not have to be complicated nor does it have to be time consuming. With some simple decluttering tips and storage solutions, you can transform the playroom from chaotic to calm. In this post, I’ll share my best tips as an organizing expert to help you declutter, organize and maintain an tidy playroom that works for you and your family.
Out with the Old
The first step is to go through all the toys and declutter. This is often the hardest part but it’s crucial to create an organized space.
Have your child go through their toys with you and decide what to keep and what to remove. Explain that decluttering will make room for new toys and they can donate old toys to share with other children.
Look for any broken toys, puzzles with missing pieces, or items they have outgrown. Be ruthless and toss or donate these.
You can use the “one in, one out” rule. For any new toy that comes in, an old one must go out. This prevents clutter from building up again.
Categorize and Contain
Once you’ve decluttered, take what’s left and group toys into categories – cars, dolls, blocks, art supplies etc.
Baskets, bins or shelving cubbies for each category keep things neat.
Label the bins and shelves so kids can easily put toys back where they belong after playing. If your child(ren) are younger, they may benefit from labels with pictures on them.
Keep like items together – all the pieces of a game in one container, or crayons and markers in one art supply box.
For small loose parts such as Lego, use compartmentalized storage boxes to corral those tiny pieces. Hang a shoe organizer on the wall or back of a door to store art supplies or small toys.
Use furniture like cubbies, shelves, cabinets and toy boxes to hide mess when needed.
Bins and baskets can hold items you want kids to easily access.
Rotate toys by keeping some in bins or up high, then swapping them out seasonally.
Establish Clear Rules
Create clear guidelines for your child on organizing the playroom – what belongs where, how many toys can be out at once, putting toys away when done playing.
Use labels, pictures and containers to show where everything lives. Consider designating “clean up time” before meals or bed when you tidy up together. Make it fun by setting a timer and playing music.
Praise your child when they follow the rules and put toys away properly. This positive reinforcement builds good habits. Allow natural consequences if they make a mess and don’t clean up – the playroom gets closed until tidied.
Keep it Manageable
Be realistic about how organized you can keep a child’s play space. Focus on doing a quick tidy at the end of each day so messes don’t snowball.
Having a few bins for mismatched toys makes clean up faster – you can just scoop in strays quickly.
Do a thorough re-organizing session seasonally when you rotate toys.
Visual organization like labeled bins and cubbies also helps kids clean up themselves. Include them in organizing decisions so they feel invested.
Let go of perfection – a playroom will always have an element of messiness. But staying on top of clutter and having a system with a place for everything makes it easier to maintain order most days.
With some decluttering, categorizing toys and establishing guidelines, it is possible to keep your child’s playroom organized. This creates a peaceful environment for your kids to play and learn. What organizing tips work for your playroom? Let me know in the comments!
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