How to Organize Your Kids’ Playroom! – 1.19.21

How to Organize Your Kids’ Playroom

 

The playroom is a space where your kids can be kids. It’s a place for imagining, drawing, playing dress-up, running around and generally enjoying all of the good things that childhood has to offer. It should be a space in which children feel free to be themselves. But, as any parent knows, that space can also turn into a whirlwind of scattered toys, art supplies and game pieces.

 

That’s why it’s important to organize your kids’ playroom in a way that makes sense and is space-efficient. Wait—an organized playroom? Do those words even go together in the same sentence? Believe it or not, it’s very possible, and we’ll show you nine ways to do it below.

 

 

  1. Use wall space to your advantage.

 

You can do a lot more with wall space than just adding Disney wall decals (although those are awesome, too). Try adding some wall-mounted shelving or bins to help keep the floor clear and provide a great open space for kids to play in. The walls are perfect places to add hooks and pegs for dress-up clothing, and a wall sticker growth chart is a great addition that will help track your kids’ growth. Even just a simple bookshelf can create a big upgrade in terms of useful vertical storage space.

 

  1. Make cleaning up a collaborative project with your kids.

 

Children need to learn the value of keeping a clean space, and one great way to teach that is to have them help you clean up the playroom. Teach your kids how to organize their toys into bins, how to sweep up and other key cleaning tasks. You can even attach a whiteboard wall sticker to the wall to help establish when playroom chores need to be done. This will help children take responsibility for their space and learn how to clean and organize on their own.

 

  1. Throw out the trash, but maybe don’t tell your child.

 

To create a truly clean and organized playroom, there’s probably some trash you need to get rid of—broken toys, empty bottles of bubble soap and who knows what else. Kids can be funny about what they’re willing to throw away, though, so the best time to clean out the trash is when your child is out of the house or distracted with something else. Don’t tell them it’s gone, and nine times out of ten they’ll never notice its absence.

 

  1. Sort out toys and donate some.

 

Your kids’ playroom also likely has some toys that are still perfectly good, but that your children have outgrown or gotten bored with. Take some time with your children to sort the toys into piles, including one that you’ll donate to Goodwill, a local mutual aid organization or a friend or relative’s kids. This can also be a great opportunity for kids to learn about sharing and why it’s important to help out people who are less fortunate than oneself.

 

 

  1. Use clear storage bins.

 

Transparent plastic storage bins are an MVP of home storage for people of any age, but they’re especially good for organizing the toys in a playroom. Their see-through design makes it easy for kids to see what toys are inside and prevents them having to open every bin to find the one toy they’re looking for. Plus, plastic storage bins are so versatile that they can easily be repurposed when your kids have outgrown their toys.

 

  1. Set up a designated art space.

 

Art is tons of fun for kids, gives them an outlet for self-expression and can become a lifelong passion. But art can also be quite messy, so it’s a good idea to create a specific space within the playroom for painting, clay and any other artistic pursuits that kids may want to explore. Set up some easy-to-clean vinyl mats to catch spills, and provide equipment like art tables and easels to encourage kids to contain their artistic endeavors to the designated space. Finally, remind kids that art supplies need to be cleaned up and put back in their place just like any other toy.

 

  1. Make it easy for kids to access things themselves.

 

You can help kids learn to be more independent by creating kid-friendly organization systems in the playroom. Use labels on your bins that kids can easily understand, place frequently used toys at an accessible height when possible and choose storage bins that your child can open easily and safely. The more a kid can access their own toys and games, the more they can play independently, and the less you’ll be bothered by a kid who needs you to get something off the top shelf.

 

  1. Create rules and systems for keeping game pieces together.

 

Pieces for board games can be an especially vexing element of playroom organization. They’re small and easy to get everywhere, but lose enough of them and the game becomes unplayable. For this reason, it’s important to set rules establishing that board games have to be cleaned up and teach kids how to do it correctly. If a game doesn’t come with plastic bags to store its pieces, get some right away and make sure that the pieces are always put back in their proper bags.

 

 

  1. If you don’t have a playroom, improvise!

 

Your living space might not have enough rooms to create a designated playroom, especially if you live in an apartment. Under those circumstances, it’s important to carve out a space from your living area that’s a designated area for toys and games. Try adding some tape around a specific floor area or making a rule that toys can’t leave the play mat. These rules will help keep toys out from under foot in the rest of the house.

 

By creating a cleaner and more organized playroom, you’ll make life better and easier for both you and your children. With a little bit of patience and creativity, you might never have to feel the pain of stepping on a wayward Lego again.