Keeping your kids’ playroom organized can seem like a fool’s errand. Every time you pick something up, it magically finds a place back on the playroom floor. In the spirit of spring cleaning, get organized with a few tips that will keep your playroom as organized as the rest of your home.
1. Rotate Your Kids’ Toys
Instead of dumping all your kids’ toys in a pile in the playroom, rotate toys every month or so. These days, kids get tons of presents at birthdays and major holidays—kids often end up with two of the same toy! Keep toys fresh by only placing 10 or so toys in the playroom; keep the rest out of sight. Every month, take the toys your kids don’t play with and donate them. Replace them with some from your “hidden” stash. Your kids will think they’re getting new toys every month and their playroom will be clear of clutter.
2. Organizing a Craft Table
Arts and crafts help your kids’ imaginations grow—but they’re a pain to clean up. Keep the craft table organized for easy cleanup. Use a heavy-duty paper towel dispenser to hang large rolls of construction or craft paper. Use smaller dispensers to hang rolls of ribbon or bric-a-brac. Buy a utility table that’s small enough for your kids but has built-in storage. You can designate one drawer for markers, one for pencils, one for paper and another for paints.
3. Tupperware Bins are Your Friends
Take advantage of clutter control techniques. Products are out on the market to make your life easier. Purchase Tupperware containers to keep toys off the floor and out of the way. You can even buy containers that fit your color scheme or design theme. Ikea sells storage boxes in every shape and size and every color under the sun. They also sell inexpensive organizing units and shelves. You can mix and match drawers for these shelves, so all your kids’ toys can slide easily into drawers when they are done playing.
4. Over-the-Door Shoe Hangers
One of the best ways to get organizing help is to use organizational tools that were meant for one specific purpose—like shoes—and repurpose them for toys. Over-the-door shoe hangers are a great way to organize dolls, stuffed animals, hair accessories, beads, matchbox cars and other small toys. Just make sure to keep the ones your kids play with most near the bottom so they can reach them. You can rotate the toys in the shoe hanger the same way you would rotate the toys in the playroom.
5. Color Code Everything
Once you have all your bins and drawers in order, it’s time to start color coding. If you’ve opted for Tupperware containers, designate the blue ones for board games, the purple ones for craft supplies, the pink ones for dolls, the green ones for play cars and trucks, the yellow ones for stuffed animals and the clear ones for everything that doesn’t fit into a category. If you don’t have Tupperware bins, you can just write the contents of each box on the outside or use labels for wire drawers.
6. Call in the Professionals
If all else fails, a professional organizer or personal concierge can provide clutter control, family care assistance, and a fresh set of eyes, helping you determine what areas of the room are working for your family and which areas need some help.
Image credit: Alejandro Heredia
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