7 Helpful Hints to Organize a Kids Room
7 Helpful Hints to Organize a Kids Room
To organize a kids room properly, you have to constantly think about simplicity and function. These two things should drive every decision you make and power your entire process. Kids are not very good with complicated and the last thing you want to do is organize a kids room that leaves you constantly cleaning. Keep in mind that kids will follow through much quicker if they know exactly what to do and try to make that easy for them. Here are some tips and tricks to organize a kids room and keep it that way for the long term:
Organize from their eye level
As mentioned, the kid needs to be able to clean up after themselves. When you organize from their eye level, you set them up for success. Look around the room and try to see it as the child sees it before starting. This can be done a number of ways but the best way is to get down on their level. Look around the room and pretend you are that size. What obstacles or problems do you see? These problems will be a great place to start to get organized. Make the room as do-it-themselves friendly as possible.
Minimize the furniture
Furniture is nice and all but it is simply in the way for a kid. They will find a way to bump a head, cut a chin or otherwise harm themselves on it eventually. The less furniture you have in the room, the more room they have to play as well. Minimize the furniture in the kids room if you can and give them room to roam.
Get your kid’s opinion
If you kid is involved in the process, they are going to be much more likely to pitch in and keep the kids room organized. Why organize a kids room like an adult would like it? Get their thoughts and opinions and use the ones that you can.
Fill up under-bed space with bed shaped storage
Under-bed space is the enemy of every parent on the planet. Kids will most certainly use this area to stow stuff and to accumulate trash. Fill that space with bed shaped storage units. These things are great and they slide right under the bed to fill up that space. It also gives you extra storage to put away seasonal items and whatever is not being used.
Purge early and often
When you begin organizing any part of your home, the word you need to remember is purge. If we are controlling the flow of items going into our home, then we certainly have to control the flow out. To bring more in, you need to take some out. This means donate, give away or dispose of items that are not being used. In the kids room that is extremely important.
Limit the toy selection
This begins and ends with a set number of toys. Set a limit that you are comfortable with and let the kids decide which toys come and go. Once you are down to the number you are comfortable with and that you can store properly, then have a one in one out rule. If a new toy comes in, an old toy must leave. Kids will buck you on this for a bit, but eventually get used to it. When they do, you will have much better compliance in keeping the room clean. Less toys means less clutter.
Make everything easy to put away
Every single item needs to have a home in the kids room and you will need to make sure it is obvious for a bit. Take digital pictures of the items that belong in toy boxes or bins and place them on the outside. This will be highly helpful for younger kids and they will have fun matching things up. Older kids simply need form and structure and for you to follow up for a week or two. Nobody goes to bed until the room is set up normally.
To organize a kids room you simply have to make a commitment to fix it and to keep it that way. Once you manage that, then you need to get your kid to buy in. That part is the challenge but can be done with some perseverance and patience.
If you are in need of better organization skills in general, then we have some things here that will be sure yo help you out! Check out our guide to Getting Organized! If you find that you are still having organization problems, then you might want to try this book on organizing inside and out!
