Clean houses start with organization. If everything has a home, putting things away takes seconds, not hours. But some rooms resist order. Kids’ bedrooms and playrooms are usually the trouble spots. Stuffed animals. Art supplies. Building blocks. It is a chaotic mix that refuses to stay put.
The first step to fixing this chaos is figuring out the best way to organize your kids’ toys. You likely have more toys than you realize. Some are outgrown. Others are well-loved favorites you can’t bear to throw out. If you are completely redoing a playroom, you must take stock of what you have. Then, decide what to discard. This leaves you with the remaining items to store.
Storage containers need to be durable. They must be practical. And they must be easy for kids to use. You won’t always be the one picking up. Once the system is in place, maintenance becomes easier. Break cleaning into steps. Daily pick-ups. Weekly deep cleans. Annual weeding-out of old toys. Teach your kids to help. Manage the clutter so you can focus on what matters. Having fun with your kids.
The first action? Take inventory. Read on for how to start that process.
Taking Inventory of Kids’ Toys
Holidays. Birthdays. Special occasions. Kids receive new toys constantly. It overwhelms the storage space. This is why the first step to organizing your kids’ playroom should be a thorough inventory. You need to know exactly what you are dealing with.
Weed out the unnecessary. Less clutter means fewer organizational hurdles.
Start by listing toys and games. Look for duplicates. Spot broken items. Identify toys with missing pieces. Find things your kids rarely touch. It feels like a daunting task at first. But knowing what is in the room makes the next steps much easier.
Once you have a solid list, divide items into categories.
– Toys to keep
– Broken toys to throw away
– Gently used toys to donate
Get your kids involved. Let them choose what to keep or give away. Set ground rules first. Then let them decide. You might be surprised by their excitement. Many children love the idea of donating old toys to less-fortunate children.
Now that you know what is in the room, reduce the clutter. Sort the remaining items into groups. This sets the stage for easy organization.
Less really is more. Many parents find that fewer toys lead to more imaginative play. Too many options can be over-stimulating. Organizing toys helps de-clutter your house. It also helps your kids. With fewer items to sort through, they spend more time playing.
Sorting Kids’ Toys
You know what is in the playroom. Now, sort the toys. This creates the foundation for your organizational system. A clear framework helps children follow the rules.
Sort by genre. Keep dress-up clothes and accessories together. Group crayons, craft supplies, and drawing paper separately. Do not be afraid to create many groups. Base the system on your children’s actual needs.
Once sorted, create “play zones.”
Set up a craft table. Keep art supplies nearby. Place costumes and accessories in a trunk next to a mirror. Put blocks and building toys in an area with open floor space. Children can move toys around during play. But when it is time to clean up, they know exactly where everything belongs.
You can also sort by frequency of use. Identify toys played with every day. Store those in easy-to-reach areas. Kids won’t have to tear apart the room to find favorites.
After sorting, you will likely find more items to discard. Read on for tips on deciding what to keep.
Knowing What’s What
Labels are powerful for organization. Label boxes. Bags. Bins. Drawers. Clear labeling makes it easy for you and your children to put things back. It also makes finding items simple.
Even the best-playroom layout collapses under the weight of excess. If you try to keep everything, you’ll never find anything. The fix isn’t just better bins. It’s ruthless pruning.
Sort through the pile now. Then set a schedule to purge regularly. You likely already know which items are dead weight, but involving your kids makes the process less contentious. Let them choose what stays. You might be shocked by what they want to keep. Or what they’re eager to ditch.
Broken toys with missing pieces go first. There’s no fixing a game with half its cards or a doll with no limbs. Donate good-condition items. Trash the rest. Charities only accept usable goods.
Explain this to your children. Frame it as helping another kid get toys they’ll actually use. Set a limit on how many items each child can keep. Then step back and let them do the heavy lifting. It teaches decision-making. It reduces your load.
If your family is growing, you might hesitate to toss older items. Keep durable, classic pieces like wooden blocks or simple doll clothes. These ages well. They survive multiple hand-me-downs. And remember, new babies bring new gifts. You don’t need to hoard old stock for the next arrival.
Store sentimental items and heirlooms in a dry, climate-controlled space. Not in the playroom. Not in the attic heat. Keep them safe, but out of the daily chaos.
Once you’ve cleared the floor, you have less to manage. Less clutter means less stress. Now, look at how schools handle the chaos.
Storing Kids’ Toys Like a Teacher
Classrooms are masterclasses in storage. Teachers manage dozens of kids with similar supplies. They know what works. Copy their system.
First, maximize vertical space. Add shelving. Put rarely used games and toys on high shelves. Keep favorites at eye level. Your kids should be able to grab their top choices without a stool.
Use clear bins or open baskets for smaller items. Label each one. Clear plastic lets kids see what’s inside. Open baskets let them pull items out fast. No lids to fight with.
When your kid wants blocks, they grab the bin. They play anywhere in the room. When done, they dump the bin back on the shelf. Simple. Repeatable.
Limit large toy bins. They become graveyards for forgotten stuff. You’ll end up with layers of unused toys at the bottom. However, large bins work for stuffed animals or balls. Things that are bulky, unbreakable, and don’t have small parts.
Try hanging nets in a corner for balls or soft toys. It saves floor space. It keeps items visible. It adds a playful element to the storage solution.
Redoing Your Playroom Doesn’t Have to Cost You a Fortune
You don’t need expensive furniture to organize this space. Get creative with what you have.
Old shoe boxes work for small parts. Baskets from the grocery store can hold larger items if they’re sturdy enough. Repurpose what’s already in your house.
The goal isn’t just tidiness. It’s functionality. A system that fails in two weeks is worse than no system at all. Make it easy for your kids to use. If it’s too hard to put away, they won’t do it. Then you’re back to square one.
Keep the space flexible. Kids outgrow interests fast. What works at age three won’t work at five. Leave room to adjust.
Think about the flow of the room. Where do they start playing? Where do they end it? Storage should support that movement. Not block it.
Related Articles
- How to Organize a Child’s Room
- How to Organize a Basement
- How to Organize Holiday Decorations
Sources
- Castagnoli, Francesca. “How to Declutter Your Play Room.” Parents. April 2009.
- Ewer, Cynthia. “8 Great Tips to Organize Kids’ Rooms.” Organized Home. 2009.
- Gaulin, Pam. “Organization Tips for a Child’s Bedroom.” Modern Mom. October 11, 2009.
- Good Housekeeping. “52 Ways to Get Organized.” 2010.
- Good Housekeeping. “Cleaning and Organizing Kids’ Toys.” 2010.
- Parents. “Smart and Simple Space Savers”. 2010.
- Parenting. “Play Zone.” 2010.
- Rice, Bonnie. “Toys go here: 7 tips to help you get organized.” iVillage. 2009.
- Rosemond John. “Too Many Toys?” Better Homes and Gardens. 2010.
- Today. “How to Organize Your Child’s Playroom.” MSNBC.
