Organizing Kids’ Playrooms

There’s no getting around it: When you have kids in the house, you’ll accumulate toys and other “stuff” quicker than you can clean it up. If you’re anything like us, you already know how quickly the kids’ playroom or play areas can become littered with toys, games, and other kids’ items in your home. Instead of closing the door and ignoring the mess, take some time to organize instead! (We promise, it’s not as overwhelming as you think!)

Before even thinking about wrangling the mess, start with making a few observations. What do your kids play with the most? What do they use the least? Take notice, and have a few quick conversations with them about how it might be time to thin the herd. “You haven’t really been playing with your Superman toy lately, maybe it’s time to pass it on to another child?” Discussions like these will help prep kids for parting with their special belongings. Don’t worry if they’re not ready to let something go — that’s what the “keep” pile is for!

When the kids go to school, or bed, or grandma’s — whenever they’re not around to object too much — make a pass through the space and declutter. Choose the items that aren’t being played with first, along with the broken toys or other items that may be non-functioning or missing parts and pieces. If there’s something you want to keep for sentimentality but it isn’t used anymore, make sure to store it in a safe place (away from the playroom). Focus on the items they would never miss.

Now it’s time to bring in the kiddos. They seem to always know exactly what they want, and their toys are no exception! Go through all of your toy chests, organizing bins, and shelves with them to find out what works, what they really want to keep, and what they haven’t played with in a while. Depending on their age, this process could look a little different, but it’s a good way to get them involved and teach them the importance of keeping a tidy space, among other lessons.

You should have three piles — one for toys that are trashed, another for everything you want to keep, and a third for good-condition toys that you can either donate or sell. Big-ticket items could make a pretty penny online or through local consignment shops. You can also look for local organizations that accept kids’ items in good condition, like preschools, daycare centers, and Goodwill. Keep your kids involved in this process too!

This is, perhaps, a step that will help keep the room in top shape and even make it easier to declutter in the future because this isn’t the last time you’ll be doing this! Take a look at what you have left to keep and consider your storage options and even the room decor. You may be pleasantly surprised with the space you’ve made. Don’t overlook the importance of making everything accessible to kids. Don’t use storage containers that are hard to open, too high up for little hands, or a potential hazard.

Once the room is tidy and organized, make it easy for everyone to keep it that way! Create a chore chart, offer rewards, make it a game, get the kids excited — whatever helps them understand the importance (and fun!) of knowing exactly where everything is. Take it a step further and invest in personalized toy chests so they have a fun way to know where everything needs to go. Also, include a custom wooden stool so they can reach items stored a bit higher on shelves.

Ready to (finally) clean out that playroom? This is a great chore to do before the holidays or birthdays or any occasion where you know your kids will be getting even more toys for their collection. We sell a variety of pieces that will help with the organization, including wooden stools, toy chests, and coat racks. (Don’t tell the kids, but we also sell toys!) 

All of our paints, finishes, and wood are child-safe and made in the United States. We offer several different versions of our stools and toy chests with lots of options for customers to customize colors and themes. Every item is crafted to order, so no two are alike. When you’re ready to streamline your storage, shop with us first!

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