Organizing Toys and Playrooms
When we have children, it is common to designate an area or two within the home for our kids’ toys and activities. We frequently choose a family room, the children’s bedrooms, and/or a playroom.
Unfortunately, these designated play areas often become chaotic and overwhelming. There is too much stuff, it’s all jumbled together, and it feels impossible to tidy up.
If this sounds familiar, read on to learn what you can do to remedy the situation.
STEPS TO CALMING THE CHAOS OF KIDS’ STUFF
Prioritize. Pause to assess the situation. What are your pain points? It could be too much stuff, nowhere to put things, lack of organizational systems, or all the above. Whatever it is, that is what you want to focus on solving.
Sort. Start by grouping together “like with like.” Get all the dolls, Duplo, Magna Tiles, blocks, train pieces, action figures, Paw Patrol gear, stuffed animals, arts and crafts supplies, and games grouped by category. If these categories are spread across multiple rooms, be sure to pull them together from the various spaces.
Downsize. Looking at the items within each category, ask yourself what no longer serves you. Are there toys you received as gifts your kids never liked? Are there games and activities that are broken or missing pieces? Are there toys your kids have outgrown? These are all great candidates to toss or donate.
Reorganize. Now that you have what you want, it is time to give these things a home. The problem is, we often do not have good storage solutions when it comes to our kids’ stuff. In this case, you will want to take some time to develop a flexible storage system and acquire a few strategic storage and organizing products. (More on this below.)
Maintain. Children are constantly hitting new developmental milestones. Meanwhile, things are flowing into your home on a regular basis. Your kids’ play areas are spaces you will want to assess, purge, and reorganize regularly to meet your family’s current needs.
CAUTION!
If your kids are aged 4-5 or older, be sure to check with them before saying goodbye to something they might value more than you realize. Discarding something your child prizes can backfire.
If you need help with any part of this process, a professional home organizer can help.
SETTING UP A PLAYROOM OR PLAY AREA
When setting up a playroom or play area in your home, I caution against purchasing items that are too “kiddy” in functionality or appearance. Why?
Playrooms reflect a moment in time. They are constantly evolving to meet new developmental milestones and needs. Someday, it might not even be used as a kids’ space anymore.
Many parents are looking for new storage solutions to create a home for their kids’ stuff and bring a sense of order to play areas. As a home organizer serving Chicago-area residents, I like to recommend organizing products versatile enough to meet families’ needs for years to come.
If you have a larger space, I recommend creating “zones” for pretend play (think dress-up, action figures, dolls), reading, arts and crafts, and building (think blocks and Lego).
Don’t forget to make it comfortable for both children and adults. If you have room, add a comfortable chair or small sofa for the adults. Make sure there is a soft surface on the floor for kids such as carpeting or play mats.
If you are beginning from nothing, or looking to enhance the storage you already have, here is my absolute favorite organizing solution...
MY FAVORITE ORGANIZING SOLUTION FOR KIDS’ STUFF: CUBE ORGANIZERS
My favorite cube organizer is Kallax from IKEA, which has 13 ¼” X 15 3/8” X 13 ¼” cubbies. Brightroom by Target offers a similar product at a lower price but in slightly smaller widths and depths, while still allowing for 13” storage cubes. Kallax and Brightroom are the best for affordability, ease of assembly, and versatility.
Why are cube organizers such standouts?
They come in eight configurations including 1 X 2, 1 X 4, 2 X 2, 2 X 4, 3 X 3, 3 X 4 (Kallax only), 4 X 4, and 5 X 5 (Kallax only), so you can make them work in different spaces. To give you an idea of the price difference, a 2 X 2 from IKEA is $74.99 and a 2 X 2 from Target is $55.00. The IKEA Kallax option is higher quality, and recommended if it’s within budget.
Their design is compatible with assorted styles of home décor.
They stand the test of time and tend to move throughout the home as your needs change, even traveling to young people’s college dorm rooms and first apartments.
They can hold toys, games, books, bookbags, shoes, office items, records, décor, and countless other things!
They are a miracle product. I cannot say enough good things about them! And I have first-hand experience…
Our family has eight Kallax units in our home across three floors (four of the 2 X 2, three of the 2 X 4, one of the 3 X 3, and one of the 4 X 4). One of them is IKEA Expedit (the version that preceded Kallax) and has been with us for 16 years and is still in like-new condition!
HOW TO ORGANIZE TOYS AND KIDS’ ACTIVITIES WITHIN CUBBIES
When organizing within cubbies, choose products that: a.) maximize the space of each cubby and b.) allow for storage of odd-shaped items or groupings of small things. Here are some options to consider...
(A) 13” X 15” X 13” Storage Cube Bins. Several styles are available from sources such as IKEA, Target, and Amazon. These hide their contents, so be sure to label them for kids’ stuff.
(B) Y-Weave XL Curved Decorative Storage Basket. This is a Target Brightroom product available at a great price. I like this sturdier option for heavier toys like die-cast cars and blocks. They are slightly longer than the cubbies, but still work.
(C) Translucent multi-purpose bins. Use these to maximize the space in your cubbies and keep different activities separated. You can find three sizes of multi-purpose bins that fit cubbies (S, M, and L). They are available at The Container Store and Target in the same sizes and comparable prices.
(D) Clear stackable bins with lids. Target’s Brightroom has an 11.8” X 11.8” modular storage box with a lid that comes in three heights. A thirteen-inch cubby can hold one large, two mediums, or three smalls. These are fantastic for organizing kids toys and activities for cubby storage.
(E) Acrylic all-purpose storage bins. Target’s Brightroom has a 12” X 12” X 8” All Purpose Storage Bin in clear acrylic that fits thirteen-inch cubbies well.
Built-in drawers and shelves. Kallax (IKEA) offers several options for building extra organization into individual cubbies such as cabinet doors, drawers, and shelves. These offer less flexibly, but you can remove them if you change your mind!
I recommend mixing and matching and choosing the storage solutions that work best for the stuff you have. Everything listed above is versatile enough to be repurposed as your needs change.
MORE TIPS FOR ORGANIZING KIDS’ STUFF
Here are a few additional tips to get you set up for success…
Take toys out of their original packaging and transfer them to a container that works for your storage units. Once you have made this transfer, you can discard the original packaging and reduce your clutter.
If it is not clear what is in one of your storage containers simply by looking at it, give it a label.
Keep categories broad to make clean-up easier. For example, make Lego a category but do not sub-categorize by color unless you want to spend hours sorting tiny things each week.
Rotate your cubby contents to prevent little ones from getting overwhelmed by too many choices. Store some of your containers elsewhere such as in a closet or other storage area, and occasionally swap them out. Toy rotation ensures things get used.
What’s the best part of cubby storage?
When toys and activities are abandoned or outgrown, you can repurpose the cubbies and containers to house new interests.
WHAT IF YOU DON’T WANT CUBBIES?
If you already have furniture you can use, do not like the aesthetic of cubbies, or find IKEA or Target brands objectionable for any reason, that is perfectly okay! This is something that has worked well for me and others, but there are endless ways to organize kids’ things.
There is no “right” way to organize. While an organizer can make suggestions of specific products when asked, she will always be responsive to your specific needs, preferences, and budget.
hi, I’m Amy!
I love working with my Chicago area clients to help them declutter kids’ items and create lasting organizational systems. If this is something you need, I am here to help!