5 Tips to Help Keep Your Kids’ Rooms Organized
Toys, clothes, schoolwork, and who knows what can make keeping a kid’s bedroom organized feel nearly impossible.
Every parent knows that sometimes it takes an army to clean up a kid’s room, and if you’ve been finding yourself busy lately with school restarting and life getting hectic again, things like a little mess can get out of hand and feel overwhelming to deal with.
Don’t worry, though. Mobee has some tips for you to get rid of all that clutter and start getting organized.
No. 1: Purge Everything That Doesn’t Belong
The first step if you’re having trouble keeping a room tidy is to address anything that might be making it harder for the child to stay organized. Perhaps there is simply not enough space for all their things.
That’s why the best place to start when cleaning a child’s bedroom is with purging.
Now, that can sound a little scary—especially for the child—but it doesn’t have to be. Nobody has to get rid of anything that they don’t want to, but it’s very important that they remove what they don’t use.
There are three categories that will have the biggest impact, and that’s where you should focus.
- Trash – This is the easy part. Look for any obvious trash in the bedroom to make an immediate improvement. After that, you should be on the hunt for any broken and irreparable toys, clothes that aren’t wearable or salvageable, and old schoolwork that your kid isn’t attached to. If you wouldn’t use the item, chances are that a donation facility wouldn’t either. It’s important that you know when to throw things away.
- Clothing – Now this part can be a little difficult because clothes often have sentimental value, especially when your children are young, and those teeny tiny shoes and shirts fill you with nostalgia for your sweet baby. But the truth is, your child isn’t benefiting from having all that old stuff in their room when it can’t be worn and it’s cluttering their space. If you’re uncomfortable with throwing it away or donating it, then consider packing it away to be put in storage instead.
- Toys – Your kids will likely resist getting rid of any toys. This is completely understandable. It can be hard to let go of the things we once loved, even if we don’t use them anymore. Remember that this change can be hard on them, so it’s best to have as much patience as you can muster. Try to encourage your kids to sort through all the toys with you so they don’t feel as if their things are being stolen from them. This way, the purge can go as smoothly as possible.
No. 2: Make Sure to Involve Your Kids as Much as Possible
Think about it from the child’s perspective: you’re coming into their space, moving all their things, and then taking their stuff away. It can be traumatic if not done the right way, and lead to a big headache for you.
The way to get ahead of this is by including them in the purging, cleaning, and organizing process from the beginning.
Give them jobs! Assigning your kids a task like choosing which toys to keep and which need to go can help them feel involved and more in control. Now you’re doing this activity together.
Plus, this is an excellent opportunity to teach them about donating so other people can benefit from the things they no longer have use for. This way, it’s like their toys are moving on to a happier life.
Pay as much attention as possible to the way your kid moves around their bedroom. What is their normal routine?
The best organizational skills are built around your needs, so knowing how your child operates can show you what’s working and what could use improvement.
Maybe they always kick off their shoes as soon as they walk into their room, creating a big messy pile of shoes that end up all over the floor. For this scenario, consider putting a bin or a shoe rack next to the door. This way, your child doesn’t have to change their routine too much, and there’s a place for their shoes to go when they take them off that keeps everything contained and looking orderly.
No. 3: Create New Storage Solutions That Work for You
Don’t be afraid to think outside the box when it comes to your storage and organizational needs! The most important thing is that these strategies work for you, regardless of what everyone else does.
For example, many children (and adults!) struggle with putting their clothes away in drawers and hanging them up in the closet. One solution to try if you’re having this issue is doing away with the drawer system altogether. There’s no real reason that their clothes have to be in a dresser and folded perfectly, especially if they are consistently having issues maintaining these spaces. If it’s really not working, don’t force it!
Maybe you can try a bin system instead, that allows your kids to keep their clothes separated into categories like underwear, tops, and bottoms, but doesn’t need as much maintenance as a chest of drawers.
Some of your storage needs will be unique, and that’s awesome!
Does your kid have a rock collection? Maybe they’re obsessed with Legos, model cars, or miniatures. Any of these could be waiting for a unique storage solution that keeps their bedroom more manageable and gives them a space to put the things they love. Having their things on display will only make them feel more prideful and can even help to teach them the value of taking care of their property.
No. 4: Create Storage Spaces for Mementos and Keepsakes
Your child will accumulate a lot of items along the way that aren’t necessarily worth keeping in their play and workspace but aren’t worth getting rid of either. Things like artwork, school projects, photos, gifts, cards, and other things like this will have sentimental significance later on in their lives, so it’s okay to keep them.
The key is to have a storage space ready for these things to go in ahead of time.
Places like the top of the closet or under the bed are always ideal for these kinds of storage solutions. Consider getting some bins that slide under the bed or can be stacked easily at the top of the closet. Often, these kinds of containers can be purchased at places like Lowe’s, Home Depot, or Walmart, and Mobee rewards can help you pay for any items you might need.
But don’t forget that your kid should be able to easily reach their storage, so that they can remain responsible for their room’s organization and maintenance.
As a parent, you should also consider having some spaces like this of your own. Your children will bring you many gifts and handmade crafts over the years that you might want to hang on to.
Don’t be afraid to keep something just because it’s sentimental. It’s all about how you organize it!
No. 5: Maintain Your Strategies & Adapt When Needed
Now that your organization strategies are in place, it’s all about maintenance.
Think about implementing a small chore check-in either weekly or monthly to make sure that your child is following through and keeping things manageable. Consider tasks like:
- Making the bed
- Putting toys and projects away after playing
- Keeping clothes put up
- Throwing away trash, and taking out the trash when needed
- Putting aside damaged or outgrown items
Learning cleaning skills like these will really help your kids in the long run and can teach them not to let piles of clutter grow bigger and bigger.
Continuously checking in on these chores can also help you see what strategies are and aren’t working, so you can adjust as needed. Don’t be scared to change your organization if you think your child would benefit more from a different system.
Lastly, make sure you are modeling the same behavior that you’re asking for from your child. Many kids learn from watching their parents, and this comes with the added bonus of keeping the house cleaner than ever.
As your children grow older, they will hopefully require less enforcement on your end and become independent in caring for their own spaces. We all have to start somewhere. Good luck!