20 Brilliant Kids Room Organization Ideas to Keep Their Space Clutter-Free
Kids rooms can be some of the toughest spaces to keep organized. Most of our kiddos, mine included, struggle to keep their items tidy. They always seem to be accumulating new things, and kids are always growing, so there’s a near-constant need to get rid of old clothes and bring in new ones. So, how do we keep up with it all? Well, first, we release ourselves and our kids from the idea that the space has to be perfect.
First and foremost, we want our kids’ rooms to be a place where they feel cozy and comfortable. But smart organizing systems can really go a long way in helping kids’ rooms stay more organized, so they can find their stuff and have a more calm and serene space to spend their time. Like most rooms of the house, kids’ spaces won’t be one-size-fits-all. But hopefully, you’ll be able to find some ideas in this post that will be helpful to implement in your child’s bedroom.
1. Declutter Often
Decluttering is important in every space in the house, but it is especially crucial in kids’ spaces. Their interests are always changing, so they may outgrow toys on a regular basis. And with the rate kids grow, we end up having to rotate their clothes fairly often, getting rid of items that are too small in favor of items in their current size. I usually do a big declutter of our kids’ room at least twice per year, now that they’re teens/tweens. Shortly before Christmas and right after school lets out are great times to do it!
When decluttering kids’ spaces, I find it’s helpful to do the first pass on my own. I get rid of anything that’s broken, no longer useful, and anything I’m confident they no longer use. I also get an idea of other potential items they may be ready to let go of, so that when we go through the space together to make final decisions about what to discard, I can help guide the process and make it go quicker.
2. Create Zones in the Room
If your kid’s room is a multifunctional space, creating zones can help it flow well and stay tidy more easily. Our boys shared a room when we lived in a small townhouse, and along with sleeping and getting dressed in the space, we also needed to store some of their toys and art supplies. Their bunk beds became a natural sleeping zone. We created a little art zone for their craft supplies. And a ladder shelf acted as the toy zone, giving everything a home and allowing the room to perform multiple functions.
3. Keep Hand-Me-Downs Close By
When we first moved into our current house, I relegated hand-me-downs to the basement. This kept them out of the way, but it was also a pain to carry the clothes up two flights of steps anytime I needed to switch them out. I ended up moving the hand-me-downs to our guest room, which is right next door to the boy’s bedroom, and that made them a lot easier to manage.
4. Organize the Closet Space
Even though our current house is larger than our former townhouse, the boy’s closet is actually much smaller! One of the first things we did after moving in was adding a second row for hanging clothes using IKEA’s BOAXEL system. Since our boys share a room, this gave them each their own row for storing their clothing. And it also made it easier for Caleb, who was only 5 when we moved in, to be able to reach his stuff on his own.
If you don’t want to install a whole new closet system, simply purchase a second bar and install it, and still gain the benefit of added hanging storage. There are a few other ways to make the most of closet space as well:
– Put the dresser in the closet to create more space.
– Keep extra sheets close. Kids can necessitate a lot of sheet changes, so it’s helpful to have them close. Rather than storing sheets in a linen closet, consider keeping sheets in a bin in the kid’s bedroom closet.
– File fold kids’ clothes. Our boys’ current bedroom setup only leaves room for one dresser. The only possible way I can fit all of the clothes for two boys in a single dresser is to file fold. Not only does file folding take up less space, but it also allows the boys to see exactly what’s in their drawer without having to shift through stacked piles and making a mess.
5. Use Stacking Pantry Bins
Stacking pantry bins are one of my favorite organizing tools because you can easily see what you have. And you don’t have to unstack anything to get to the item you need! We used these stacking pantry bins in a cabinet that the boys used to have in their dresser, but they could also work well at the bottom of a closet or on a set of storage shelves.
6. Add Storage into the Decor
Especially when space is at a premium, we will want to get creative with the ways we add storage to a kid’s space. Since I only had room for one nightstand in my boy’s room, I added some wall pockets beside my younger son’s bed for an additional space to store his stuff.
7. Provide Hooks
Hooks are great because they take less effort than a hanger. The easier we can make our systems for the other members of our household, the more likely they will be to follow through. The boys use these cute airplane hooks in their bedroom to hold a jacket or sweatshirt they reach for often.
8. Take Advantage of Under-the-Bed Storage
Without a system, the area under the bed can quickly become a huge mess! These storage bins make it easy to corral under-bed items and tuck them out of sight. Since it can be a bit of a pain to get to them, I like to store items under the bed that we don’t use frequently. These could be things like seasonal clothing and extra bedding and pillows.
9. Utilize Open Bins and Baskets
Our kids will be more likely to put items away if it’s easy to do so. Using unlidded bins on open shelving allows them to toss their toys in quickly without the extra steps of finding the correct bin or unlatching and opening a lid. We also use an open basket to hold extra blankets in our boy’s room, as well as an open round bin for their laundry.
10. Choose Nightstands with Drawers
If there is room for a nightstand or two in your kid’s space, take advantage of the opportunity to add some storage at the same time. This also gives items a place to go rather than stacking everything on the nightstand’s surface.
11. Create an Organized Hat Wall
One of my favorite projects we’ve done in our boy’s bedroom is their organized hat wall! They’ve accumulated more and more hats as they’ve gotten older. These hooks make the hats easy to put away, and they look cute too!
12. Install a Display Shelf
My kids love to collect little statues, figurines, and mementos. They had been piling them up on their nightstand and dresser, and it was driving me bonkers! Eventually, we installed this wall-to-wall shelf. It gave them a space to display their items but also limited the amount to a certain area, so the room stayed less cluttered.
13. Maximize Vertical Storage
Many kids’ rooms are on the small side, so when we run out of room for storage horizontally, we can go vertically! This little art station in our boy’s townhouse bedroom used vertical space well and still allowed them to keep all of their craft supplies close by.
14. Bring in a Rolling Cart
I love rolling carts because they’re an easy way to bring extra storage into a space, AND they can be moved out of the way when necessary. Rolling carts are great for holding books, craft supplies, games, small toys, and more.
15. Try a Bean Bag Chair for Stuffed Animals
If you have a stuffed animal loving kid, but don’t love the clutter they create, try a bean bag storage chair! It’s a great way for our kiddos to be able to keep their precious stuffed toys while tucking them out of sight in a useful seat when not being used.
More Brilliant Organized Kids Room Ideas
My oh-so-creative blog friends are full of smart ideas for organizing kids’ rooms as well! Don’t miss these helpful organizing strategies:
– Use a cube unit to organize toys in the closet like Chelsea from Two Twenty One.
– Create inexpensive book ledges like Jenny from Refresh Living.
– Divide up a drawer to organize hair bows like Alexa from Alexa Zurcher.
– Try out zippered bedding like Ashley from Make It & Love It.
– Use a pegboard to help organize small accessories like Jessie from Eye in the Detail.
Organized Kids Bedroom Final Thoughts
Keeping kids’ rooms organized can be a challenge, but it’s not impossible! With smart systems that make it easy for kids to put things back where they go, their spaces will stay tidier and more comfortable for them too. And when kids learn positive organizing habits from a young age, they’ll be more likely to stay consistent with those habits in the future.
Kids Room Organization Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I organize my kid’s small room?
To organize a small kid’s room:
– Keep toys to a minimum.
– Rotate toys if necessary.
– Utilize vertical space as much as possible.
– Don’t leave any dead space in the closet.
– Fully utilize any space under hanging clothes and in the back corner of the closet.
– Consider choosing a bed with built-in storage underneath or at the foot of the bed.
– Regularly declutter clothes, toys, and other items in the room to keep clutter at bay.
2. How do I keep my kid’s room clutter-free?
Our boys sleep in the same room and have a separate playroom for all of their toys. Since each room has its set purpose – sleeping in one and playing in the other – both rooms stay less cluttered.
3. How do you maximize space in a kid’s room?
To maximize space in a kid’s room:
– Only keep items in the room that are absolutely necessary.
– Store toys somewhere else.
– Opt for bunk beds.
– Hang all clothing to eliminate the need for a dresser.
– Utilize vertical space with shelving units and wall-mounted shelves.
– Make the most of under-the-bed storage with organized bins.
How do I organize my kid’s small room?
To organize a small kid’s room: Keep toys to a minimum. Rotate toys if necessary. Utilize vertical space as much as possible. Don’t leave any dead space in the closet. Fully utilize any space under hanging clothes and in the back corner of the closet. Consider choosing a bed with built-in storage underneath or at the foot of the bed. Regularly declutter clothes, toys, and other items in the room to keep clutter at bay.
How do I keep my kid’s room clutter-free?
Our boys sleep in the same room and have a separate playroom for all of their toys. Since each room has its set purpose – sleeping in one and playing in the other – both rooms stay less cluttered.
How do you maximize space in a kid’s room?
To maximize space in a kid’s room: Only keep items in the room that are absolutely necessary. Store toys somewhere else. Opt for bunk beds. Hang all clothing to eliminate the need for a dresser. Utilize vertical space with shelving units and wall-mounted shelves. Make the most of under-the-bed storage with organized bins.
