A child’s bedroom can easily become a disaster zone filled with toys, clothes, books, and craft supplies strewn about. While it may seem hopeless to ever get your kid’s room organized and tidy, there are effective strategies you can use to declutter and create order. Follow these 10 rules to not only declutter your child’s bedroom but keep it that way.
It’s important to include your kids in the decluttering and organizing process, rather than working around them. Children as young as 3 years old will likely be excited to participate and take ownership of keeping their room tidy. Have them give you a tour of their room so they can show you their belongings. This gives you insight into what’s important to them and builds trust before you start pulling down their stuff. Use positive language like “let’s give this a home” rather than “put this away.”
Begin decluttering and organizing where your child is—on the floor! Have them pick up ten items to put away at a time to make it a game. Seeing where their possessions’ new homes are reinforces where everything belongs. Use cubbies, bins, or storage ottomans to create “drop zones” so they can easily maintain themselves.
Young kids’ rooms tend to be one big open space, leading to clutter and mess. Create defined areas for different activities, like reading, arts and crafts, building blocks, etc. Use area rugs to anchor furniture groupings and visibly distinguish spaces. Having a spot just for noisy or messy play keeps those items contained.
Kids often accumulate more stuff than they truly want or need. Make decluttering positive by framing it as donating unused items to charity to find a new home. Give your child permission to part with things they don’t really play with. Fewer total toys will seem less overwhelming.
Pull furniture like tables and desks away from walls and add an area rug underneath to delineate a workspace. Keeping items from blending into one giant mess gives a visual break. Containing art supplies or sensory play to a designated spot keeps those sometimes messy activities from taking over.
Children notice and imitate their parents’ behavior's. Examine your own organizational habits and tidy up your home too. Actions like putting your keys away when you walk in the door model good practices. Maintain your own decluttered, orderly home and your kids will follow suit.
Clear plastic bins, woven baskets, and fabric storage cubes allow you to corral toys, clothes, books, and supplies into organized categories without totally hiding them. Kids can see what’s inside so they remember to put things away. Having a spot to stash everything removes visual clutter. Labels help distinguish categories.
Be honest about what you really need to keep. Donate outgrown clothes, toys they never play with, half-used craft kits, and books they’re not into anymore. Fewer total items feel less stressful for kids to organize. Check-in every season to purge what you no longer use.
Make use of vertical wall space with shelves, hanging cubbies or a bookcase to get everything up off the floor. Add dressers and storage ottomans to tuck away clothes, toys, and supplies out of view. Having enough storage spots for categories of items encourages organizing into proper places.
Build the habit of quick daily tidy-ups. Set a timer for 10 minutes before bedtime and have kids put away toys and clear any clutter. Establish set chores like making the bed, putting dirty clothes in the hamper, and hanging up towels. Consistent maintenance is easier than letting messes build up.
Involving your kids in decluttering their bedroom and keeping it organized makes the process easier and more effective. Use games, friendly language, and imagination like giving their toys “a home” to get kids engaged. Add bright bins and baskets to make storage fun. Maintain consistent routines and lead by example. A little creativity helps inspire your child’s inner organizer.
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