As some of you may know, our family kicked off 2012 with a cross-country move. While I was dead set on raising my boys in sunny California, life had other plans for them, and my husband had an opportunity that simply made sense for the entire family despite being on the “wrong” coast.
My 70° and sunny bubble quickly burst when the movers arrived. Deciding what was coming to our new NYC apartment and what was heading straight into years of storage was no easy task. This life-changing event called for some serious downsizing. And while I had a 22-month old to manage during the move, I also had his enormous sleigh crib to deal with. After all the packing and purging, the last thing I wanted was to lug a massive crib cross-country to use for what, just a couple of months? The panic then set in after thinking logistics. Would the crib fit in the room? How would I get rid of it? Where would I store it? And so it was decided—my youngest would be fast-tracked into a twin bed to share a room with his 4-year-old brother.
Shared rooms are a hot topic in these parts. Pam and I are both making our kids share (although she has one up on me as she’s mixing genders). The real issue then becomes how does one mom (me!) single-handedly manage all their stuff? Keeping clean and organized is a constant battle with small children. Throw in a small space and a small closet, and well…here we are today.
After weeks of wrestling with kid clutter, I am sharing a few tried-and-true design solutions, plus a sneak peek into my boys’ new room (still a work in progress). Keeping it organized from the get-go is what gets me to the finish line of each and every hectic day here in the Big Apple. And let me just say this…This is not a designer room with three things on the wall so it looks good in a magazine. My kids have lots of stuff. My boys insist on loads of color, their own art work on the walls and Superheros splashed just about everywhere.
Note: I did have the option to sacrifice my home office space and give the boys their own rooms, but there’s something about forcing them to share everything in the hopes of them becoming very best buds that’s every mother’s dream. I figure it’s worth a shot.
1. Maximize wall space. Clearly this is the theme of the room. Truthfully, it’s just my way of keeping photos and frames out of the closet. Coming from a larger home, we had so many frames that we decided to create gallery-style collages on many of our apartment walls. I spray painted some and re-framed others in white, so the art would “pop,” and the frames would blend into the walls. Not only does it make a major design statement, I’m also proudly showcasing my children’s art collection and a few family heirlooms in the process.
2. Purge and then edit and edit again. The sole purpose of this exercise is to save my sanity. It sounds excessive, but do they really need every single stuffed animal they’ve received since they were born? Just saying…
3. Limit decorative accessories. Not everything needs to be included on the shelf or bedside table. Not only will it look cleaner, you will actually be able to keep it clean with a quick dusting or wipe down.
4. When in doubt, go up. That’s what great shelving is for. My picture ledges are working double time as excellent space-saving bookshelves.
5. Get it off the floor. This is probably one of the biggest offenders when it comes to kid room clutter. Vacuuming and keeping the dust bunnies at bay is a constant when living in a small apartment, so I like to give myself a break and clear floor space by hanging what I can when I can.
6. Keep it fluid. Have storage boxes standing by, already labeled. My clear bins are just waiting to be filled with the clothes my oldest will pass down to my youngest.
So that wraps up a sneak peek into my new apartment lifestyle. I am now more anxious than ever to finish off some of the design details in the boys’ room, and I’ll be sharing more in the coming weeks. But now we want to hear from you. We are offering our readers a giveaway you won’t want to miss in an effort to help you keep your kid space clean and clutter-free. How do you manage all of your kid clutter?
WIN IT! A $350 Target gift card plus a $150 Container Store gift card to one lucky Project Nursery reader, a $500 value!
HOW TO ENTER: To enter, simply share with us your very best tips for keeping your kid space clean and clutter-free by commenting below. For official contest rules, visit here. Contest ends Thursday, March 22, 2012 at 11:59 PM EST.
Comments
Fiona
My tip? Go through (or have your child go through) the toys at the end of every day and put it where it belongs. Don’t let it pile up!
Amy F
The best advice is what I learned from my own mom. Less is more! Purging old toys, clothes, etc makes a big difference when it comes to clutter. Plus it’s always a great thing to give toys a new home and a new life!
Danene
I swear by picture ledges for keeping everything off the floor.
Jessica
Purchase furniture with legs. We actually did this by accident with our son’s nursery furniture. His full-size bed (formerly a crib), dresser, chest, and nightstand, all have about 7″ of space beneath them, so I can store a ton of stuff under there, out of sight.
Mallory
I put all my daughters toys in plastic bins and rotate the bins out. It keeps her interested in her toys and the toys aren’t all out at once. She obviously, has some toys out all the time for easy access, but when she gets a bin she gets excited to find out whats inside. Once she is done playing she is able to throw her toys back in the bin and we put it away. It is easy to tell what toys she has out grown because she wont take them out of the bins so we just pack them away until the next little one arrives or it is time to donate.
Old clothes I use diaper boxes to box them up. They are great storage boxes.
Laura
I don’t really have any good advice since I’m still expecting, but in general I like to purge my stuff frequently so it doesn’t become that avalanche of a closet that you see in cartoons.
Cjko
My baby is just 3 months old but I plan to do what my fried does. On their birthdays (summer) and around Christmas she has her boys go through their toys and give them to less fortunate kids. The boys love doing it and it teaches them generosity while also cleaning the clutter.
Pam
Melisa, please come over and help with all my clutter! love all your tips. Thanks
leah
I have a basked designated for all the “little” things that need to be taken to the back of the house – either to my son’s bedroom or bathroom. I’m able to drop off the comb, lotion, random lego, sunscreen, stuffed animal, hat, ball, etc into the basket then take ONE trip to his room and put everything in the right place.
Yanina
I have a toddler who is almost three and we do crafts everyday so instead of him just going through ALL of the supplies we have I have 3 little pins each with different fun stuff in it and he chooses what he wants to do. That way things don’t get everywhere glue is spilled when it’s not even used and we get to do all of them throughout the day because I don’t have to clean up the same stuff over and over and over!
tami
containers! i love containers. everything feels so much better and cleaner when its all contained :)
Lauren
My tip is to have a designated ‘spot’ for things and they go there when he’s done playing with them. Granted, he’s still only 9mo old so lots of things will change, but we figure if we start now, it’ll help get into a routine later.
Crissa Robertson
Start with an organized room. Keep it clean and picked up at the end of each day. Even if you struggle with that, at least you know where things are supposed to go and it makes clean up easier…as opposed to not starting with a clean space and never cleaning up because you know you need to organize and that is going to be a bigger project than you want.
Justine
Lots of bins and baskets!
Audrey
Keeping my husband out of my daughter’s room is how I keep it clean! He will take over every horizontal space in the house if I don’t set boundaries. :)
Lauren R
I’m just setting up my first nursery, but I think a huge thing for me will be every item having a designated place. Then there is no excuse for not putting it away!
Sivan
I’m a sucker for storage boxes! Clear Tupperware style for the closet for clothes waiting to be worn or that have already been outgrown, and cute and fun containers for toys in the room. And of course, teaching my girls early on to clean-up with me.
Amanda Hays
Just like everyone, I’m a lover of storage boxes and also placing random items in decorative pieces. School supplies in a wicker ottoman, games in the leather ottoman, craft supplies in a decorative box. This way things are accessible yet camouflaged for decor.
Paulina
Bins, bins, and more bins. Everything has a home in their own bin!
Helen
My boys are at the age where I’m trying to encourage them to take responsibility for their things. Labeled bins and hooks at kid-height have really helped them to tackle their own toy/coat/bag/accessory cleanup!
Holly
The one thing that helps us out is to have a container for everything, and to know where it goes. Our house may be a disaster after play time, but it doesn’t take long to throw everything into the right bin.
Shelbey
We have small bedrooms in our home so many of my baby’s toys are all over the living room. Woven baskets filled with toys actually look good in our living space. No plastic bins to put everything in to make it look even more “kidish”. Then at the end of the day I just toss everything in the baskets and my floor is clean. Ready for the next day!
Kelly K
Splitting the toys into 4 boxes and rotating these four boxes lets them play with “new” toys every so often and cuts the toys down to 1/4 of the total!
Elizabeth
I just had my baby shower and was blown away but the quanity of clothing, toys, books, diapers and wipes I had. My home is tiny! 800 square feet and baby’s room is just as small. I realized that I was going to have to be super organized in order to keep things under control and clutter free.
I sorted all of my clothing items by size and put them in vacuum seal bags to save space then labeled the containers.
I bought a cubby storage unit with baskets to sort toys and books
My crib which is kiddy- corner in the room creates a great hiding place for extra diapers and wipes ( I keep them in the space between the crib and wall and underneath with a crib skirt to hide them away)
I purchased a changing table that had shelves and baskets to put extra toiletries and diapers in and finally, I found a wonderful munchkin closet organizer with a place for everything in it- socks,shoes, onesies, sleepers/ birb cothes, etc.
The key is to have a spot for everything and to put everything back in it’s spot. My nursery is clutter free!
Megan Fenno
My favorite tip or advice would be to make sure everything has a place, no matter what. When items don’t have place where they can be put away, things can tend to build up and give your kid’s room that “cluttered” feeling.
Here’s another thing I found to be helpful: I use plastic bins for all my sons old clothes that no longer fit him and label them by size. So far I have a “0-3 month” bin, “3-6 month” bin and “6-9 month” bin.
Maralee Sullivan
I’m a big one for storage containers–of all sizes. I like to keep toys organized by theme in small bins and then be able to toss those into a bigger bin (that also holds bigger toys that don’t fit in small bins) and then throw the big one into the closet. Works great for us and the floor CAN be completely free of toys very quickly (but usually they’re left out…)
Maribel
I used containers baskets to put my kids toys and also put their clothes in bins depending on the season that way I dont have a lot of clothes that they dont use.
Nicole
I have a very active 2 year old (who probably should have been named Chase) who has 7 grandparents and 3 great-grandparents. Needless to say, he has every toy a 2 year old could dream of. What I’ve learned to do (read: was forced to do due to lack of space) is ‘rotate’ his toys. This does two things: when I think he’s getting bored with some of his toys, I switch them out with others and they’re like new again…secondly, it eliminates some of the clutter that would otherwise be strewn all over his room…and my house.
Hannah Siburt
My tip . . . spend 5 minutes straightening up at the end of every day.
cherie chapman
Every year at the holidays my kids clean out toys and clothes they no longer wear then we post an add on craigslist for free items to families in need over the holidays. This way they feel good about getting rid of stuff they no longer use and get to see first hand how much it really helps families in need for christmas presents
Dana
I use storage boxes that I put all his toys in and later store it in his closet. Also his crib has legs that I am able to store boxes of toys under.
Jami Hall
I use storage totes and organize all my daughters toys in them.
Bren
I always rotate toys. I let my son pick out 5 or so toys to keep out in his room and then store away the rest. When he starts to get bored, I rotate in some new toys. It keeps him focused and excited about the things he already has – and helps me to cut down on the clutter!!
Gina
I already have the “keep things off the floor” rule in place, and that definitely helps with vacuuming little dust bunnies. I’m also creating a closet organization system that’ll help with organization AND storage AND act as an “office” for my kindergartener. Hey, just because she’s 6 doesn’t mean she can’t take her homework seriously :-)
Addison Kat
My tip is to get rid of the clutter!! Can’t get rid of toys? Hide half of them and once your kids are tired of their current toys, bring some of them out and rotate them so they’ll always have something “new” to play with..
Megan
I love baskets! I put everything up and out of site in our attic that we dont need on a daily basis and then everything has a container – clear containers, baskets, bins, etc. I also clean out closets every 6 months. Sometimes you find things you didnt even know you had and other times you realize why its still sitting in the back of the closet. I donate everything so that makes us feel good to help other people.
Julie
My all-time favorite piece of advice about avoiding clutter in the first place: for every new item that comes into the house, give away or throw away at least 1 other item. This can pertain to anything in the house – toys, clothes, shoes, etc. And it certainly doesn’t only apply to kids – mommys can always use this advice!!
Great giveaway! It would be HUGE to win this since we’re expecting baby #1 this Summer. Thanks!
Lindsay E.
Every month we do a closet purge and store clothes we’re keeping in those airtight vaccum seal bags. Cuts down on clutter and storage space!
Hillary H.
My little one is only 3 months, but to keep my house un-cluttered I try to put away toys etc each day. A little to pick up is a lot better than a lot to pick up, and can make cleaning less intimidating!
nechama levin
lots of containers!!!!!
Amanda
I like to go through everything a couple times a year and get rid of things I don’t need.
lace
containers with pictures on the front of what goes in them. That way they can easily take care of their own things.
Jessica Lauren
What a cute and organized room! We just keep everything organized in (what seems like) millions of bins labeled with what they should contain. With 3 boys (2 seven year olds and a 2 year old) things get messy, but they’re big enough now that they can help clean and put away their own things.
Whitney
Wow. I have two boys and love your ideas. Esp. the Brothers sign on the wall.
As far as keeping things clean and decluttered… it’s a daily task! Seriously though we donate toys we are to big for and I sell old clothes for new clothes so we don’t have an over flow in the closet. Also we have bins so they can put their toys away! Oh and Clorox wipes are a must for it all. I buy the jumbo pack of Clorox wipes at Sams!
Thanks for the ideas!
ramblesahm at yahoo dot com
Megan Barber
We installed Elfa closets in our house and it has been a lifesaver. Elfa closets maximize storage space, allowing for all of my kid’s clothes AND toys to be stored in the closet. Plus, they are beautiful! I then put clear tubs with labels on the Elfa shelves.
Katie
Containers, bins, & baskets! I have little three girls (4,6,&8) who love all of the toys that have a million parts and pieces. Each set of toys has it’s own container or basket that is labeled with name and a picture of the toy. This way even my littlest, learning to read child, can help put things away. At our house we say, “everything has a home!” Messes still happen of course, but clean up is much more manageable with three little helpers capable of putting the mess away.
kate
Bins and baskets for storage, everything has a place to keep clutter at bay. Also make it a point to teach your children from an early age to pick up their rooms each day.
NavyNuke
Minimize what is present. Every year let your child select old toys they would like to donate and take them out to do it. It will minimize accumulation, teach your children about charity and help them to value all that you have provided them with.
Nicole Dunlop
I was given a wall shelf from a friend brand new in the box and had no idea what I was going to do with it until the little one kept getting into her cloth diaper stash and throwing them everywhere! This small little partitioned shelf has worked wonders for keeping them up high over the changing table out of her reach! We also have a tall white utility cabinet in her room that was given to us, it takes up alot of space! But we made use out of it! I drilled to small screws in the side to hold and easel pad and painted the front bottom half with chalk board paint! Therefor eliminating an easel! I also make use of storage under her crib and changing table with right now thin long boxes to hold items she needs to grow into(mainly puzzles, paints etc that she has gotten for her birthday)
I need to make a spot for all of her books, your idea is awesome think once we are done poorer training and our changing table is given away I can make her a reading corner!
Thanks for your helpful hints!
Nicole Dunlop
Coleeol42784@gmail.com
Kelly Lorandos
We purge every so few months in our house. Store or donate old toys that we no longer play with and clothes that we outgrew. Less items, less homes to find for them!
Brie Rivera
i love to use the fabric bins on shelving units to organize, can throw things in and no one can see in them.
Michelle Ellerhoff
I have a son (almost 4) and a daughter (just turned 2) who share a room. EVERYTHING is stored in the closet. They are used to putting toys away in there & their playroom at the end of the day. The best advice I have for this situation is colored Rubbermaid containers. She knows her toys go in the green totes & he know his go in the blue! It is a lesson in taking care of what we own, sharing, respecting each others favorites and COLORS!
Virginia
Purge and keep everything organized! After my daughter is done playing with her toys, I would put everything back where they belong and off the floor. Once she’s older, I’ll have her help me clean as part of a game.
Lindsay
My sons playroom is a big problem area for us. Just last week I went through it for the fifth time since moving here a little under a year ago. My best advice is that if a toy hadn’t been played with in over 6 months, donate it! I am trying very hard to stick with my plan of going through his closets every 2 months, it’s so easy to throw something in there and forget about it! Thanks for the chance to get organized!
Angie
I always stock up on clear containers for the big toys and switch them in and out so my toddler always has a fresh outlook on playing with ALL her toys. I also like the 4 drawer plastic containers for all the smaller toy pieces.
Melissa
My advice would be to live simply and ensure everything has a place; if it doesn’t it’s time to purge. By doing this at least your home will always look less cluttered! Cleaning up at the end of the day is a must and with my two-year old the “clean up” song does the trick :-)
Alyssa Hyde
Get rid of the old to make room for the new. Use plastic bins to hold the little stuff. Don’t waste time organizing by type of toy or anything like that, its a waste of time cause they are all going to end up on the floor in a pile. Teach your kid to play in designated areas, that way you only have two rooms to pick up rather than six. Also, let your child help clean up. Give him or her the swifter to push around or a wipe to wipe off their little table and chairs.
Kim Maciekowicz
For my 12 year old’s room we added to drawer units in his closet to keep clothes and all kinds of stuff since he really doesn’t use the hanging rod. We also use shelves on each side of the bed instead of night stands so he can put things up all along his wall instead of just right next to the bed.
Mommydoll13
have set places for toys. We have bins and after dinner the kids need to put everything in the correct bin or draw.. I find it is easier to clean if everything has a set place to go …
also going thru and getting rid of older toys that aren’t played with as much..
dollhousecreation(at)gmail(dot)com
Chelsea A
I have a couple of bookshelves and whatever doesn’t fit on those, they find new homes outside of ours!
I haven’t employed this yet with our kids (first is due in May) but for myself and my husband, it works really well. With the kids we’ll show them how to take stuff to donation bins and what their ‘sharing’ does for others who might not have as many toys as they do. Cleaning + learning experience = win-win!
Nicole Dunlop
Nicole Dunlop,
Oh mylanta! Mommy nreds a nap! Potty*** not poorer! Lol
Lindsey
I am new to te mommy thing but so far baskets with cute labels have been my saving grace…not only do they look cute but they are functional too! And getting them off the floor on shelves and a dresser helps fight the clutter!
Mercedes
I have a couple of vintage crates distributed in different spaces in the house, so that I can store any toy or shoe or crayon I find on the floor… then I on the weekends it all goes back were it should be. The crates look pretty cute and they are easy to place under a coffee table!
Karina Lee
Clean up as you go. I have a bad habit of saving all the cleaning to the last minute and then I have to do it all at once. Dust one day, vacuum the next, etc. It helps to keep it less overwhelming
stephanie
one of the simplest tips i was ever given was to never walk by something without putting it in its proper place. this has helped us in keeping our home clutter free and will hopefully be a useful tip when our first baby arrives in 6 weeks!
Jayne L.
I love utilizing vertical wall space to keep things more clutter-free. Hooks, bins, photo ledges and baskets are used in my 15 month old’s room to minimize the mess while maximizing the fun he can have with the extra floor space. It definitely helps to keep things off the floors and makes cleaning easier too!
Lucy
We have all of my sons toys in the livign room… he has a huge toy box and he knows before we nap and before he sleeps we sing the clean up song and he cleans his toys! I also have started to put away toys he has not used for over 6 months in a big giant rubermade box that goes in the garage. We try to keep his soft toys and hard toys separte,,, I also make him clean up after him self after we eat he uses a wipe to clean the table, if he spills he helps me clean up the spill when he takes his clothes off he loves to take it to the laundry basket…
Michelle H.
My sons share a bedroom and we installed extra shelving in the back of the closet and stored each son’s toys in separate plastic bins labeled with their names: baseball cards, action figures, legos, etc. The rule was that you could take out one bin but couldn’t have another out until the first was put back where it belongs. My sons have bunk beds and I added cloth “organizers” that hang off the sides for each one so they could store their favorite toys on their own bed. I also had one large laundry bin in the corner of the room for dirty clothes and a garbage can next to it for trash. We have a daily pickup day so that the room wouldn’t get overwhelmingly cluttered and dirty.
msilba
Clean up as you go, and sort through toys and clothes each season so you can get rid of unused toys and clothes that are too small.
Susan
I put everything in bins and label them. I alphabetize the bin and sort them by the letter versus the category. It makes my child work harder to sound out the words, so she could get what she wants from the right bin.
Lynette
I don’t know how helpful or insightful this is but the best way I help my daughter keep her room clean is having a bin/place for EVERYTHING. That way, nothing ends up on the floor, it goes where it is supposed to be in her room.
Kassie
With a small space, it is very important to choose design pieces that have multiple functions. Look for things that are both fun and practical. If your children are old enough, assign them a shelf or some baskets they can use for organizing some toys themselves. Not only are they learning and developing with this task, it gives them pride to put toys away where they assigned it. My experience working with kindergarteners has taught me that children love it when you give them little pieces of responsibility. You could even help them make some labels for this task. Also, for multiple children in a room, this will encourage team work during clean up time.
Patricia
I make sure to clean up ALL the toys every night before bedtime with my 3 year old, and make sure we have a place for everything. Favourites are kept out for daily use. Old toys and toys that are no longer age appropriate are put away in clear boxes awaiting my 9 month old to grow into. I always make sure to box up clothes in clear boxes with age labels clearly marked on the outside. I don’t like toy boxes as stuff just gets lost in the bottom, or would just be emptied for the fun of it and never played with!! I have also started using the library weekly as so we can keep the books we own down to a minimum but maximizing what we read !
Abi
I try to control clutter by shoving everything into a closet. Seriously, I do! I have grand organizing dreams and no cash to actually create them. I really control how full the closets do get though with frequent purging. If there isn’t room for it, I either purge or don’t keep it.
Ashley C
I try to keep different toys organized by type or bin. That way there is a specific spot for everything!
demureprincess7(at)gmail(dot)com
Miranda Welle
I am dealing with this RIGHT now! LOL. I tackled our downstairs yesterday that included the living room and toy room and the house is feeling MUCH cleaner right now but our upstairs is a disaster! I definitely need some organizing help up there! But for the downstairs, I just started throwing things away! The kids like to keep every little piece possible but there were toys that were missing pieces or broke and I finally just told them that they had to GO!
gilda campos
We use label shelves and containers with their exact contents to easy child frustration when she is searching her toys. After using her toys, we tried to clean them with hand towels clorox before keeping them in its place again.
And Holidays, toys, games, clothes, shoes, and so on all to accumulate during the year we donate them. It’s a sure way to keep your home simple, tidy and easier to keep clean.
AEOT
Organizing and storing old clothes correctly and in LABELED bins. We’re having our second baby in 2 months and it is so nice to know that I won’t have to sort through all the clothes or figure out which bin is which size since they’re all stored together in the basement. Plus, I have gotten some total steals on clothes that are currently too big for my son who is 2 but those are all in a bin labeled for his next size up. I find that the clear bins are great for this as a quick glance will show me if I already have khackis/jeans/winter coat/ etc in that size and I don’t have to dig through everything constantly!
Ashlee
Purge often! I also put everything in baskets and bins – the mess is contained and it looks great!!
tawni raceles
I love being organized, and with kids its a must in order to stay sane. After being a manager of a childcare and a nanny for 10 years, I have learned so much and have applied that to my baby room, afterall, we live in a tiny 2 bedroom and had to get creative. I organized his clothes by size, with dividers I made myself. I do not keep clutter and try and have only necessities in his room and bath. I love mason jars! And use these for paints and craft supplies for art time. I also use storage shelving with bins that I put into his closet. We took off the closet doors and put in a closet package. This made it so we did not need a huge dresser and more room for play time. I always utilize space under the bed for stuff we do not use eveart ryday. I used two bins that role, and fit neatly underneath and out of sight. By utilizing all of our space we were able to still have a guest bed, crib,changing table and extra space for fun. Instead of using an easel to paint, we had our painter use special paint that is dry erase and a chalk board. We framed them, and he can now be creative directly on the wall is his own art space. Thanks for reading!
Adrienne
Love this post and really hoping I can win this prize. I just wrapped up my daughters nursery vision board and may need to go back and revamp. The three concepts/design ideas and elements is lounge to incorporate in the room are Africa, Treasure Trove and most importantly minimalism. I think I can master my minimalist approach with some of these tips above. Thanks!
deanna
purging when necessary and donating things out grown. having bins labeled and teaching them what the labels are and what goes in the box. I have a box for everything! keep laundry separated and teach them how to fold it and even put it up! We LOVE LOVE LOVE clorox wipes and wipe down everything in the house that needs it. So easy and effective.
Katie Lewis
To keep my son’s room organized, we make sure to pick up on a daily basis and put things where they belong. If you do it everyday, it only takes a few minutes. If you don’t – the mess begins!
Marissa
Keep it off the floor, and buy one, purge one is a good rule!
Brooke
1) Bins & Baskets – They keep everything neatly sorted so it is easy to clean up. I like the label the big bins so I can find them after periods on non-use.
2) The consignment shop is your friend – as soon as clothing is grown out of, and toys are not used anymore take them to the consignment shop. Get store credit so you can get the next size up in clothing or gear that you need. Do this often to keep only needed things in kids rooms.
Best,
Brooke
michelle
Make sure I get rid of all the things the baby outgrows and use many storage bins to keep it tidy!
Stacey
I find that if I keep my kid out of his room it helps a lot ;) but since that isn’t practical we use ikea expedits in the closet with buckets and baskets for small “junk” items so they are out of eye shot and easy for a toddler to put away.
Mama Brooklyn
HI! and welcome to NYC! I’m a mama to sisters, 5 1/2 years and 11 months. One way I keep our Brooklyn apartment clean and clutter free is limiting gifts and well…THINGS! In lieu of toys and such during birthdays and Christmas, we ask friends and family who insist on giving, to contribute towards a class (piano, swim, ballet, theater…). This way, gifts are not only used and enjoyed but it also doesn’t make a permanent place in our home!
Colleen Fuller
I use nylon clothes bins with handles on them to store books & games on shelves! You can not see the clutter and they make the room look clean. Right now I have Ivory ones but I would love if the were colorful! Thank you for the great contest!
Oh, and a dresser to put away all the laundry I do for the babies! :)
karen serna
as a mom of two boys, i purge A LOT! i also keep a box or tub in each of their closets for any shoes or clothes they’ve outgrown. thanks for the chance to win!
amy
For my 2 girls I follow the anti-hoarder rule. We don;t keep every toy they get, especially all the little tiny things that just seem to get stepped on all the time. We are contently purging and donating toys and clothing. I try to hold on to the sentimental or family things that will have meaning even as they get older.
Make sure eveything has a place- and that the kids know where that place is, this really helps all of us keep organized and not searching for things when we need them. Storage bins and labels!!
Amie Olson
I use decorative baskets with liners that match the kids’ rooms to store toys, dolls, socks, and other small items. I also use hooks to hang purses and backpacks. I also place plastic bins with items to be stored on closet shelves I store seasonal jackets and clothing to free up space.
Jessica
We use decorative baskets with cute little labels… one for books, one for stuffed animals, one for larger toys, and one for smaller toys. If something new doesn’t fit, we donate something old! We also make sure our little guy (17 months) helps us clean up. We sing a clean up song & make it a fun experience.
leigh
I use clear plastic containers to hold their toys. You can see in them easy.
Joanne
Using bins to store all those toys that have a ton of pieces. Tupperware + labels = happiness
Mami2jcn
I do a toy purge every couple of months and either throw away broken toys or donate ones that my kids no longer play with. I use bins for storage.
Jennifer jester
We have shelving in the closet that helps keeping things up where she can’t tear it all out! (14 mnth old) I try to have her help me pick up every night before bath, we’ve made it a nightly routine. And I have a toy organizer that she can easily put the toys in.
Christina P
Fabric Bins!!!! We have several in our nursery wall unit.
1) Some of them are super cute. I got some bold color ones that tie in our nursery colors.
2) They hide the mess! I use them to toss toys, blankets, baby carriers, whatever. Whenever I need to clean the room in a hurray, which is always, I just toss items in there.
3) Helps children learn colors and how to read. Once my little man is older, we plan on writing on the box to help identify what is inside. So we’ll have one for toys, and one for water toys, and one for blankets, and whatever we’ll need them for.
Sarah Jay
Drawers! Or bins that function as drawers. They’re the biggest clutter-busters in our house, especially when it comes to toy storage. And if you use photos on the labels, even the littlest hands can figure out where to put something.
Gwen
I have shelving in my boys room where books and decor goes. We try to limit how much “stuff” they have and regularly sort through old toys they’ve outgrown to make room for new things.
arely colin
plastic boxes and drawers
Jessie C.
I use bins and drawers to organize and storage.
Karen
Plastic boxes for legos are a must and organizing clothes in closet by type (shirts, pants, etc.) and color.
Abby
With our first little one due in the end of May, I’ve been doing a good deal of research on just this topic! We have a small two-bedroom, and staying organized will be our main focus. Baskets, drawer organizers, hooks and shelves will all be big helpers!
Miranda
We use storage bins, hampers, closet storage cubes and drawers for everything in the kids rooms. We have 3 boys and toys everywhere so organizing everything really helps out.
Shunta
baskets! lots of them. in every room. to store toys etc… and labels!!
Naomi
downsizing only keeping whats needed & handing off extras to friends & family,
clear storage containers
maximizing use of space ex: hanging stuff & storing under bed
Coreena
My 1st child is due this August. My husband and I both come from very large families and will have tons of babysitters on both sides. I decided that in order to keep clutter down in my own home, I am going to spread out the clutter between our familes! Just kidding. I am going to use tons of baskets, storage containers, shelving etc.
angi archer
I use colorful bins to seperate my kids stuff and I try to clean out any trash once a week.
Cari
Totes, totes, and more totes.
lisa hawkes
I make sure everything in the room has a place. That way there is no question of where things belong. This is helpful in teaching my 3 year old organizing skills early too.
Kayleigh Larkins
Lots of bins for toys! We also have rain gutter bookshelves!
Cynthia
That’s easy…I have a husband who is meticulous about putting things away and keeping things orderly! One quick visit to any room in my house and he has swept into order!
Linda L
I try to keep all of the toys in one place and label all boxes.
Katherine
The best thing I do to avoid clutter is to avoid having too much stuff in the first place. Only get essentials, and get rid of things that are unneeded or unused.
Tian Hapsari
I used plastic shelves from target to keep the toys organized and then encourage her to help me keep it that way. I involve her in on the action when I organize her room.
cynthia orellana
only having what is really used and played with and keeping those item in bins, drawers, baskets, etc. oh- and LABEL EVERYTHING! :)
melissa hoffman
I use labeled baskets and bins to house toys, puzzles, and books. My son knows where things are and where they belong… this helps with my sanity more than his :).
joy person
I make sure to not have so much in the space in the first place and I “recycle” my daughter’s toys. I’ll take some and store it away for a little while and bring them back out and it’s like having new toys instead of buying more and more toys to add to the large collection as it is. I also have a shelving unit with storage bins that are labeled with what goes in and a picture so my daughter can see and read what goes in each bin. I also have my daughter help clean by making it a game or contest of who can clean the fastest and the best! She of course always wins and gets a little reward at the end.
Alanna
In order to keep clutter at bay I use inexpensize shelving from ikea and vintage metal wire bins to store toys and stuffed animals, you can still see all the cute, colorful stuffed animals but everything has its place.
Andrea
I have a toy box in our main living area which helps keep the clutter picked up. I also make sure the days worth of clutter is all picked up before going to bed. Its also nice to wipe down the treadmill/counter/bathroom counter with Clorox wipes everyday. It leaves my house smelling fresh and it just feels clean. The green smell is my favorite.
Nicole
Bins. Ikea’s Expedit furniture is perfect for books, toys, bins, and it is totally modern and clean. We have a big unit that we are actually using as a room divider since our office and nursery are in the same room. Without a doubt, that is my favorite organization space in my house.
diane fond
I love order and we all know with children there are tons of toys,crayons,and stuffed animals all over their room.My great solution was getting a terrific cabinet .We use it for boks and then have compatments filled with baskets.One is for ART ITEMS,,another for Legos,another for dolls and stuffed animals.This can be purchased on a upscale side from POTTERY BARN KIDS or even at a garage sae and repaint.Life is so easy when Mom and children know where to look for what they want.I think it’s great to have your children make a sign for the front of their baskets.We can spend more time having fun rather than searching for the lost doll or whatever!!!!! Love using Clorox Wipes not only for the childrens play area but for bathroom and kitchens too.Lemon Scent is awesome.Great partnership!!!
Jennifer
Purge!! It’s nothing that hasn’t already been said but it’s the best way to keep order. Also, I make use of every nook and cranny in my kids room. I have a 20 month old daughter and a 3 week old son and they share a room so space is tight!
LittleBlueBird
Being the youngest of four my well meaning siblings are always trying to pass on their previously loved toys and i have had to learn to edit and graciously say no thank you. I also donate a great deal of items we are no longer using. Baskets tucked into shelving help keep the clutter off our floor. I have also learned to let go of my need for everything to be neat and tidy and try to be in the moment.
PS love the beds. does anyone where are they from?
Kyla
Bins and Boxes and drawer organizers….labels help too! My biggest struggle is purging….but I’m getting better!
mindy
Going vertical is a big thing for me. Utilize the space for storage of books (like you did) I also make picture labels for things so it is easier for my 2 year old to pick up himself. Also, the back side of a closet door is great for more storage. I also find it important to not put lids on boxes…more things actually get put away if there are no lids. I also like to put things under the beds…suck as a roll out train table or puzzle mat. Out of season clothes. If you don’t want to see it under there make a quick bedskirt that hook and loops to the box spring.
Muriel
I’ve found zip-lock bags to be great for keeping smaller toys and puzzles together in bins and baskets. Would love to have some shelves for my new nursery too!!
Norma
I use a hanging shoe cubby to organize my 3 months old closet
Rebecca van de Ven
Toy chests and decorative boxes for the girls to put their books and toys in! That way the floor is less cluttered, creating a more open space. I also LOVE boxing up clothes to give away once the girls have outgrown them. Keeping the closets cleaner = my sanity.
Tammy
Baskets and fabric cubes!
….Keeps all the little things out of the floor!
Sarah
Bins, bins, bins …need I say more :)
Tawnya Guimond
Start the season with clothes on a hanger facing backwards and when it is worn, turn the hanger around. At the end of the season, anything still lleft backwards gets given to charity.
Ashleigh
Labeled bins are the catch-all for everything, and I try to really stay on top of tidying up everyday. Then it becomes a daily routine, and not a weekly headache!
Jessica L Hilliard
We use plastic storage bins (3 to be exact) and when they get overly full, we purge. Usually there’s at least one whole box to get rid of, and with our 3 year olds birthday coming up, I’m sure we’ll be doing it soon. I also like to keep her clothing organized in her dresser, that way she knows where everything is and can get her outfit picked out all by herself. It’s much less of a fight in the mornings. I agree with you on the stuffed animals thing, she only needs so many!
Jessica Hawk
Bins and totes are great but what it all boils down to is making it a family effort to keep it organized and clean! I think one very important lesson for children is organization. We make it a game at our house… Like a puzzle, everything has a place. We do the “pick-up” game once a day during the week and twice a day on weekends and we do cleaning and sanitizing once a week. It helps to make it a family effort!
Christina Parker
I use a wood shelving compartment whee I put fabric bins in with different types of toys in each one. I also use baskets to keep my babies books in. Thank you!
Jade
I plan to use baskets and bins as well as shelves to keep clutter down.
ashley brooke
make storage solutions that kids can understand. a great idea for getting kids to put away their toys in the appropriate place is to label the box with a picture of the toys that go in that box. For example, you can put a picture of a doll on the doll box, a lego on the lego box, etc. This way, kids learn to put things away in the appropriate place, and the clutter is off teh floor!!
Lorilin
I agree with you: get as much off the floor as possible. Also, I’ve been able to maximize space in my closets by putting free-standing shelving units from The Container Store in them. I couldn’t believe how much more stuff I could fit once I did that–and the closets look so much better, too.
Kate Whitmore
I have a basket or storage bin for just about everything. Also since I have a newborn, I have clothes in the closet from sizes 0 to 12 months. To keep them organized, I ordered closet dividers from Etsy for the different sizes.
LynnS
Lots of shelves, bins and storage space for everything. I also try to keep up by doing little tasks each day.
Allie
I use clear plastic bins and shelving units, though I will confess I am still working on my organization skills.
Teage
With our 3 year old, stuffed animals became a serious clutter issue in her bedroom. There was a pile that lived on her bed that kept growing. She is a pretty active sleeper so most of them ended up on the floor every night. I went and got some fabric and made a multi-layer hammock in one corner of her bedroom that contains all but two or three that she sleeps with. She is now able to rotate out the ones that stay in the bed with her and picking which ones to sleep with is a part of our routine now.
Laura
maximize every storage opportunity! bins/baskets under every piece of furniture possible. Don’t accumulate to begin with, and be ruthless about purging!
Kristy
I use hooks – placed at kid level – to help my boys keep things neat. I have hooks in the bathroom for towels, at the back door for backpacks and bags, and in their bedrooms to hang up things like bathrobes and PJ’s!
Jamie
Organization is key for me! I had my closets done before buying all of my furniture for our new house. A clutter-free home is a happy home!
Charity
I use small cubed storage bins from Target for easy storage. You can find them in the children’s bedding/decor section and they come in a variety of colors so pick according to personal taste! They are great for storing odds and ends and keeping floors tidy!
steph
I use chalkboard labels, regular labels, and lots of plastic tubs to make sure everything has its own “space”!
Chandelle Evans
I plan to use adjustable shelving and I agree, keep things off the floor.
Alicia B.
Make kid friendly labels for storage bins… as in pictures instead of words for my little toddlers who can’t read yet. or color codes they can remember Blue for Blocks and Red for Racecars… you can even make a cleanup song for them to sing as they pick up that reminds them where things go. I guess that was like 3 things but OH WELL hope it helps =)
Kat
I picked up some plastic see through stacking drawers so that my 22 year old can put things away and see where things are on her own. It is also safer than a lot of shelves that could fall on her, or dresser drawers she could open and climb.
Melissa
We had built in bookshelves with a toy box built. We have lots of canvas baskets on the bookshelves to help with putting like things away together.
Molly
Clear plastic tupperware bins and baskets
Danielle
Edit!! Only keep what they play with. If you are wanting to pass things down to little siblings, get it in storage!
Erin A. Goldman
I keep all my son’s toys organized in two toy organizers with 9 plastic bins each. The bins are on rods, not shelves, so they are tilted forward enough for my little guy to see exactly what goes there. He can pull out a whole bin or leave it and take out a couple toys at a time. He loves that he can reach all his toys “all by myself!”, and I love that he’s developing responsibility by putting them back where they go. Smiles all around!
Heather
Everything has a place…. if it doesn’t, something has to go to make a spot for the new item.
June L
Toy Boxes and kids shelves really help keep things off the floor.
Christa
We have ottomans that we have in our play area so when the items are in the ottomans you don’t see any of the toys. Inside, there are sections for the toys. We also have a short side table that opens up and we store all the books in the table.
Kirsten
I’m the last one to ask for tips (lol!) But one thing that has helped is my husband built shelves in on of the closets our girls’ shared bedroom so we can stash a majority of the toys in the closet instead of the floor!
Miguelina Salvador
I like having large bins to hide the toys and keep the clutter down.
babitababita@hotmail.com
Niki
Huge wicker baskets… they’ll just dump it all out tomorrow!
Jennifer
Baskets and bins! Keep rotating the toys so they don’t get bored (plus, that means less clutter at once).
Kellie O
We have fun, colorful storage bins for everything that my daughter helped decorate. And when it is time to clean up, we play a game to help make it fun!!!
Stacy
I use clear containers with photos to show what belongs inside. Also, I really try to have clean up time before we eat all meals/snacks. Regular clean up is so important for keeping clutter under control.
Rose
We have 2 bookshelves for toys and books. Also, making tidying a part of the bedtime routine every night so it doesn’t get to the overwhelming point.
Kim
I use huge baskets that I already had and my son dumps it all out then puts them all back!
sangeetha
Love baskets, itso and expedit – great storage options. But I agree purging is the best strategy
Kristin
I use many boxes (including recycled ones} and label makers to create a spot for every little thing.
Kathy Sykes
Now that my son is 4 almost 5, he has the responsibility of putting up his toys and stuff. Over the past few years, we have worked together to show him the importance of a tidy room. Now he knows where everything goes. We use containers too and they work well.
Kelly
My girls are a little older, 12 and 14 sharing a room. We use lots of baskets and purge, purge, purge!
Kate Preston
Fabric bins/baskets are a God send for organizing our son’s room. We’ve put laminated pictures of what toys go in each bin, which has really helped.
pkzcass
First, I commend you on having your boys share a bedroom. We live in a three-bedroom house but made them start sharing when the youngest was still in a crib. At ages 15 and 12, they still share and are very close. My 15 year old doesn’t have any desire to move into his own room. I feel like it was definitely the right move! The extra bedroom became a play/storage room, which was, more often than not, a junk room. I finally decluttered it a few months ago. Anyway, I think shelving and getting things off the floor is key to keeping a room decluttered, along with consistent purging. Looks like you’ve done a great job so far!
Asa-Marie Kincaide
Baskets, bins, and labels are all a must for me!!!!
jean
I have a few large bins that I use to rotate toys. One comes out and the toys & books they have slowed play with go away for a time. This solves two problems by keeping the number of toys in the room to a minimum and also keeping the play options “fresh.”
anahi
shelves and containers!!!
ayleen
Bins with labels are a must in my house! Also, shelves, several of them in a column. Makes the room feel airy-er than having a bookcase.
Heather Carter
We have 8 kids- so we rotate toys, they have a season. If they are not being played with we put them in plastic bins and bring them out in a few months when they are more age appropriate. If they are no longer age appropriate for the child’s room they are in, we rotate them into one of the other kids rooms so everyone has new toys to play with. If we did not use this system you can only imagine how quickly we would be overcome with toys. Also, we have the “family closet”- the children utilize the space in their closet for toy storage and things that need to be hung in space baskets. ALL the clothes stay in the family closet (a spare bedroom) to eliminate need for extra dressers in their bedroom. (Oh and we ALL know how 3 and 4 year olds love to rip all their clothes out of their dressers!!!
Kimberly Russell
Baskets, shelves and toy bins!!
Sydney S
We have a place in the basement for toys that aren’t played with, if it hasn’t moved from it’s spot for (2) weeks – it gets deported to the basement! We also try to keep our son’s room as clutter free as possible by nightly clean ups, clothes, toys & whatever else may have made it’s way in there. We have a storage bins for his different types of toys as well so when he’s in the mood to play with something specific, he’s not dumping every bin out to find what he’s looking for.
Love your suggestions & the others in the comments as well! It’s great to hear fresh ideas – thank you!
Alicia
I think my biggest tip for avoiding clutter is to not accumulate the clutter in the first place. Twice a year we go through a whole-home de-junking. Anything that is beyond repair, hasn’t been used in over a year, or just not needed anymore is donated or thrown away. We try to re-use and repurpose just about everything we can, but sometimes things need to be gone!
Teondra
large bulky storage bins add to the clutter in my house so instead I’d suggest under bed storage in kids rooms which also eliminates the ability for them to kick things under their bed…win win! :)
Kristina
Toy rotation! My daughter already has so much stuff it drives me nuts. So I pack up half of it, stick it in the closet on the highest shelf and keep it there till I remember about it. Part of me is tempted to just chuck the box to Goodwill since I can’t even remember half of what’s in there. Oh well… it’ll be a nice change of pace for her when I do get the toys down and pack up the stuff that’s out now.
shauna
I use plastic cubby containers. They are on wheels so it is easy to move if need be. It’s easy to put his cars, duplos, and small action figures in each drawer. I also use a big plastic container/tub for his toy chest, in case we ever move to a new apartment, it will be easy packing.
Holly
We have 7 daughters…which really make for a lot of stuff. I bought a shower caddy and bin organizer for each kid’s bathrooms stuff — this means they each have their own toiletries as well as grooming supplies kept in their own space. No more “Hey you took MY straightener!” or “Who used all MY shampoo?” Works great since it’s made them responsible for letting me know when they are running out of something as well…they can only blame themselves for leaving an empty bottle in their caddy.
Jeanette L.
We rotate toys. A few toys are kept up at the top of her closet and only come down if something else goes up. It reduces the amount of thing she can possibly scatter all over at one time and also seems to keep toys fresh in her mind and played with.
Jennifer
See through plastic tubs – they organize everything easily.
Sara
My son loves legos!
To keep them neat, I have purchased a plastic container like a fishing box with the dividers. To keep them organized!
krista
my girlies share a room and we like to store toys and pjs under their beds in princess suitcases that way its easily accessible and they look cute too!
Crystal
We constantly go through toys and pull out what doesn’t get played with. The things no longer played with either get donated or stored for my youngest son to grow into. Toys that are favorites are in bins easily accessible and manageable. Board games,toys that have many pieces or just large toys get put in the closet. The boys have to ask before getting them out. This helps prevent a disaster zone!
Jen
My son is in a 7×11 tiny room, so storage is an issue! We shelved out his closet and use that space for extra diapers, summer shoes, sweaters, etc. My husband build a corner shelving unit for trucks, bins of blocks, stuffed animals and books. I keep all his toiletries, lotions and baby items in baskets above his changing table. And we utilize the small space under his toddler bed for extra linens and blankets! Everything serves as double duty!
Lien
Bins are my friend to help minimize the clutter my daughter’s stuff makes. We have an open floor plan so everything are organize in bins.
Joanna
I try and keep everything off the floor so there is as much room to play as possible. We have hanging pockets for all of the books, hanging organizers for small toys, big bins in the closet for toys that aren’t being played with.
Amy
Where did you get your picture ledges?
Ashley H.
We use containers and wall storage to organize toys and books.
Andee
In my four year old’s room we hang all the clothes that we can and use her furniture for toy storage. Her beautiful armoire has become a toy box and home for all of her dolls, barbie’s, and their accessories.
Rachel Platt
Every single thing has a home. Put like items together (be sure the kids understand the “like”)
Jourdan
We have our first baby on the way, but this is a big focus while planning the nursery for us. Its such a small room so we want to save space where ever possible. We are doing shelving like you as well as a bookshelf with multiple small backets to put things.
Saundra Chapa
I use ziploc bags for just about everything small! Crayons, markers, game pieces, sets of things, etc….they all fit very nicely in a dresser drawer!! :)
Kelsey Olsen
Lots of storage baskets and bins! Plus almost constant editing of their toys and clothes. I also LOVE the bags comforters come in for organizing clothes in the closet that is either to big or to be passed on to another.
Kim Olson
GeT cute storage stuff so it’s at least a little bit more fun!
Cami
Label everything so that everything has a place to end up instead of just piles!
Stefanie Coles
I go through my one-year-old daughter’s clothes, toys, etc. once a month and put things she doesn’t use or things that are too small in labeled bins and store for future kids! I’ve also organized toys and clothes into bins that are stored in her room. She can get any toys she wants out of the bins and then she helps me clean up at night before bed.
Jennifer
Everything has a place in my house and its the same in the kid’s spaces. When they play with something, we have them put away before getting anything else out.
Sarah Bryant
I provide enough organizers (toy boxes, book cases, baskets) so that everything has a place. And I utilize the under the bed space putting things in crates and boxes that they can still access and I also put large items that they don’t use very often under their beds and on the top shelf in the closet.
Sarah
Love this post and this giveaway! I’m always looking for great ideas on how to downsize and organize. My favorite is your suggestion of using picture ledges for books…and the boy’s bedding is to die for!
Anyways, to answer the giveaway:
One of my storage solutions to store stuffed animals is by using foldable laundry hampers. It keeps all the stuffed toys off the floor and they aren’t sitting all around the room making it look cluttered! I bought these cheap, but attractive looking hampers: http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Small-Novelty-Hamper-Leopard/dp/B0057TWBA6/ref=wl_it_dp_o_npd?ie=UTF8&coliid=I1AWYQON41YG6F&colid=YELJF0472YL9 and they are the perfect size for little ones to reach.
Tiffany A.
I definitely feel like making a goal of going through toys and clothes once a month to make sure everything has a place and it’s a great way to see if you can get rid of anything!
Nicole T
We store a lot of our boy’s stuff in containers and I think closet organizers are wonderful as well!!
Lucy
I store all my kids toys in a toy box, his books on a box box and we clean up every night. He knows exacly where his toys go and to clean up before nap and bed time.
susan
I always say “Everything has a place, please place it back” :)
amy warren
we have lots of storage bins that double for other things, like seats and stools. I also love hooks, and hang them all over the walls.
Heidi
Put things back where you found them! Easier said than done sometimes but it truely does help :-).
Laura Harding
Clear plastic storage totes in a variety of sizes are always our go to organizers and I have started cutting the labels off the box and taping inside. Make a pocket if it comes with directions and to keep the receipt in case it breaks.
SB
We have a trundle under the boys bed to store additional items. And clear plastic drawers inside closet.
Jen ~ Passion-for-Parties.com
Storage! Make sure everything has a home, so come clean-up time, the kids know exactly where everything belongs! :)
Erica Drew
Hi! I would say under the bed or crib storage. This allows for easy access to things you might need to keep handy, but don’t want scattered around the room i.e. blankets, shoes, toys, etc. :)
Rachael
We rotate toys, and pair down frequently! We too moved across country though in January of 2011. We moved from sunny Southern California where my husband and I were raised to Tulsa, Oklahoma where we knew no one with our four children. We downsized dramatically when we moved, and somehow “stuff” continues to be acquired (mainly because there are 4 sets of Grandparents that are “doting” and send LOTS of stuff!) So pairing down and donating is our biggest tool against the clutter beast!
Katie Gaultney
As the owner of a small home, I employ many of the tips you have suggested! Orderliness is key around here! Another tip I would add: I keep a bin in the garage that I can toss my son’s clothes in as he outgrows them. He’s just seven months, so we have already flown through many sizes. I keep his closet neat and tidy by moving clothes to the bin as soon as he can’t fit in them. That way there’s no guessing as to whether the things in his drawers fit, and when the bin is full, I’ll move it to our attic.
Kaycee212
My son is obsessed with Legos and all Lego products. To avoid all those pieces landing all over the house, we use clear plastic shoe boxes found in Target. He organizes them by type and store them them underneath his bed.
Mary Wehner
With 3 kids ages 8,4&2 I have many toys! I go thru them and donate toys they don’t play with anymore. I try and keep little toys like blocks in containers in a closet. This prevents them from dumping and running as much. Kinda out if sight out of mind. My biggest problem is dress up clothes! I have 2 girls who love to play dress up but I can’t find a good way to store it so it’s not an eye sore!
GardenV
Definitely getting rid of toys no longer used.
Jessica Matthews
Purge, purge, purge! My son is only 5 months old but I’ve already sent 3 big bags of gifts I wasn’t crazy about to charity.
monica gonzalez
Drawer organizer are a must! I only have a baby for now, but boy does he have tons of little things! Drawer dividers help keep onesies/shirt & bottom sets/wearable blankets separate and easy to reach for in the middle of the night. Closet I keep organized by separating blankets/sheets/toys in big bright baskets from Target or the Container store, whoever has the better price!
Last but certainly not least, everything separated by size(months) and labels on drawer lining and closet rods.
kenzie jardina
Cube bins with labels that include a picture. They are easy for both my 3 year old and my 1 year old to pull out and find the toys they want. The pictures make it easy for them both to put toys back where they belong with minimal prodding from me. I also keep a basket in the closet for outgrown clothes and toys that I sell in a twice yearly consignment sale.
justJENN
We have a lot of legos and I put up display shelves for the tones that are put together and store the rest. It’s an always changing organization!
Heather
Our solution for combatting clutter is simple. Involve the kids in cleanup starting at an early age. My son loves to “cwean up, cwean up!” :)
Meghan
My son is 5 months and growing so fast, so I’m constantly rotating his wardrobe in and out of storage.
Nikki B.
I love the square shelves with canvas drawers. Great for putting away toys and hiding some of the mess. Also, bins can store things (out of season clothes and jackets, etc. under a bed. I also like storage that can hang on the wall (e.g. an over the door shoe hanger with pockets for various craft materials).
Kim
We live in a small apartment and that forces us to think about what and how much stuff we buy for our son in the first place. And then we constantly go through our stuff and revaluate what we still need. I also try to buy things that have multiple uses, like a bench with storage.
Melissa @ A Place to Nest
It is all about purging often. Has he touched that toy in three months? Then he is probably done with it. Have a place for everything so my son knows where to put it and Mommy is happy :)
Sarah
I’m trying to declutter right now and have found it is easier if I have a designated bin for stuff to be given away. When the bin is full it goes in the car to be taken to the local boys ranch thrift store.
NeKisha Rowe
My best tip for decluttering my sons’ room is to raise their beds and store unused, or out of season, items under there. I store shoes, stuffies, jackets, and out grown clothes (as well as a few craft projects of mine) in copy paper boxes clearly labeled. This is such a inexpensive way to organize and declutter. The risers we made from wooden blocks and the boxes were from a local school. The bonus for the boys is they enjoy having their beds up a little higher :)
Keisha F.
Two things that we do to try and keep the kids room clean are: all books and toys must go back in the storage ottoman and bookshelf every night; and every morning before the come down for breakfast beds need to be made and pjs folded and put under the throw at the foot of the beds.
Aura
make full use of the closets- we have shelfs, bins, rods, hooks…etc. for everything they need with shelves to the ceiling. Best part is you close the door and all the stuff is gone
Lilliana
Label everything!
Bethany
To keep things organized in my sons nursery we have baskets galore! His closet is full of them, and so is his room! Anything that he has outgrown, we put in labeled bins to hopefully be re-used someday, and other things we donate or give away to friends!
Solducky
Being very specific about what spaces are for. We have an art space. A toy space. And for us bedrooms are for sleeping, so only items pertaining to that go in the room. No extra stuff, no large furniture pieces for climbing and clutter. Keep it where you can see it all the time and it will be less likely to get cluttered up! I do clean sweeps every week or two also.
soluckyducky at gmail dot com
Dani
Clutter is a choice- so plan, plan, plan. Envision what you want in a space and only add items that are truly necessary. One question I always ask myself is could someone else use this more than I am? If the answer is yes, get rid of it! If it stays it should have a home in a bin/drawer/shelf that is easy to reach by both the kids and adults so everyone can help in keeping our living space clutter free!
Tracy
I store toys and books in totes and switch them out every week so they’re new again. When a new toy comes in an older one is retired and donated. I have low bookcases with baskets with picture labels that can be easily changed so everything has a place and the kids can easily identify where each item goes. We try to pick up after each activity but as you know its easier said than done. We help pick up each night before so we can start the next day with a clean slate!
Julia Nichols
A good way to keep a kids room clutter free is to put the toys, stuff animals and books in toyboxes, baskets and plastic containers. My son has so many Legos we even bought a four-drawer plastic tower with wheels for some of his Lego collection.
I use Clorox Wipes to clean everything; especially toys and tennis shoes, because they get so dirty!
Winsy
Keeping a room clutter free is so hard. I am all about plastic containers! One for each group of toys (one for leggos, one for trains, etc…) take them down to play with and then put them away after. But lets be honest, every night after he goes to sleep I am cleaning until my own bedtime and then start all over again in the morning. But thats part of the fun of being a mom, right?
Renee
We have a girly girl toddler and two Lego-crazy boys, ages 7 & 9, so I am all too familiar with having too much stuff. I am a huge fan of stackable clear storage bins and under bed roll-out storage for toys. Our biggest challenge thus far has been what to do with all those “built” Legos (cars, trucks, airplanes, Star Wars fighters, Hero Factory guys, etc). Our solution: I hang them from the ceiling in our children’s playroom and bedrooms using cup hooks screwed into the ceiling and clear fishing line. For larger/heavier Legos, like the Star Wars Republic Frigate, I used large ceiling hooks (those meant for hanging plants). Our Legos are off the floor and they look really cute hanging from the ceiling too. Other Lego sets that can’t be hung (Fire station, Police station, etc), go on shelving. Individual “unbuilt” Legos and other toys go in the clear bins at the end of the day when we have a race to see who can clean up the fastest. The winner gets a piggy back ride up to bed.
Alicia
I go through my one-year old’s clothes at least once every two months and pack up those that don’t fit. I also have diapers and all those necessities in baskets that are labeled. I love having things out and easy to get to; I have found that once lids are put on storage containers that I don’t necessarily look in them as much, so I try to keep everything open.
RachelS
Use bright storage bins! Everything looks better with color of course :)
Erin
Everything has it’s place–at the end of the day if it doesn’t have a “place” it goes in a storage ottoman or toy baskets that are found in two bedrooms. We also go through closets every 6 months and purge.
One Hip Sticker Chic
Bookshelves with buckets for everything!
Krissy Rouse Higgins
Once a month I go thru the kids room to see if there is anything we can put into the ‘garage sale’ box. I keep a box in my daughters’ shared room, so that as they grow out of stuff, or decide they are to ‘grown up’ for something, they throw it in the box and Mommy puts it in the basement for garage sale season! It cuts down some of the work for me, plus the girls know that they get to spend the garage sale money on summer clothes, or even stuff for their room!
Jessica Marinaccio
My almost 4 yr old twins share a room i skipped the toddler beds and went straight to the twin beds and Ive had no problems. I have a Little Tikes toybox in there room where they keep all there toys , 2 beanbag chairs and a closet. In the closet I have a small dresser I keep shorts, pants, jammies, socks and t-shirts in. Dresses and Long sleeve shirts i hang up ( as they dont get as much use as the others )
The kids play with there stuff all day and at night before bed we ” Clean it Up ” and everything is put away all toys and we get in bed. id love to have shelves for books as we dont have any and they kinda get thrown around but it works well for us.
Emily @ LittleLeafLane
Where did you get those picture ledges?! I love them!
Containers! Lots of containers for things. That’s the only way I can…well, contain, the stuff.
veronica
A big key to organization is having a place for everything and not having too much stuff. Once in awhile I get rid of some toys my kids are not playing any more or do not want to play with.. And It is amazing that kids even do not notice that something is missing. Plus it’s so much easier for kids themselves to put things away when there isn’t so much stuff!
Kathy
Well, I fight it every day. Seems like every gift we get comes in a million pieces – grocery cart food, lego blocks. I think the key is having designated places for certain things, like Playdough vs. crayons. Elise knows where things *should* go …now if we get them there, that’s another story!
Katherine
I love your boys room~ Every night before bed the ritual is to spend 10 minutes picking up and purge as we go~
Carly
For a very small NYC nursery – maximize ceiling space with a toy hammock. It looks great, and keeps the soft toys off the floor. Also, purging of the never-used and the i-forgot-we-had-this toys on a regular basis keeps the kid space less cluttered. Your boys’ room looks amazing! :)
Lindsey Beran
Lots of things that open and close..push and pull out from under. You can maximize small spaces with utilizing under the bed…and also using bunk beds for 2 children. I try to find furniture with multi-functional uses.
lala r
i have a mess box. it is easy to pick up toys everywhere and put them back again there
amramazon280 at yahoo dot com
Elizabeth P.
I just throw all the toys into bins after she goes to sleep. I’m going to think of a new strategy when bean 2 comes around this summer. We live in a small condo so they will definitely be sharing a room.
satelit1@aol.com
Brigitte
The best way for me to organize my girls’ rooms is to purge their toys and “stuff” every 3-4 months. Amazing how those little trinkets/Dollar Store buys/ bday and Christmas presents that weren’t loved pile up! My youngest actually thanked me for getting rid of her toys last week. Now she can more easily see what she has.
Stacey
Bins and baskets! We have baskets and bins that look like furniture so that the toys don’t stand out too much. We don’t try to hide the fact that we have a son, but we do like to keep some kind of order.
AMY M
I clean up with my kids every night so we wake up to a tidy house. I love the under the bed bIns!!
Jessica Belden
I had to downsize from a two bed two bath to a studio for me and my son! The task was not easy as I had to find a way to not get rid of all of his toys but not have it detract from the style I was hoping to have within the space. So I found some old vintage trunks in various sizes. One trunk holds all his books, another holds all of his toys. Within the larger trunk his toys are categorized into smaller tubs with lids so that he can pull out one at a time to play with. I have also utilized over the door shoe organizers to hold shoes, hats, socks and other misc. items of his. The trunks act as toy & book storage but also as coffee tables. If you walk into my place you wouldn’t know that I shared it with a toddler. But when he wants to play he knows where to find his toys that are cleverly hidden :)
Tracy Martone
The number one thing I do to keep my toddler’s play spaces clean and organized is to keep her involved in the process. I have her help me organize toys and books into baskets and we routinely go through them to “explore” what’s inside. Recently when she received a new play kitchen, together we purchased a set of plastic drawers as extra pretend cabinet space. Together we decided what types of play pots and pans and kitchen tools should go inside of each space. We used that opportunity to also organize all of her play food. We went to the local Parent & Teacher Store to get posters of fruits and vegetables. She uses them to find her play foods and then places them in the corresponding shopping basket in her kitchen/market area of the playroom. Makes keeping this area organized a snap when she is involved in not only cleaning up but deciding how things should be organized.
dottie dearen
We sing the clean song and put everything in tubs in their room and in containers!! Also everytime we get a toy we play with it and take it to its “home”.
Marlena U.
Baskets, buckets, totes…oh my! We have containers in every room that allow for easy clean up and quick disguise when we need to pretend we are organized and put together. No one better look in the closets, though! :)
Savanna
baskets, buckets, and shelves help keep the clutter a little more organized at our house. we try to utilize the space in their closets to the max.
Lesly C
i use baskets! lots and lots of baskets! they keep everything in one space :)
Kathryn
The saying less is more is true when it comes to toys. I have 2 sets of twins, now ages 2 and 5. We go through toys often to dejunk and to donate. I find the less toys we have, the more they actually play. They aren’t overwhelmed with clutter! And this way, my girls find it easier to clean and to do their chores.
Valerie
Picking up nightly and putting stuff in its designated space. Also using that wall by space by hanging picture ledges for books, and hanging buckets full of crayons, chalk, markers, etc on cute hooks in rows for the playroom.
lisa dion
I’ve gotten one of the square organization shelves at Target. Then I bought several fabric squares that fit into the shelving. They are perfect for kids items. One square is for books, another toys, another for crafts, etc. It was fairly cheap, easy to maintain, and very kid friendly
Amanda
I CONSTANTLY have a large storage bag in rotation! I’ve hidden it in her bathroom cabinet, and daily toss clothes and accessories she’s grown out of and toys that have lost their luster. Once the bag is full, I put it in the attic and start another! I make a little assessment once a week. Then when new toys or clothes come in, I have room!
Cindy
Purge and rotate…constantly re-evaluate what you have vs. what you need and get rid of anything that hasn’t been played with in the last 2 months.
Natalie Clamp
LOVE this blog post. Totally agree–purge, rotate, purge, rotate. And always keep books off the floor with shelving–never fails!
Kristen McLane
I use an over-the-door shoe organizer to store small items like marbles, bouncy balls, trading cards, rock collections, etc. The pockets are clear, making toys easy to find. Items played with less frequently (or items requiring supervision) are placed in the higher to reach pockets. The organizer I selected is surprisingly sturdy after three years and yet inexpensive enough to easily replace when the time comes.
Aubrey Archuleta
You said it! Purge & purge again! It never ends with kids in the house. Just make do and go without where you can, as well.
Emily
Here’s what works for us:
-For small, “cheap” toys (giveaways at the doctor, fast food freebies) – I try not to even let them come in the house. My son (almost 2) will play with those in the car and quickly lose interest, so they mysteriously “get lost” before even coming in the house – he has never even asked for one of them back (this may not work as he gets older!!). At restaurants that give away toys, I sometimes ask them to leave it out. One fast food chain will let you trade the prize for ice cream, which we usually take advantage of.
-Go through toys often and donate/sell items that were not favorites. Rotate favorite toys so not everything is out all the time.
-We use bins for different toys (blocks, board books, animals, etc.). I take a picture of what goes inside each bin and attach the picture and a label to each container. This way my son can look at the picture to identify what belongs inside the bin – it helps with knowing what he’s getting out and where to put things away.
-For clothes, I designate one drawer with clothes in the next size(s) up. This way I can periodically check through it and try things on him. Items that fit go into their appropriate drawer or hanging in the closet. I keep a bin on the top shelf of the closet for clothes that he’s outgrown (to pass down to baby brother due in May!)
Jennifer Powers
We have toy bins in our 5 year old son’s room, the living room, and our bed room. Every night we dump toys, books, etc in them and scoot them under the beds. Then, on Sunday night, he “races”the clock to empty them and put everything back where it belongs (in the toy room aka the abyss). If he beats he clock…and he always does…he gets money for his piggy bank!
jennifer
You’re going to think I’m nuts, but I organize toys and rotate them into playtime. I have three index card bins labeled “This week” “last week” and “waiting” so that a toy goes at least 2 weeks away from hands and memory. This has helped us purchase fewer toys as so many of them seem so new when they reappear, and it keeps the amount of toys in one room to a minimum. The rest are kept in clear bins for easy access (in our small, small basement).
Whitney Lavender
I purge their rooms twice a year, usually before or right after Christmas and then after our summer birthdays. I clean out toys, broken and outgrown, same with clothes, etc. I make a couple piles: there are always items that need to be trashed, items to donate, and items to take to a consignment store to trade in for new clothes and toys. I get a lot of great stuff that way. I label shelves and buckets and whatever kind of container with both words and pictures so all the kids know exactly where each toy goes. I am an organizational obsessed momma, these gift cards would help me rock out my spring cleaning an set up the toddler’s new big boy room he’s about to get in May! Thanks for the opportunity!
whitlav@gmail.com
Toni
Our family had such a similar situation. My husband was transferred to Nashville for one year and in about 6 months we are moving back to Chicago, where we are originally from. With a 14 month old and 8 months pregnant with another boy, I have been ripping my hair out trying to keep things organized in hopes for an easier transition back home. The first move about put me into the loony bin going from a 1400 sq ft. condo to a 900 sq. ft. apartment. My biggest goal was to stay on top of what could stay and what could go. Right when we moved in, I started storage bins of the different season clothes (of my husband and my own) and different sizes (of my son’s). I did the same sorting and storing with toys that he just didn’t play with anymore. I even donated a lot of items that I felt did not fit our families needs.
Although that worked temporarily, I still felt we had STUFF EVERYWHERE! So, I invested in a few items that could be used with our kids and even after they have grown: trundle for under the bed and cribs, lots of decorative baskets to store everyday items (bathroom supplies, toys, DVDs, etc.) and TALL bookshelves so I could store my son’s things on the bottom where he could reach and items that we use on the top shelves. I love the look of hanging shelves, but because of “apartment policies” we had to improvise and find alternative shelving.
These are just a few things I have done to keep my sanity and sqeeeeeeze the most out of a small space.
gilda campos
Instead of trying to use every square inch of your floor space, use vertical storage. Shelving, book shelves, and vertical storage solutions will help you gain more floor space and keep everything in plain eye sight. Use highest shelving for seldom used seasonal items, so you don’t have to climb a ladder or step stool often.
Whitney
buckets and bins – lots of buckets and bins and extra large ziplock bags
Wehaf
My best tip is to keep stuff to a minimum; it makes such a difference!
Tabitha
we love bins for keeping things organized and out of sight/mind in our house! that and not getting too much ‘stuff’ in the first place! :)
delloraine
I too had my daughters share a room until my oldest was 7 and the 4 yo was too messy for her sanity. I kept toys and clothes to a minimum. I used baskets to hold toys and built a shelf around the top of the room for stuffed animals( seemed to have a million of them). I color coded their storage and since we have a 2 story home, kept a drawer of hair accessories and brushes downstairs along with a shoe basket for getting out of the house in a timely manner. Good luck with the Apt living.
Leslie
I do a quick house clean each night after the kiddo is in bed. It usually only takes about 20 minutes. I also do Laundry Tuesday and Deep Clean Wednesday. They are usually down days anyways, so it makes me get it done.
Mark G.
My best tip is to use tubs to store toys under the bed. Kids like putting stuff under there anyway. Why not make is a neat storage area? And there is a bonus.. it’s out of site!
Kelly Z.
I have a toddler, and the best way I have found to keep his room clean is to constantly cycle out toys, books, and stuffed animals. He gets bored with them anyways and doesn’t even notice they are gone! He has bins under his bed and in his closet that store toys and are in his reach, so he is able to help clean up!
Leslie Paquette
Baby is on the way….we plan to use a bookshelf for baby books and baskets underneath the 3 nesting tables for toys. Also have lots of closest space for extra baby accessories.
Randy
Baby on the way, love organized spaces!
Katy M
living in a cape style home, our baby’s room is a bit small so anyway to conserve space is used. I have shelving for books, storage bins, dresser drawers and definitely utilize the closet space to its fullest!
Jeff
If it’s on the floor it’s on it’s way to good will! Well at least once the kids are old enough to understand. Until then it’s thank you to my wife for labeling bins and buckets!
Kathy
I use large zipper-type zip loc bags to store puzzles, along with the top of the box for reference, and file them in a plastic bin. I do the same with lego sets.
Lavi
We sing the clean up sone and our 17 month old knows that items need to go back…she has fun putting things away.
Abby77
I swear by it for everyone, kids, dogs, my husband, if you don’t use – donate it. We live in a small house and don’t have the space for anything extra. With the exception of a few beloved items, outgrown toys go to charity, broken toys go in the trash and unused toys don’t exist.
Katelyn
Both my son(3) and daughter(1) have storage to keep toys off the floor but we definitely need to do a toy purge (or 2!) Recently I made fabric hanging bookshelves which are a great help for organizing books and having them visible to encourage more use. We just found out we have another precious boy on the way and I can’t wait for my son and his brother to share a room!
Laura
My secret is to just weekly purge all the junk and go through all the things that no longer fit and put them somewhere else. It’s a constant struggle to keep organized, but I feel so much better when it’s done on a regular basis!
Jennifer
Well, we are far from clutter free, but I think I do a good job of moving clothes out, once they’re outgrown or out of season. I keep two bins, one “donate” and one for “resale” in our bonus room, and whenever I see something that doesn’t fit or is no longer in season, I put it in there. That way, it’s out of sight of my 4 year old, who would continue to wear it, and it can be passed on when I have time to take a big pile. There’s very little I keep for my son, because my eldest is a girl, but those things go in a bin in his closet. Now I’m going to read everyone else’s comments to see if I can gather a few tips on containing TOYS!!!
Rochel S
Lots of shelves and storage bins! Also toys with lots of pieces are kept separate and can only be taken down when the rest of the room is clean!
ashlee
i’m just starting on my nursery but after reading all the comments it sounds like baskets and bins and purging and rotating of toys is the way to go :)
Aisha Holley
What I do is buy plastic containers since they’re cheaper and store toys there. We’ve been teaching our son to start putting his toys away. I take out old clothes and store them in vacuum bags so I can sell them at a garage sale and donate the rest.
Christine @ Mama Papa Barn
I use shelving and boxes and drawers to keep everything off the floor.
Sandra R
I’m big on shelves & labeled boxes. Also, at the beginning of December every year, we go through the play room and put toys they don’t use any more in a bag to giveaway and broken toys or overly-loved toys into a garbage bag and clean out before any new toys come in. And if a toy does not have a clear place where it fits with the rest of our toys, it goes!
Shannon S
I use shelves, too keep the books organized and I use peg board to keep their baseball caps organized. I also use fabric bins that I have labeled in the play room, they are not allowed toys in their rooms. We have also color coordinated the bins to each boy, one gets green, one blue and one brown. We have a jungle theme. Also every spring we have a donate day, we go through all of our toys and clothes and donate to the less fortunate. To reward them, we go out for a picnic. They look forward to it.
Jen
We have shelving with canvas bins in my sons room. He can keep as many toys as will fit in these bins. Other toys must be donated/recycled. Because there is a constant rotation, it keeps us from accumulating too much stuff.
diane fond
I love rooms that are fun but not cluttered.Always as clean as can be……books in the shelf not on floors.My motto is floors are for walking or playing a game…Using baskets or fun containers makes Mommy,Daddy and everyone happy!!!!!!! It’s not where is my BEAR? With two children in beds,I prefer 1 bedroom and a playroom…….What works for 1 family may not be the best for another….Use walls for pictures,reward charts and GREAT DECALS!!!!!!!! LOVE PN!!!!
Cynthia
I got these 99 cent clear containers and I sort and label toys. I’m all about sorting, storage and labeling. That way I know (and the hubby knows) where everything is. I like for things to have a home. That works best in my home of 2 young boys.
Michelle Hunt
I recently decided I must do something to better organize the toys within my daughters room as she didn’t even desire to play with her toys because they were all thrown in one big bin and I assume it was overwhelming + it looked cluttered. I picked up a shoe storage sleeve that you hang over a door and hung it on the inside of her closet door. I then had 24 perfect slots for placing all of her toys with even a row of shoes up top. She now opens her closet, pulls out a few toys and put them away when finished. I plan to rotate the toys from higher up so that she doesn’t tire of the ones right at her reach. Larger toys were put in a clear bin so that she can see what is inside from all sides. I actually even used the shoe sleeve method on my pantry door too. Perfect for bottles of honey, granola bars, fruit snacks, you name it!
Kim
I organize toys by color, with red items going in red bins etc. That way my kids know which toys go where and it’s easy for them to take part in picking up.
Cherilyn
I try to do a quick pick-up each night before bed and save the major cleanings for when I have more time. We have 4 large picture rails stacked vertically on one wall with all of his books. I think it adds a nice pop of graphic and color while also making it easy for my son to see the covers on all of his books. It also doesn’t take up any floor space which is a valuable commodity!
We have 4 large totes from the Container Store that we have filled with stuffed animals and misc toys. They all tuck under his crib, so it is so easy to toss in all of the toys at the end of the day and tuck them away. I am planning on hanging tags on them with what goes inside this summer. I think this will help him learn where things go and what the letters and words of his favorite toys look like.
In his closet we have a wall of shelves that are filled with any overflow books and toys. I try to rotate his toys around every couple of months so he doesn’t get bored. In the closet the toys are organized into clear plastic boxes, which makes it easy to see what is inside and helps my son visualize and learn where things go.
I think the most important thing that we do to keep our son’s room organized it to limit the amount of stuff that comes in and be sure to clean out on a regular basis. Since my son’s birthday is days before Christmas we take some time in the beginning of December to go through his toys and clothes to clean them out and donate them to children who are less fortunate. We feel that this is not only a very important thing to teach our son, but it will also help to keep the toys and clothes in check.
Candyce
My daughter, like every other 3 year old plays with things and forgets about them. Every now and then I will go look through her things and give away the toys/books I know she wont miss! Also, her clothes are sorted by size and season, so when she grows out of them I know which ones to give away.
Andrea
We use a lot of baskets to make toy clean up easy and we also have cube book shelves which are perfect for keeping books and other toys in order!
fancygrlnancy
We use multiple tubs and toy boxes. I also have a animal bag for all the stuffed animals. I would love more items to help organize.. esp with the baby coming.
Denise Xagorarakis
For my own children (nearly 2 & 4) – We purge clothes and toys every three months. We love canvas bins & clear bins for longer storage. We also have friends who have children who either 5/6 or 3/2 year olds and we rotate all our gear. Saves on space and $$.
Nina Callaway
I like to use multiple plastic bins to pick up clutter and organize it into rooms of the house – ie, all the bathroom stuff goes in one bin, books in another, etc. It saves you from running from room to room as you clean!
natalie
I’m good about purging 1-2 times a year, donating/selling items, and then reorganizing from there. If I haven’t seen or used it in six months, it’s gone! The bathroom is the toughest place for storage for me, but with the help of some under the counter bins, life is easy!
Mami2jcn
I use storage bins and also do a toy purge every season.
Sarah
Baskets, bins, buckets. Anything that helps us stay organized. Everything has a place. Plus monthly rotating and putting away of things the girls aren’t playing with or using anymore.
Shannon Nelson
We use plastic bins for special things we want to keep. Once it’s full it gets labeled and put away in the garage. Each family memenrship has a “crap basket”. Each night the basket goes upstairs for them to put away anything that gets brought down stairs throughout the day.
sandra
we use a ton of bins to help organize their stuff
Whitney
My biggest tip is to keep sleeping and playing spaces separate whenever possible! We have two boys with a shared room and a third boy on the way very soon, so there are a lot of crammed spaces. We’ve always priortized, though, and made the bedroom a no-TV, no-toys zone. It’s for sleeping, reading and getting dressed–period! It’s hard to relax in a space that’s loaded with everything that’s meant to stimulate brain development, right??
Amber
Around here we use lots of baskets! We have a cube wall unit from ikea and we have baskets in it that each hold something different. We use plastic storage totes that slide under the bed and crib for clothes that are too big/small. Everything has a place. On the dresser in the nursery I use a big basket next tone changing pad, it holds diapers, wipes, lotion and everything else that our little one needs.
Adrienne Mcallister
Having 4 kids this is a constant struggle. We have limited space in our home and 4 kids’ worth o clothes and toys get pretty ridiculous. I HATE traditional toy boxes and have banned them. They are black holes where toys go to be forgotten. I have transferred most toys to canvas totes or clear plastic totes so everything is easily accessible and easily cleaned up. I have a medium sized wicker basket for my 1 year old and if it doesn’t fit in there she does not need it (with the exception of her one walker toy). I still need help with organization and declutter and love the picture rails for books – ours are in cabinets and shelves and again like toy boxes get forgotten. thanks for the opportunity to further declutter my life!
Lizzie
Having a place for everything is essential in keeping things organized.
Nicole
Actually, I could really use the giftcards to help me get organized. I am a SAHM with a 2.5 year old, and try to use his bedroom as a multi-functional space for sleeping, reading, fun, etc. We’re kind of tight on space and while I would love to have separate areas for fun/play and learning, I just haven’t figured out the best way to do that yet. Definitely time to get better organized!
EHayes
I’m a basket addict. Everything has a home… toys, books, blankets, sleepers, etc!
christina
as soon as he has more toys than can fit in his chest he has to pick which ones we will take together to give away for another little boy to enjoy . . ..minimizes clutter and instills an appreciation for giving
Kelly
We are a big fan of the Ikea Expedit shelving units. Half are filled with baskets that contain smaller toys and the rest of for books or larger toys.
gina
We have a 15 month old, so the clutter isnt so bad right now…We incorporate some toys into the decor & have a toy chest for the rest.
Vonda
we go through the toys every 3 or 4 months and give away the ones he doesnt play with anymore. Also all of our games and puzzles are in clear labeled totes.
brooke t
attempt to pick up or toss daily!
Colleen
I regularly go through my son’s toys and clothes to get rid of the stuff he has outgrown or is broken. I also love fabric bins to organize his toys into categories to keep all of the puzzle stuff together, art supplies together, etc.
Danielle
Our nursery doesn’t have a closet, so we are trying to maximize storage as much a possible. The first thing that we did was purchase a crib with a drawer underneath to put blankets, sheets, and other items in. Next we purchased two, four foot shelves to hang on the walls for decorations, books, and other odds and ends. Next we put a dresser and a bookshelf in the room for clothes and extra storage. The last thing that we used was a cube organizer with bins in order to put extra clothes, toys, etc. in. All in all, everything we purchased matches our decor, yet also serves a functional purchase as well!
Jessica C.
We have a 3 1/2 year old and a 22 month old. Therefore visuals are very important. We purchased several of the fabric bins from Target and tied pictures on the front so we know what goes inside. My daughter knows her things are in the polka dotted bins and my sons are in the the green bins. We also have all of our dress up things in a toy box. Our blankets and pillows go in a basket in the living room.
Some of our “cuter” more everyday play toys are just on shelves and our part of the decor. We mix them every couple of days to keep the kids from getting bored.
I admit I am a little ocd but the kids know where to find things and it seems to work for us!
Oh, I really want to win this! Thanks for this awesome opportunity.
Sheneka
Its important to have some rhyme or reason to how you use your baskets or bins, or otherwise they become part of your clutter. I believe in starting clean up skills early so I use different colored bins for everything, and walk baby or toddler round with me when I do my daily pick ups (normally afternoon, and before bedtime). I say things like “toys in the yellow bin”, or “clothes in the brown hamper”, or “books in the red bin”. My daughter learned early where things belong, and it was a game and part of routine for help when she was walking. Also I am a huge fan of labels on bookshelf bins for teaching older kids reading and helping them to stay organized. We are using a huge bookshelf for the baby this time around with coordinated bins for clothes, toys, supplies, shoes, etc. But again I feel like you should have a system there too, animal print for clothes, solid brown for baby supplies, etc.
Michelle hunt
I use a toy rotation with half out at a time to cut down on clutter and to keep my 3 yr old entertained!
Kathleen
Under the bed storage is key in our home. Our old house has no closets in the bedrooms so we rely on all the nooks and crannies we can find, and areas under the bed are great for seasonal clothes and toys. Hide them with a bedskirt or use some pretty boxes that you don’t mind showcasing in the room.
Brettnie
I am big on organizing! I use a hamper for all of my daughters tutus! Canvas totes for her lace rompers, baby leggings, and ruffled bottoms! I have an old galvanized tub and fruit Crete I have refinished for her toys. In her closet I put a book shelf for her shoes and for her books. I also have a small drawer organizer for all of her headbands. On her inside of her closet door I also have a hair bow hanger for all of her bows and clips! I also have a 4 shelf wicker stand that I organize all of her colletibles and baby stuff that I like to show off in her corner in her room. Organize, organize, organize!!!
Liz P
Organization! It’s key to keeping peace with the clutter of toys/clothes that can get thrown around daily. Try storage units, containers, color coding, toy boxes, etc.
Kriste
I use re-purposed containers and label them for my daughters toys. In her room i found baskets in colors that go with her color theme to organize shoes, hats, and all the little things that need a home. My daughter is 18 months old so everyday I try and teach her how much “fun’ it is to put her toys away. We have a long road ahead of us. LOL
tina borzelleca
I use all types of bins to store and organize things. I also use the space under his crib and behind his dresser to hide things:) Going through the cloths once a month is a must!
Amy
I am a big fan of having a place for everything…so organized clutter. using bins, baskets, etc.to ‘organize’ everything, hopefully keeping the floors and counters clears.
I am hoping this works with twins!
Francelin Lopez
I keep clutter tucked away in my daughters’ room by using under bed storage boxes. They each have 3 under their beds to store anything from clothes to toys.
Kate Preston
As I have said previously, we use all types of bins/baskets….another organizational tool we love it the 3M hooks. That’s where our son puts his jacket, backpack, umbrella, etc.
It’s remarkable how much stuff children accumulate!
Tracy
Bins, buckets and baskets, oh my! I have 2 boys, ages 1.5 and 4. They have grandparents who spoil them rotten with toys! To keep everything organized, we have one of those shelving units with the colorful buckets that we keep toys in, which I love (and also got at Target!). For books, I have sling bookshelf that keeps everything tidy. Each child also has a large bucket with their name on it to keep larger toys in. I use a pop-up clothes hamper (CARS theme, of course) to store stuffed animals in. I also have 3 wicker baskets under my coffee table to store puzzles, coloring books/crayons, more books, etc. I like these because they don’t look like kid storage and go nicely with my decor. I also have a 9 cube storage shelf that I put canvas storage bins in to put toys in. It also matches my decor and provides a nice place to store toys out of view. In each child’s closet they have a 3 drawer unit to hold hats, shoes, and in the case of the little, extra diapers and wipes. As the older one grows out of his clothes, they are rotated to the little ones closet, and as the little one grows out of his clothes they are rotated to storage bins labeled by clothing size, which are then put into the attic until friends have babies (I let them go through all the clothes and pick what they want, of course I set aside special outfits.) or until we have a yard sale. Lastly, we go through all of their toys at least 3-4 times a year to purge and donate.
Stefanie
I love the use of the picture ledges/rails for books. Our playroom is scheduled to undergo a makeover and I can’t wait to get organized!
Sarah
I, too, use the walls…for displaying items and for shelves or hanging things up. I also use baskets/bins under everything….the dresser, the crib, the bed….can’t have enough storage!! Thanks
Carmen Van Deursen
Ive done two things that have kept me organized in terms of my kids toys. First I purchased plastic bins and placed an assortment of toys. Each box included a ball or some type of sporty item, a puzzle, action figure play set of sorts and you get the point. Then I labeled the bin with a number. The kids pick a numbered bin each week, I use a calendar to write the bin number to keep bins rotating. Then I use a shed for storage instead of the bedroom closets.
samantha
I use fabric bins and rotate toys a lot. My son has Down Syndrome and having a bunch of different toys out just overwhelms him. Also I just started labeling things with pictures and we are working on having him help with clean up.
Janna
I am pregnant with my first and hopefully will be able to control all the toy/gear clutter! I do a good job in the rest of my house, so hopefully I can keep it up. I use all sorts of containers or bins to store things, but try to find interesting pieces that don’t look like they are there for storage, but as decorative pieces….little do people know they are crammed with stuff!!
Thanks!
Nicole B.
i’m a mom to be & i’m already finding that i’m cluttering up my nursery!!! what works best for me is to go through & “purge”. i tend to be a pack rat & don’t throw away things….hahaha, but i’m not a hoarder :) i just have to go through every few weeks to tidy up & clean out!
Jennifer Lopez
Thanks for this opportunity! I’m an organize-aholic…though, I currently could use your help! I’m carrying a little baby in belly and trying to organize a newly combined office/playroom and then still trying to make the office a nursery! So far my favorite ways are first of all donate, donate, donate what isn’t used or hasn’t been used in long times! Secondly, definitely shelves with labeled baskets and or bins that separate frames to be hung, empty frangs, craft items, office items, things to give as gifts, etc! Also, something very helpful is Pinterest believe it or not, I have found so many Do It Yourself ideas that are fun! Wish me luck, as I’d love to win this contest! I haven’t one anything like this before and it would be so exciting and so helpful at this time in our lives as well! Thank you again! =) ~Jennifer Lopez & Family
ana
We re-use plastic food containers (like baby wipes and formula) to save crayons, markers, little toys and stickers. I also love baskets and use them frequently to do quick clean up after a day of play.
Heather Price
I loved this post! I am a Container Store and Target fanatic, like so many others :) We are expecting our first child in June, so are just learning about all the baby things that need containing and organizing. My husband and I have lived in a condo for a few years now, and my mantra for us is a quote from an organizing magazine: “Small spaces encourage a considered life; you can’t keep bringing things in.” I think this rings true for small or large spaces when the goal is to be organized and clutter-free. We will move to our first house in May, and I still plan to live by these guiding words. The first step in organizing is to be thoughtful about what we bring into our homes in the first place. Then, go to the Container Store and Target to get our bins and pantry organization tools!
kristin
We use gutters in my daughters room to get a handle on her ever-growing book collection and baskets throughout the rest of the house.
Claire
I’m so excited for this giveaway! It would be amazing to win! I’m having my second baby in about 4 weeks and decluttering and organizing is something I have been doing A LOT of to prepare! We don’t have a lot of space in our townhouse, so finding extra space in every nook and cranny has been more important than you know!!
Beth M
I’m all about containers. I have them in every room for quick cleanups. I have decorative sea grass containers made by Smith and Hawken with little chalkboard labels in the living room and family room. They look great and are helpful when you are in a pinch and just need to straighten up quickly.
Vanessa
Containers! clear plastic ones with labels to put away stuff not needed right away and decorative bins to put all the stuff in my baby’s nursery.
Nicole M
We have a very small nursery and space is definitely limited. We hung a canvas over the door style shoe caddy on the back of the nursery door – this is where we put all of the diaper changing supplies & other healthcare products. The best part is that you can see exactly what’s there… no digging through a basket, etc to find what you’re looking for!
Dana A
First of all everything is in bins and labeled with pics. My son has way too many toys, so I keep a bunch of it in containers in a hall closet, and switch out his toys and books when he seems to be getting bored….even if they are old toys, he still gets so excited when he sees something new in his room!
Britt
kristin,
I’d love to see a picture of that!
Kate
Containers, containers, bins & baskets (all clearly labeled of course!!)
And donating we we haven’t used in 6 months…we figure if you’ve gone that long without using it… You don’t really “need” it.
Julie
We do toys by season- bringing out little by little instead of all at once.
Athea Core
My best tip is to keep it organized! If the kids know exactly where everything goes they can clean up faster and dont feel so overwhelmed when its time to put everything away. I find that they also play with their stuff more because they can find it! lol I have the Closet maid cube organizers in everyone of my kids rooms. I love them!
Ada
Containers and bins are a lifesaver in my house!! We use them for everything! And I usually add some deco pieces to the bins to match the kids room.
Meghan
We have a basement full of plastic bins and tubs that store extra/off-season clothes, sports equipment, seasonal decorations, etc. Our actual living space is very small, so we’re adding lots of ikea shelves with baskets to contain/hide kid clutter. Our nursery will have plenty of baskets and bins on shelves and in the closet, as well as ikea spice racks on the wall to hold small books. In our master bedroom, I raised the bed so that we could store extra blankets, sheets, shoes, and clothes in bins underneath.
Mischa
Buy a label maker! (http://www.target.com/p/Brother-PT-1290-Handheld-Labeler-Black-White-2515783/-/A-13586599)
Having the ability to put out of season clothes, bedding, holiday themed toys and decorations… into plastic containers and then store them under the bed/crib, in the garage, basement or attic. By having the labels on the containers, I can always easily find what I’m looking for when the time comes.
Wall mounted shelves are also a great way to organize books, pictures and art. (http://www.containerstore.com/shop/shelving/wallMountedShelving/completeShelfKits?productId=10030243&green=E307D7F9-557F-5F7C-9270-CBC5C021E45C)
One of the best things about these shelves is that little kiddos can easily see the books and choose what they’re in the mood for.
Meredith
We try to follow the one thing in, one thing out rule. We make frequent trips to Goodwill or resale shops.
Stevi Fitzgerald
We really love the clean up song
“Clean up girls, clean up boys, clean up all the blocks and toys, don’t forget the dishes and cups, thats the way we all clean up.
The songs really helps them think clean up time can be fun!
Christina
I use a lot of plastic bins and also store things in those long, thinner bins under the beds and crib. I use woven baskets (placed on the built-in bookshelves) in my daughter’s room to store small toys.
My daughter is only 19 months, but I’ve been trying to go through her clothes every 3-6 months and purge clothes that don’t fit, or have tears/stains and put into separate bins – one for reselling on Ebay, another for donating, and the absolute favorites I’m keeping just in case we have another girl (we’re trying for a second child).
Sara Skelton
I have all of my babies toys in plastic bins. I rotate them every month so that old toys seem new again! This way the house isn’t overrun with items. Also, every time we bring something new into the house, something get’s donated. For example a new toy means an old one goes to charity.
Amy Martin
My very best tip is really simple: less stuff. Most people in America have way, way, way, too much stuff. Myself and my family included. The best way to easily keep stuff cleaned and organized is to have less stuff to start with. Along with the other benefits that provides. Our rule: if you’re getting a new toy, an old one has to go. And that goes for grown-ups, too. Less to clean and even when messy, ‘looks’ cleaner simple because there’s less of it.
Katy
I have a boy (5yrs old) and a girl (22mths old). To help keep their toys organized and separate, I have pink and blue bins to help separate his and her toys.
Mandy Borkman
All I can say is, plastic bins, plastic bins, plastic bins. We keep all of my daughter’s little items in plastic bins and labeled so that we no exactly where everything goes. Also, we use as much wall space as possible with shelving and under my daughter’s bed to store many items in cute fabric bins. Keeping things organized keep toys from being lost and misplaced and make it easy for my daughter to find what she is looking for when my hands aren’t free when taking care of her little brother.
Jasmine
Our best methods of keeping our daughters room clutter free was using under-crib storage, using a floor shoe rack to hold baskets for small items as well as a hanging shoe rack in the closet for headbands/hats/bow/etc and pacifiers, teething rings, etc.
So far, it’s worked, but as she gets older and we have more stuff, we’re DEFINITELY going to rethink our current plan :-)
Katy
Every six months the churches in our city have consignment sales for kids. Its a great way to spring clean and get rid of things we no longer use! :)
laura gray
As a first time mom-to-be, I really appreciated this post! We are in the process of putting together our nursery and have found many of the tips here helpful. We plan on using organizing bins under the crib, an IKEA bookshelf on it’s side as a window seat/storage area, my antique vanity that I got as a child for toys, and some clear acrylic shelves for books up one one wall.
Sarah M.
We just had our precious baby girl. I can already see how organizing is important. There is so much stuff to have when there is a baby in the house. We have a closet with bins for toys and books. I have her clothes organized by size. I actually made dividers using something from the Container Store. This is such an awesome giveaway!
Emily simpson
I’m the proud mom of a 15 month old daughter and own a teeny tiny two bedroom home! Her room is so small and doesn’t even have a closet! Planning her nursery was crucial to make sure it was fully functional and yet still stylish! I learned how to get creative quick! The best thing we bought was her armoire so we could have a place to hang up her clothes! We were also able to fit a good size bookcase filled with fun patterned baskets from target. We also stuck under the bed organizers under her crib, added a towel rack over her door that holds all of her jackets, bath towels, dress up clothes, you nAme it. We placed baskets on top of armoire creating more storage but also making your eyes go up and giving the room a larger appearance. Around the house we utilize woven baskets and keep toys in those. For larger toys, we alternate with keeping a couple in the den and the rest up in the attic. When she starts getting bored with those toys, we trade them out for others. If they were all downstairs, she would be over stimulated and the floors would be covered! All of the cute decorative but non functional pieces of furniture I had were replaced with pieces that have drawers and storage! The more places to store the better!
Rebecca G
I hope to keep my girls’ spaces uncluttered by purging every few months. Consignment sales are a great way to pass along toys and clothes that still can be put to good use.
Lily
My little girl is 4 months old now so that means lots of little tiny things – those fabric square things (boxes? bins? baskets? whatever you call them) fit easily on the shelves I set up in her closet. Those, plus one of those hanging shoe organizers and viola! It also makes it super easy to put the laundry away – hint, I rarely fold (except for blankets) just toss it in :-)
Miss Pete
The best ways to keep organized are not hoarding, keeping things off the floor (love command hooks), and make cleaning/organizing fun for the kiddos. A great “game” is who can pick up the most the fastest or basketballing objects into their correct containers. Hoping to win this fantastic giveaway!
Nicole Blackmon
I hate a messy room, I am simply unable to think clearly! Everything has to have a place…car bin, dinosaur/plastic animal bin, musical instrument bin, etc. And I have some shelves hanging on a small wall in our son’s bedroom that is sort of hidden by the door in his bedroom that holds things he doesn’t generally play with on a daily basis. But BINS on a tidy cubby shelf are my answer!
Erin White
Donate or sell whatever you don’t need anymore. Clutter is your enemy!
Naomi
We’ve been overrun by toys, books, etc. so we have a rule: for every item that comes into the house, we need to donate or give away at least one or (preferably!) two similar items.
Meg T
Having a specific place or container for EVERYTHING really helps. I also love to donate anything we don’t use anymore. I also try to think twice before I buy any new toys or clothes. Do we really NEED this?? That really helps.
Michelle Stice
Seasonal purging of clothes that don’t fit and are worn or stained. Also toy check for broken or worn out toys. Also go through toys before Christmas and birthdays unused toys downsize. Will keep some toys set aside in clear tubs to trade out so new toys go in and out of play mix.
Store out of season items , etc in clear plastic labeled totes. We have metal utility shelves in garage and I have bought totes to fit.
Thanh
Having to many toys can be a nightmare for those with limited space. We allow our son about ten toys at a time than swap out the old with a new toy every few weeks. That way our house is not over run by toys and my son does not get board with his toys.
Tyler
Baskets, baskets, baskets!!! I have baskets everywhere. Also eliminate excess furniture, such as a coffee table, especially when they are little. That way when the toys are out it doesn’t feel too tight.
Ashley
I keep my kids room clean by limiting the toys and books we have out. Periodically I pack away some of their stuff and put it in the garage, then a few months later I’ll switch out the toys in their room for the ones on hiatus.
On a more regular basis, I’ve made cleaning up before bed a daily routine. My daughter is only 2 but she helps to put things back on the bookshelf or in the toy container. I am so happy we do this! It makes walking in there in the morning feel joyful instead of stressful.
Jessica Holbrook
Organize so your little one can reach the things they play with on a daily basis and keep the harder to organize things up a little higher in the room.
If your child has a lot of toys, like mine does. Buy a large container and put a bunch of toys in it and store it out of the way. Each week or so, switch out the toys with ones they are playing with. Not only does it keep the child interested in their “new” toys, it keeps the mess off of the floor. =)
auburnskyy
I have a 10 month old baby boy with lots of toys and clothes so we bought a bookshelf from ikea with fabric bins so all his toys or clothes can go in their designated bins. It’s easy to take them out and put them away and will someday be easy for him to help put stuff away. I also love the idea of ottomans that open up for extra storage. We also use labeled plastic bins to try to keep on top of clothes that he’s outgrowing.
Juliette Genteman
Purge your “collection” regularly! ! I grew up in a home where we got rid of stuff we didn’t want/need/use anymore at LEAST once a year. I’ve continued in that fashion as an adult, buying practical things that I love, rather than just buying random stuff because it’s on sale. My husband and I are expecting our first child in due May 2012, and I’m already shocked by the amount of gear that’s deemed “absolutely necessary” for her survival! I’m determined to not let it take over our house! But $500 in gift cards would certainly be a help to a mama on a budget who’s trying to stay organized! :)
Jenna
I used to want to have the kid’s shoes all lined up in neat matched rows. Turns out, the only way to keep them that way was for me to do it every time a pair was worn. Not gonna happen with three kids! So instead, I started a shoe basket in each room. My oldest has a basket that slides under his bed, the younger one has one in his closet, and I still take care of the baby’s. The older boys know that every time they take their shoes off they are to be put back in the basket. And when it’s time to walk out the door, they just grab two matching shoes. It’s not nice and neat military rows, but it’s a functional and easy to use system. Oh, and having a nice looking basket helps!
Camille K
Your tips are GREAT! I love using things that can do double duty! Such as reusing food/coffee canisters for toys and blocks! I’ve even see FREE printables for those folder’s red coffee containers so they can be updated and labeled! So fun and a great bright POP of color in a kids room.
Cheryl
We added a Target cubby with adorable fabric bins and labels for everything! This helps all of us during clean-up time because everything has a clearly labeled home:)
Jessica
We keep toys in cool see-through colored totes that you can find at Target and we use the padded ottomans for this same purpose in our living room. This way, toys are always near by but very easy to put away for a quick clean up! I also have a tote on hand and ready to be filled with clothes that are too small in the closet.
Lauren Benoit
my best tip for a clutter-free children’s room or play room is less is more. When entering new clothing, toys or anything else we always take one thing away and either sell it or donate it. I have learn that the hard way before kids. I started with myself and used it in my child’s room. We have a small home and don’t have room for useless things.
I love this give away! please really could use it!
thank you!!
tiffany sexton
Once everything is organized, I keep their areas clean by picking up every night and every morning!
Britt
This give away is right along my goals for 2012. I’m due any day with Baby 2 and I’ve been working on organizing all year. My helpful items have been baskets and labels, from my first son’s room to the kitchen pantry and all rooms between. I’ve got so much more to go, but very motivated.
Eileen
I am due in September and I am learning what it means to declutter and organize since a whole room that was used for us now needs to be nearly gone and empty for our new baby’s nursery. What I do, is seperate what can be sold and what can be given away into 2 piles, then there is the 3rd pile. Seperating items in bins are the best way, that way you can get the bins out of the way when they are full and get to work emptying them by donating or selling them online. I have had much success so far selling my stuff and hope I can get all the BIG furniture sold before baby comes. :) I could really use these gift cards. We have been married for 12 years and thought we would never be able to have a baby which means we had 12 years combined to store up stuff for a guest room and office…
Jess (The Cozy Reader)
What an awesome giveaway!
For stuff animals I’m a fan of the hammocks as well as the big zippered bags you can stuff them into to make a bean bag chair. Also, a well organized closet is essential to our family. I bought a second hanging rod that attaches to the top rod by velcro. Love that thing! I refuse to fold little kid clothes so if it’s hangable, it gets hung up!
Thanks again!
Dawn Jennings
our toys are organized by type and every bin has a place. The bins are in different parts of the house to avoid too many toys in one place. Whenever we are done playing with a type of toys we put it all away before getting in to a new bin. This also makes it easier to get rid of unused toys.
Helps to stop the toys from taking over the house, but it also means we need new bins a lot :)
Corrin
The key to organization and clutter-less spaces is that every item needs a place. From organizing drawers, to closets, to toy bins, if every item has a certain space they will not end up being thrown in the very back of the closet or a corner somewhere. The Container Store has a great solution for all spaces, big and small!
Berna
What hangers do you use to hold your boys’ clothes?
Melissa L
We have organization bins in the kids playroom and in their closets, if everything has a place then it makes life much easier. Every Holiday we donate or sell items that are no longer used or they have grown out of.
Katie J
Everything needs a home, and that home must be easy-access! If bin has a lid, or a drawer requires two hands to open it, nothing gets put away. Open-top bins allow for something to be put away with a one-handed toss… the same technique they would use to throw something on the floor, so the odds are much better for that something ending up where it belongs.
Heather B
Every three months we go through my daughters toys and clothes and pick items to pack up and donate to Goodwill. My daughter enjoys this activity because she likes the idea of helping other kids less fortunate. I like the fact that it keeps down the amount of things she has to clean up and put away.
Masooma
Love this article!! I have two boys myself (4 yrs and 2 mos) and I’m pretty sure this will be my biggest problems in a couple years. I have so much clutter with just one, don’t know how I will handle it with two boys sharing a room. Right now my biggest “declutter” tools are wicker baskets/storage bins. They look decorative and I have a few different sizes perfect for toys, clothes, books, and accessories. I might just have to buy more in the future to keep the clutter at bay!! Thanks for sharing your ideas :)
Sarah S.
I put toys in super cute baskets so I can still have them in our common areas without looking like play rooms. I also go through all clothes monthy, storing or donating things that don’t fit.
Sara
My husband says I am a little nuts about organization, but at least our house always looks decent. I am big on making sure every item has a “home” so that it has some place to go when guests are over or when I am sick of looking at a mess. This means lots of storage bins in everyone’s rooms, under the sink, in the closet. I am also a big purger. You have to make space for all of the new things or the things you actually want to have or play with now, so I am prone to go through things every 2-3 months and am not afraid to toss or donate. I only save and store the items that have the most sentimental value or might be useful down the road.
Michelle V.
I keep things organized by putting them in containers, I don’t mean just tossing them in there. It has to be toys in one bin, then art supplies in the other.. Take your time to organize! Clean up will be a breeze afterwards.
Jennifer C.
My best tip is labeling where items go so it makes it quick and easy to pick up toys and put them back in their “homes”!
Rysse
Clips and Hooks!!! We got decorative clothes pin clips at Land of Nod and the kids proudly display their awards/school work/artwork on the clips in their rooms! Hooks in their rooms for medals, jewelry, hats, etc… and hooks as soon as they walk in the door for backpacks/coats…
Vanessa Manley
Under the bed storage bins. They are amazing and no one ever needs to know they’re there!
Pinky Sade
Toy bins, definitely! Whatever goes out, must go back in. Keeping the floor clear is a great way to keep a room clutter free! I also like the portable door hooks… just place the hooks on top of the door and you have a great space to hang bags or jackets!
HSUper Parents
I love using baskets to organize and sort things. Also, a sweater organizer/rack is very handy to be used on the shelf of the closet.
Claudia Alaniz
I feel the same way Melisa – nothing on the floor. I’m still finishing my 3-month-old daughter’s room and already there are cute plastic shoe boxes and bins with hearts on the, from Target of course. I’m pretty confident she will know about keeping neat when possible, since I have done pretty well so far with my husband. He was used to leaving wet towels and clothes on the floor. I keep open containers and bowls around the house for him to throw his keys, change, etc., in. Before that, it was any counter space and change is always ending up on the floor. I have some type of container throughout the house, and I try to match them with each room’s colors – green for the restroom, burgundy for the room, autumn colors for the dining room… Under-the-bed storage keeps my shoes and seasonal clothing out of sight, and right now under-the-crib storage holds clothes baby girl received but does not fit into yet. I’ll admit the house is not always “kept” but things always have a place, even if it’s in a messy bin, as long as it is not on the floor :P
Grey Hour
Purge often and have a place for everything (and everything in its place)!
Christina Colon
I have gotten into the habit of having the kids clean their room each day. That way it doesn’t get so bad that they complain about cleaning it. Making mondays and Fridays my ‘vaccuum Days”. Hope to win!!
Christy Meyer
Staying organized with kids is a challenge but one thing that has proven to work for us is having things stored in bins. I have started to label these bins with picture and words to help my little one associate objects with their picture and written name. But, having the toys in bins that he can reach means he can intermix toys while playing…his cars can play his drums ect…but it also allows for him to help pick up. At two my little on can pick up his room all be himself because all the toys are in easy access bins. Before holidays and birthdays we go through our toys and give away things we don’t use any more in preparation for any new toys he might get. These two this have kept our house from being overrun with too many kid toys.
alisha
i have cute little bins buckets and baskets to store random little toys, i try and separate things into similar piles, like board books in one, animals in another, blocks ect.. then i have small bookshelf for the bigger toys and a toy hamock for stuffed animals. As my 10 month old and i play i try and show her how to pick up what we are done with as we go so she starts to learn the idea of cleaning up when finished.
Samantha
Labels, labels and more labels! Of course, keeping them toddler friendly is a must. We use pictures of the toys inside baskets or graphics to label bins of clothing. This also helps with clean up time because he knows exactly where things go. At the end of every season we go through his outgrown clothes and sell them via thredUP.
Shiree A. Shaffer
I am all anout organization being pretty and functional. My daughter is only 15 months old, and i’m a bit of a hoarder, so I have to be on the ball with clutter! We grouped toys together and took photos of the “groups”, then put them on the corresponding basket/bin. My daughter loves to help put things away at the end of playtime! Sometimes she messes up, but at least it goes in a basket! Plus we play her music and sing and
dance while doing it! We have done the same with
canvas bins for tights, bloomers, baby washcloths,etc. I absolutely love opening her
closet door and just staring at the perfection!
alisonz
We buy everything in small order… small portable swings, a small high chair, a door frame bouncer, everything is easily stored so our house is not full of clutter. It helps because all of the baby supplies can add up quickly!
Madison
I use bins/containers to organize my son’s closet. They do not have lids on them so it is easy to toss something in the bin and I labeled each one so I can find what I’m looking for quickly. To keep his clothes organized, I go through his closet once a month and if an outfit doesn’t fit him any longer, I put it in a specific container and once it is full I label it with the size of clothing in it and store it away in the storage closet.
Marie
Labels Labels Label!! every toy bin is labeled. a little chalkboard paint so when they grow out of that toy for newer ones you can just erase and writ the new toys. For examples Legos in the Legos but barbies in another littlest pet shop in another transformer in another so on and so on. like weebles just went and now its littlest pet shop for my almost 3 years old. its very easy when everything is labeled for clean up time or looking for a certiain toy
Alexandra wagoner
We keep a storage chest in every room to easily throw our 10 month olds toys into for easy clean up. We’d love to have a perfect home for everything, but sometimes that’s just not realistic. This makes our house look clean and put together fast.
Aubrie G.
We try to pick up everyday (note, try). We definitely could make better use of some organizational techniques. Cloth bins are our main storage right now.
Linda
I love antiques and being organized with our son’s toys. Therefore I have combined both and began to purchased old military trunks before the clutter began. We use them to store toys, as a small activity table for him and most of all we use them as decoration. We also use foot lockers for his shoes, accessories etc and they look so perfect in our living room because we place books on top of them. Old, stylish and organized. Period.
Cheri LaEace
My favorite way to keep things organized are 1) everything must have a home. If there is no specific place to keep it, it will always just be laying around. 2) Keep storage containers everywhere – boxes, bins, baskets, etc. 3) Purge what you don’t really need. If you haven’t used get rid of it!
Maria
I have tubs for all of my daughters and sons toys. I also have canvas bins for books/small toys that I put on their bookshelf. For my daughters hair accessories I have the heart bins from Target.
Sara Berryman
I have big plastic tubs in each of my children’s closets so when they outgrow anything I fold it and put it away in the box. Then when the next fall or spring consignment sale rolls around I have everything ready to price and tag. And their closets are clutter free of all the things they have outgrown. And no fussing about wanting to wear a shirt that no longer fits! ;)
Deb
I go through my daughters clothes and toys save what we want and donate what she no longer needs.
Erika
Kids rooms are the hardest for me to keep decluttered!! I like the idea of keeping bins in their room for outgrown clothes! I also like for everything to be off the floor. My kids have several hooks in their rooms for coats, backpacks, caps etc. THanks!!
Ibu
My baby arrives in about 7 weeks but I hate clutter and try to put things away in boxes or containers. Already got a few containers for the baby’s room. Will love to win this so many stuff to do before the baby arrives.
Andrea
I’m not entering the contest because I’m not quite sure how to do this myself! HA. I do try my best to not purchase “unnecessary” items. We make sure the toys we have are meaningful and used. And anything that he’s not into goes into storage — where it will someday be new and exciting again.
The reason I wanted to comment is I have to know — is that an original Mickey and Minnie animation cel? It’s stunning! My family has collected animation art for awhile. An original Dumbo hangs peacefully above my son’s crib.
Melanie Duxbury
my best tip to keeping clutter free is to not own much clutter. haven’t used it in a few months? give it away! lol
Larissa
Everything you own, even your kid’s stuff, should be… 1) Aesthetically pleasing, 2) Functional, 3) Sentimental
If it isn’t at least 2 of these, then out it goes!
Kim
We’re expecting baby #2 in a few months, and once we get past those initial couple of months he will be sharing a room with his 1.5-yr old brother in our little condo. Clothes that currently fit, as well as linens/cloths/accessories are in their dresser (each kid gets 3 drawers). We’ve got a stack of bins in the closet organizing the rest of the clothes by size, as much on hangers as possible, and toys are in two bins in their room (one bucket-like on the floor, one with compartments hanging from the ceiling). Books all get returned to the bookshelf after reading. In our living room, we keep toys organized with one of those 12-bin caddies, and part of playtime is clean-up time. We rotate the toys in this caddy to keep it interesting, with spillover in storage. We make frequent trips to donate!
Christina Skinner
My only tip is to keep purging on a regular basis! No need to keep things you don’t use or have too much of. I always give it to a family in need. I make sure to go through things such as clothes, toys, books, movies, shoes, etc, on a regular basis so that my limited amount of space doesn’t get too cluttered.
Lisamarie
My 9 year old daughter loves arts and crafts and has supplies all over here room. It was SO frustrating when she’d drop bead and I’d step on them so I purchased about a dozen see-through bins and we organized her yarns, beads, hole punchers, stickers, fabrics. Then we took all of the clothes out of her dresser and hung the pants, shirts, dresses. Put her socks and undies in a little 3 bin unit in her closet and placed all her craft bins in her dresser. She put little index cards in front of each bin so she knows what’s in it and she loves having all of the craft stuff in one spot and her clothes in one spot. Now my son and I share a room and we are off to declutter that one which is a bit more of a challenge cause he has hundred of those little marvel super hero guys. Wish me luck!
Laura
I try to keep things organized by having a designated place for just about everything and tidying up a little at the end of each day so the clutter doesn’t accumulate and become overwhelming.
Sherry Conrad
I had girls, 4 of them and when I was single space was TIGHT- a few of my best tips- we got some of that board with the holes in it, spray painted in our colors and tied ribbons around the neck so all but the animals (and UGH My Little Ponies) got put up on S hooks. We also hung baskets on some of the easy to reach hooks so they could pick up those *&^* % little hairbrushes and shoes. ;-). Another wall was done half cork and half chalkboard on the top half of the wall and shelves/cubbies along the bottom.
One benefit of the cork on the wall- they were the ones who chose which artwork to display- if they wanted something up they had to remove something else, you can’t believe how freeing it is not to save every single scrap of paper with a scribble on it. (Take pics periodically so you don’t lose the work forever.)
Love what you’ve done with their room, hope you love NY, I still miss it sometimes.
Sherry Conrad
Sherry Conrad,
sorry, that should be all but the animals they slept with.
Saybher W
I’m a new mom, but my 5 month old daughter already has a ton of stuff. The trick for me is to make key items work double duty to cut down on furniture pieces and reduce the look of clutter. A changing pad and pretty storage containers transformed her simple dresser into a changing station. Next to our rocker, I made a side table that doubles as easy-access, rotating book storage and the ottoman doubles as toy storage. As for her massive wardrobe, everything is stored in the closet. We made use of the vertical space with shelves and clothing rods installed clear up to the ceiling and color coordinated containers so even this space is functional yet pretty.
Sheena
I use soft bins/baskets all over the place. They are more flexible than regular baskets/drawers so they can fit a variety of stuff. In her changing table I have one for bath stuff (towels, toys, washcloths) and sleep stuff (sheets, swaddles, blankets). By her bed I have one with soft toys, and outside I have one for hard toys. Etc.
Andrea
My son is only 4 months, and does not have a real use for toys yet, but I am sure many will be coming his way soon as he becomes more aware of them. I plan on using the ikea expedit shelves with bins that we have in his room to organize what he is currently into. Anything he is not yet using, or he has outgrown will be cleaned and placed in a bin in the garage for the next child, sale or to give to goodwill. I do alot better moving things to the garage than gettingrid of things right away. I am terrible with emotional attatchment.
Amber
We utilize lots of bins and purge as necessary. It is easy for kids stuff to over take the home. I try to keep similar items in individual containers.
Sarah Medeiros
Involving my 6 year old in the process is surprisingly helpful, though often short lived. He always knows where things belong when its time to clean up. “Within arms reach” seems to be his theme so I provide him with many little bins and he stacks them where he sees fit. I hung a transparent mesh shoe organizer on the back of his door for all his collections e.i. rocks, stick, cards, rubber bands… any small items which don’t have a regular bin. Then there is my 2yr old… he is in that really helpful, copy what he sees mode, so for now, his brother is setting a great example!
Rebekah
We use lots of lidless bins– all square, no baskets, no cutesie shapes. I learned right after we got married that if my husband had to open a cabinet or a lid to put something away, it was probably going to get left out or tossed on the floor. Plus, picking up after a toddler with a baby-in-arms is much easier if I can do it one-handed. We also use lots of hooks for jackets, backpacks, diaper bags, etc.
The boys’ room is shelved practically wall-to-wall, but all the shelves are shallow (we used gutters and ledged picture shelves) and low enough to reach conveniently (if I have to go find a stool to put something away, I procrastinate).
We purge almost monthly. We make a game of it by weighing the Goodwill bag when we’re finished (10 lbs equals a pizza, 15 pounds a pizza and ice cream, etc).
I think the biggest tip is one my mom gave me when I was a kid (and I hated it then): if you have time to leave it on the floor, you have time to put it away. Putting things away immediately after use goes a long way in feeling less cluttered and crowded.
Karen
always rotate out the toys that he has out grown, so we never have too much stuff
Dawn
I love all the ideas and use quite a few of them. I have a 3 year old daughter and another on the way. I keep a basket in my oldest daughters closet so as she grows out of old clothes, I throw them in the basket. Once the basket is full, I go back through the clothes and make sure I want to pack them away for her baby sister. If they are stained, too worn or just not really to my liking, I donate them and then pack away the rest of the next little one by size. I also keep a bag in my closet for donation and try to try something new on everyday, if I don’t love it anymore, I put it in the donation bag. You have to constantly purge but by making it easy and a daily or weekly activity it does not get too overwhelming. Now if someone could help me with my garage, I would be set.
Tami
Distraction, distraction! I declutter by distracting my 4 yr. old son and when his back is turned, the trash can comes out…along with the big plastic storage bins. Out of sight, out of mind! :)
Meredith Palfrey
I am still struggling with the clutter. I do keep bins available and as clothes go out of season, I sort them into my “keep” and “consign” bins. Then I can carefully tuck them away until needed.
Stephanie S.
Melisa~ We live in the crazy Big Apple with our eight-month old son. We know now, more than ever, space is a premium here! We are on the top floor of our building, so extra tall ceilings mean we organize UP and we take full advantage! Shelves and hooks keep things off the floor and it keeps things colorful and fun too. Toys are stored in a huge basket from Home Goods and old clothes are store in repurposed jumbo diaper boxes!
Sarah G.
To cut down on clutter I try lots of ideas! For example – repurpose & reuse! My daughter’s art supply box is one of her old diaper boxes and I have also used refashioned diaper boxes as storage containers.
I have a colorful wide ribbon hanging from a flower that all her barrettes, bows, and hats can hang from for easy accessibility by her clothes.
I also have an organizer in her closet that has dividers for days of the week. I put her clothes for each day ahead of time. Later on in life she can dress herself, but that way I’ve limited the choice and the mess that can be made in the closet!
If you have stairs, under the steps becomes handy for hooks and boxes too!
samantha Howe
Storage Storage Storage..but I try to make it fun storage too and not boring so that it looks ok to be kept out (I blogged about some great options here: http://renovationdiaries.wordpress.com/2012/01/26/crazy-good-storage/). And hooks- hang it up…there’s so many great hooks out there too that can also be a design feature. And then having a good old clear out once every few months helps too and archiving old clothes ready for the next baby to wear them :-)
Kristen Gullick
I use storage bins for easy under the bed storage and tops of closets. I also have organized labeled bins in my attic.
Lynn
Constantly decluttering- deciding what they’re playing with and not- then donating or giving away to friends with new babies. My 3.5 year old and almost 2 year old are old enough to clean up and are now helping to make sure their room is neat and organized!
anne
my very best tips for keeping my kids space clean and clutter-free is to sort & reduce frequently (at least every other month but especially before holiday/birthday). you can purchase every container on the market but if you only allow clutter in without getting rid of anything than you will never win the battle. i also like to try new ideas i find on blogs or see friends doing with their toys, art, clutter. you never know what just might change your room into a clutter free zone…at least for a little while lol
Kaitlynn
I wish I had a great technique to share… I NEED to get decluttered and organized and am working on it. I would say to make sure everything has a place- and anything that doesn’t gets donated!
Kathrine Call
I use old diaper box that I cover with fabric for bin for my children’s toys, shoes, blankets, etc. Works great and not that expensive.
Katie
I use large keg tub style rubber tubs to put lots of trucks and what ever the boys have in. Different colors so they know what goes where.
Lorraine Marie Deichert
I keep my toddler’s toys separate from my older kiddos stuff my using big canvas bins. I store the older kiddos stuff in plastic storage bins. Helps keep things from being a smidge less chaotic with 3 boys ;)
Lindsay
Once a week I go through my little ones closet and get rid of clothes that are too small and toys they have not played with in at least a few weeks. Off to my charity it goes. Storge bin under the bed/crib is another great place for misc.
LeeAnne
The circo tubs with rope handles from target are my best friend. I have them all over. They rock at providing a home for big trucks that every boy has tons of. Toys are confined to the playroom, garage(outdoor toys), and bedroom. If we run out space we donate and I have them select a toy before every gift holiday to donate. Hopefully they will learn to be giving. :)
Jamie Koonce
I keep everything in bins and clean up every night before bed. We also go through and purge every so often. We move every 2-3 years since we are a military family so it makes us declutter often.
Holly
I love using old locker bins tucked in ikea open bookshelves. When everything has a place it makes it so much easier! Our baby is only 6 months, so we are trying to limit what we bring in.
Alene Conner
With two girls ages 4&6 and another on the way clutter seems to multiply! My biggest clutter reducer method is using the cubby/fabric bin system I purchased at Target. Each bin has a specific type of toy in it, ex: the my little pony bin, the polly pocket bin, the Barbie bin, etc. The girls are only allowed to have one bin out at a time when playing , and when cleaning up they know exactly where things belong! If the bin is full and new toys don’t fit it’s time to purge!
Katie
I use furniture with built-in storage whenever possible! Storage ottomans are great for hiding the little knick knacks (and toys!) that you need every day.
amy
Bins and wall hooks- gives everything a spot off the floor but still easy access for the kids
Ashlee
I don’t really have a tried and true answer, except that I use containers a lot! I’m still trying to figure out an attractive yet functional way to store my 2-year-old daughter’s toys! This giveaway would be awesome!!! :)
Bdaiss
I try to stick to the “one in one out” philosophy. When that doesn’t work (or for all the other. It’s and bobs I don’t want to see all the time) I love baskets and bins. Doesn’t matter what kind of a mess it is inside, it looks neat and orderly from the outside! Keeps me same and the kids still have easy access to their toys.
adrienne
I HATE clutter. Purging is an absolute lifesaver. We do a lot of donating when things are no longer played with and before birthday and holidays. Also keeping things off the floor and minimizing knock knacks. We use the cube storage shelf in the closet to display toys on and drawers for art supplies/paper.
Mikaela
Cube shelves with tons of baskets and bins. I literally have a huge cube shelving unit
In every bedroom and in our game room. Also, Don’t be afraid to donate things when your kids outgrow them. Toys and clothes are always piling up. I go through them every 3 months and donate what Is outgrown or what my kids don’t play with and give it to our local shelter.
Cyn Corces
Since we live in a not so big apartment I use a magazine rack in our living room to keep my little guys toys from spilling all over the place. And I have some cool wine crates that I have found and I line them with canvas and paint them for specific groups of toys for his room so he can dump all of his toys in there and he know where he can find them as well
Laura M
Piles. I’m so bad at organization!
Lara S.
My best is kind of like she already said, but I keep empty bins in my daughter’s closet to fill with clothes (I try to go through the drawers every month or two) & toss in whatever I know isn’t fitting. When it’s full it gets stored & it’s all out of the way.
Rachael
We are a huge fan of cube organizers with cute baskets.
Tiki Huey
I don’t know how to, everything is everywhere, and I mean EVERYWHERE!!!! If I could attach pictures I would. I need a pro to come in and help me with my organization. I need someone to please tell me what to keep, how to store things I need, but don’t always need out, and make me throw out what I don’t need!!!!! I am such a hoarder!!! I have a 19 month, and so now it has gotten worse. Please I beg of you to pick me!!!! I DESPERATELY NEED THE HELP!!!
Kisa
We are all about the cute fabric baskets and clear containers, there is no such thing as having too many storage bins!!
Anne Lehnick
We clean up when we finish playing with something. We also have containers or places for all types of toys and are supplies, so things have a home to go to.
lynn b
Oh let me count the ways I try to keep the kids organized…first with some amazing shelves and media centers, with doors to hide clutter. Then we use lots of reusable bags, re-use clear zip bags that comforters and bed sets come in so the kiddies can easily see the toys and keep like items together.you can never have enough storage with 3 kids.
Melody J
I do two very useful things to keep the kids clutter at bay: 1) Get custom closets – this makes the entire closet useful and organized. 2) I purchased very cute clear storage boxes that are decorated with hearts(from Target) so we can keep all the Polly Pockets together and the Barbie Accessories in check. Easily transportable to other rooms and easy to clean up! We have small, med, large and huge boxes.
beth leyva
We go through and get rid of things once month, and lot of storage bins!!
Renee V.
I realized the toys were getting out of control, so we had to finally purchase the cube storage shelves that hold individual bins. Then the toys can theoretically stay organized, but most importantly off the floor! Also, since my daughter is a toddler and she doesn’t have adult size clothes yet, a bookshelf in her closet holds lots of things that are easily seen and again keeps things off the floor in her room! Now that we are expecting a boy we realize we need to come up with an updated plan!
lisa w
Love containers, bins, storage benches, closets! I appreciate this post since I do still need help!
Jen
I label everything… bins for art supplies, games, Nintendo gear and more. Plus I’m obsessed with Command hooks (by 3m). I have one positioned low inside the coat closet so even my smallest can hang up her coat. Some behind my sons door for hats, bags, bath towel, and in my daughters closet at eye level for her favorite dress up clothes. Last, I never leave a room empty handed. Something inevitably needs to go somewhere else. This small step makes a big difference throughout the day.
Stacey
I have a HUGE tote in the attic that I use to store toys that have been played with for a few months. Then, every few months, I take them down and put up other ones. That keeps our toy collection to a minimum in the house, and also keeps them excited about the “new” toys that are coming down! I also have great storage bins from IKEA in our playroom and EVERYTHING has a place. I also pack up too-small clothes into those extra large ziplock bags, label them and then put them in a tote for younger brother to wear when he moves up in sizes. Would love to win this! Thanks!
Kara
This post is awesome! I am in the midst of finishing my 3 yr old’s big boy room and these are all helpful hints! I would say my biggest tip is make everything serve a purpose. Don’t put something in the room if it doesn’t have a purpose. Helps to keep the clutter down.
Thanks for an awesome post and the chance to win the gift cards!
Amanda Stauffer
Space is limited in my small home. I’m constantly trying to organize better and baskets do help and book shelves too. Utilizing space under beds is great too.
Tracy S
We are basket happy in our house. It’s a great place to store his toys that’s easily accessible to our baby. Love the ledges for books too. We should do it.
Johnna
I love organization! It makes my life feel so….clean! I wish I was more organized and could stay on top of it, but to keep my daughter’s room clutter-free, I try to purge toys before birthday and Christmas. And the usual spring cleaning. The same with clothes in the closet. I store all clothes that are too little in storage bins and mark the sizes on the outside of the bin and store it in the attic. That way when they get ready for the younger one or I get ready to sell them, I know where to go!
Celia
Under bed storage!!! This has been a life saver in both of my daughters (2 yrs, 6 mos) seasonal cloths. As for the abundance of toys, I try and rotate them to keep it fresh and interesting. I just recently put pictures on each storage toy bin of the toys that belong on them. My 2 year old loves “cleaning” up now, because she thinks of itas a game!!
Susan R
Before our baby was born, I begged my husband to build a giant toy box/bench and bookshelves built-ins in the nursery! They turned out awesome and add a huge amount of storage. The best part is all the toys go in the bench and don’t have to been seen! I also built a little reading corner that has shallow picture leaning shelves to lean books against. That way he can see the covers and pick out the book he wants to read. Adds decoration and storage!
Robin K
With my 7 month old, we don’t have alot of clutter yet. But I do keep a laundry basket in her closet for donation/consignment. Cute metal buckets and wooden baskets in nursery colors keep toys, books, nursery supplies together and deco chic! :)
Stacey C.
Bins! Bins! Bins! Bins for toys, diapers, outgrown clothes, shoes, etc. (and lots of labels for said bins :)
karen
work little by little. i never get anything if i tell myself i ‘have to clean the whole room. by tomorrow’ we start in one corner and work from there. sometimes it takes a few days, but we’ll get there eventually!!
Megan
Storage bins and lots of them! Fabric boxes for the closets and plastic bins for storage.
Lissette Gonzalez-Toledo
I take care of my 4 year old son’s clutter by using multiple sources of storage. His play area is in our family room. There he has an 8 cubby storage system, a train table with two drawers, and we use the two cabinets under the t.v. to store certain toys. He is now learning that each area stores a specific type of toy. So if he wants to play with one of his cars he can find them in cubby # 3 of the storage system.
Vicki Covrig
We use book shelves for the stuffed animals, plastic storage bins, toy boxes with dividers and try to train the kids to put the stuff back where it belongs. If all else fails, offer the oldest one and her friend a $1 to pick up the toys and replace them.
Jamie
Move every 2 years! Kidding! But seriously, we have moved every one to two years since 2004. We are now settled, finally, into a long term home (10+ years) and moving that often really makes you reconsider what you “need” and what is worth hauling around. I keep a constant pile ready for donations and drop it off often so I am not tempted to go back and pull something back out. With kids the only thing we don’t limit is books so I am needing some wall shelving as well. We try to pay attention to which toys are novelties, barely played with and ready to be donated (usually loud/plastic types) in favor of the more simple things that grow with them – plain, uncolored wooden blocks are a favorite of both kids, 2 and 4 years old. Not accumulating in the first place is a big one, too – instead of things, grandparents gift classes – my kids have done soccer, dance, etc as wonderful, experience type gifts! My favorite!
Jeni
Lots of organizers! We have a large dresser with lots of plastic organizers in each drawer to seperate the socks, bibs, onesies and all the other little clothes. In the closet we have plastic drawers to store clothes that are still too big, and fabric bins for blankets and sheets.
Barbie
For everything that goes in, something must go out. For example, when my daughter gets a a new stuffed animal or toy, she has to give up something to goodwill.
Carolsue
My kids have always been good about keeping their rooms clean. They know if they leave things lying around, they may lose that item for a week. If it gets left out again, it gets donated. What they do have, they have a lot of storage space and plastic drawers to keep the little items stored in. On their birthdays and Christmas, they each pick a few items to donate since they will be getting new things.
danielle
Bins,Bins,Bins. Rotate toys. A special place for everything!
margo B.
My children (2) share a room together and we have used bookshelf / room divider type of furniture to maximize the storage space and keep the clutter of the floor… everything goes to a dedicated basket inside the cubes so its out of sight and you can really play off on the design scheme – with the baskets, containers etc….
Kate
I would love to know where you got some of the things pictured, like the picture ledge, the superhero art and the bedding. I love this room. You did a wonderful job.
Jas
I use storage bins for my boys’ books and toys, and keep them in cubbies. Their clothes are all organized into clear bins labeled with the sizes so I can easily find what I need. I love all of my kids things but I love them even better when it’s all organized :)
Kimberly
Storage bins are my solution! I although not that I am pregnant with my 2nd I am fearing a cluttered household when the baby toys and gear come back out in a few months. We have a lot of space, but I could definitely still use a lot of decluttering help!
cindy b
We do a clean up first thing in the morning and at night before bed. I find this keeps the space pretty clean and only takes a few mins!
Ali
by using lots of storage bins. I lable them to make things even easier.
cindy b
cindy b,
ladyboarder9669(at)yahoo(dot)com
Emily Harrison
A place for everything and everything in it’s place. We really do not go crazy buying toys. If we have a birthday or holiday then old toys get donated before new toys come into the playroom. Shoes get put away when taken off, coats hung up, backpack in the same spot every night. THings like that so nothing get’s lost or is under foot. I use baskets in the living room for toys that my 11 month old plays with daily. Each night they are filled up and slide out of sight.
Great giveaway!!
Thanks, Emily Harrison
Tamara Owens
Encourage your family to bless others! We are expecting our first child and every time we get hand-me-downs from sweet friends/family, we keep a few things but donate the rest to our local pregnancy resource center. These centers are 100% funded by donations and they use them to help young mothers who need love and support. It’s easy to give up those sentimental items when you think of those who’ll be blessed by them!
Jennifer
Making sure everything has a home and lots of bins that are labeled!
Rachel
This article is so right and on-point! The collection of the different sized frames on the wall is so in-style right now! Some people are constantly holding on to old items that have no use, getting rid of them or donating them can be such a therapeutic and cleansing feeling!
Nikki L
I could use some tips on decluttering…my closets are a mess! I really like to use drawer organizers, and labeled bins to keep things looking tidy…
Vanessa Coker
Definitely try to keep it de-cluttered by never letting it get too bad and to have tons of easy-access storage containers around.
Leah asuncion
We are only just starting to have to really deal with the clutter! My sons are two years old and four months and right now they are in separate rooms, although they will eventually share! As my oldests toys have started to get out of hand I got a storage bookshelf with several labeled bins and we try to make picking up his stuff a game that he enjoys! We also don’t keep toys on the rooms… Only books! We are lucky because we have a large loft that is the designated “playroom” so the clutter is at least centralized! However this would be an awesome contest to win because as the boys are getting older the clutter is getting bigger….. And it’s always mom who is trying to keep it picked up!
Staci A
My best tip is to label storage containers with photos or words. It encourages my little one to put things away. If a bin is too full, we know it’s time to donate toys.
Candi
Since deciding to stay in our smallish one bedroom apartment with our now 20 month old, DH and I have decided that instead of buying new toys we would rather buy “experiences”. For example, instead of paying forty dollars or more for a new toy we would simply put that money towards a yearly membership to a museum or other activity that we could enjoy as a family during the year. It has helped us especially minimize the toy dilemma. Also for every new thing that comes in one thing MUST go. Absolutely no exceptions. We regularly donate to our local charities and hand things down to people in our family/friend circle who may have children our sons age. I have only kept a few things that I really could not part with and those are up in our storage area. Also we us those space bags for out of season and outgrown clothes so that if someday we have another child or we are letting go of items everything is clean and clearly labeled and ready to go. I am loving reading all these clutter busting solutions, it is as someone put it, very timely. :)
Ginny
For babies under age 15 months (this is what we did for our daughter) they don’t need much every day to play with. We kept out two or three BIG toys (the play table, slide, etc) and then along one wall of our dining room I kept FIVE clear plastic bins with lids…they were about 10 inches wide, 18 inches long, and 12 inches high. Each of them had a colorful sign on the front that simply said “Monday” “Tuesday” etc…one for each day Monday-Friday (the weekends are crazy and we are hardly ever home then, so not much playing indoors.) Each bin had: about 7-8 small “baby” toys (rattles, teethers, home-made shakers, tambourine, soft blocks, etc) one educational short DVD (baby einsteins, baby genius, elmo, etc…30 min or less) and 3 books. Each day we ot our our DAY box and read every book all day, watched that DVD about animals or colors or whatnot, and scattered those toys out all over the living room. Each day was like a new adventure! They forget at that age in a week’s time what toys are in bin “Monday”…so when Monday rolls around again it is so exciting! I always felt like she got tired of the same old toys I would hand her when she was screaming bc they weren’t new and interesting. She loved this! So then, all you have out is 5 bins along one wall and 2 or 3 larger toys to play with. You can even do this with toddlers…it will help teach them colors (have each day sign a different bold color) DAYS of the week, and you can even put a different animal on the back and learn a new animal sound each day. Then inside put stickers, coloring books, stories, crafts, flash cards, DVDs, puppets, etc. Do it all on Saturday or Sunday and you have the week’s activities planned :)
I purchased a soft storage ottoman from Target that was super beautiful and totally “adult” looking and told our oldest it was her toybox. It has soft edges, is the size of a coffee table, and sits as if it is one in our living room. People wouldn’t know it was full of toys unless you lift it up and see the chaos inside :) She can open and close it and I don’t worry about smashed fingers. Plus when our youngest starts cruising around it I won’t worry about sharp corners.
Also, upstairs in our playroom, her art table has two “Chairs” that are really square storage ottomans…they hold all of her supplies for art and then the other one hold all of her puzzles. These are things that are all annoying with small pieces so I just have two square seats that open and hold all of it inside, right with her table so she can get it out then get to playing there. We only have one “bonus” room upstairs and we wanted to it be able to transform from a kids room during the day to an adult space we could take our friend to at night after the kids were in bed and hang out there. Success!
So our living room and playroom is clean and toy free except a few larger items and then the bins and toy box :) Everyone always comments on how clutter-free and adult looking it is! If they only came over in the middle of the day… ;)
Char A.
Everything should have a home so you can always find it! Also, lots of easy access storage containers helps too.
Zsa Zsa
I moved only once during my married life. Now I’m wishing to move so that I can “lose” some of my husband’s stuff. He is such a hoarder. I try to keep them all in bins and it helps a little bit.
Erin Lawrence
We try to stay as organized as possible. Everything has a place! And when something hasn’t been played with or used for a good amount of time, it goes to the basement in either the “garage sale” or “donation” box.
Brooke Ragan
Here’s a rule I live by: If you haven’t worn it or used it in 6 months, donate it or sell it on ebay. I use lots of clear plastic storage bins in the closet with labels( would love prettier ones) and shelves/bookcases keep items still in use. Would love a few picture ledges as shown above for a books and maybe some colorful patterned bins to put in bookcases.
Amy
I keep a diaper box handy to store clothes that he has outgrown easy way to store and pass on. I have plastic bins on metal shelves to keep everything organized and easily see what is in each one.
Erin
Havent had the experience yet, as we are still expecting, but I definitely have lots of shelves in our nursery closet! I am taking the bifold doors down to be safer for little ones, and have a tall boy in there for the small knick-nack items like hair barrettes and combs!
Making clothing seperators by age group soon to keep the hang-ables organized! Need to get a lot more totes & plastic bins though!
Stephanie
Containers and LABELING! Labeled containers save my life and create so much more room for my growing family <3 I loved reading this article and getting more ideas….so THANK YOU!!
Heidi
Same with me. Have not had the experience yet. But I can’t wait! Going through the process of adopting my baby and should have her/him by the end of the year! I have already started collecting clothes and organizing them by size is so much fun! A Target and Container Store gift card would be an amazing gift!!!
Jennifer
I appreciated all the tips. One thing that I think really helps with organization and aesthetics is making sure you have a focused look you are going for and don’t stray too far from it. Then you start looking all over the place and cluttered rather than getting a specific look across. It’s always nice to have shelves with doors on the front too, to hide away the toys!
April
I purge twice per year. If something hasn’t been used in 6 months, it probably isn’t needed. We donate or sell what we aren’t using or don’t need. Our daughter gives the toys she doesn’t use anymore to other children who can use them. Also, dual purpose furniture helps. Storage ottomans, storage benches, and under bed storage are great for containing clutter.
Nedaa Almier
using lots of storage pins, boxes & organizers and most importantly teaching children to clean up after themselves.
Scotty
The mom to 5 small kids with a husband who deploys often you have to be very organized! Having 1 year old, 2 year old twins a 3 year old and a 7 year old can lead to a lot of toys on the floor. The number one thing to do when you have a lot of toys and not a lot of space is to have a spot for everything and to get rid of things when they break. Those are my biggies that I can’t live without is if you don’t need it or the kids are not playing with it well get rid of it. Storage is a must! I bought a big book shelf cubicle thing from IKEA and it has boxes that fit perfectly in the cubicle so when the kids finish playing that is where they toys go. The floor must be keep clean of clutter or you will lose yourself.
Alison
For every new thing that comes in, one old thing MUST go out!
Anna
The best way is that early in their lives start that you do not go to be without cleaning your room. We have done that for 5 years now and it works. My son does it all by him self and also we have a ton of different containers for him to sort into,
Amy
The best way I have found to keep my son’s room clutter free is to start early when they are very young and have a “place for everything and everything in it’s place”…I purchased bookcases from IKEA and labeled fabric boxes from Target with the items that go in them and I spent the first couple of years helping him clean up and we always put the toys back in the same place. Now he is seven and if I tell him to please take anything that belongs to him and put it in the right place, he can go through the house and have it all back in his room where it belongs in a few minutes! No stuffing things in closets and under the bed! Which means less for me to have to do too!
Claire
Everyone’s tips and ideas are so helpful!! As for one of my tactics for keeping things clutter-free (as best as I can), I try not to let outgrown clothes pile up in my kids’ closets… I am constantly purging their drawers and closets with clothes that no longer fit, and then I store them in clear bins with size/gender labeled on the top and side! Then away to the attic the bins go until we know for sure whether our family of 4 is complete! :-) Cleaning them out promptly makes it so much easier and quicker to get everyone dressed and on with our day!
Lulu
I’m a huge fan of the Land of Nod Shelfapalooza – http://www.landofnod.com/kids-toy-boxes/kids-storage-and-shelving/shelfpalooza/f8107
Chavy Abelesz
We rotate the kids toys every few months so they don’t get bored so fast.
Bins, bins, bins, we already have quite a collection of “The Container Store” bins.
We live by the rule “If it wasn’t used in a year, it’s time to go”!
Dee
Clear plastic shoe boxes and chalk board sticky labels are our best friends. Also, we have lots of nieces and nephews close and across the country. We take 1 Saturday every 6 months, go through clothes and ship or take to cousins they do the same. Toys get donated to a local early intervention program in the same intervals. We really try to live by the rule of if something comes in than something gets donated.
Cassandra D
Well, of course lots of storage bins. Everything must have a place. Also, we constantly sell our things in the Just Between Friends consignment sales in the spring and fall and purge ourselves of unwanted toys and clothes. Which also helps with money to purchase the next seasons clothes. What doesn’t sell, we donate to goodwill immediately. We also do 15 min cleanups to keep their playroom clean and tidy!
Krist
Teach your children to pick up their toys when they’re done playing.
From the time my girls were itty bitty, I had them help me pick up their things and put them in labeled bins. Before they could read, I labeled the bins with photos so they knew where to put things. Now the bins are labeled with cute hanging tags.
I am convinced that if you start early, picking up and putting away just becomes a good habit and saves your sanity!
DJ Cox
Teach by example and keep the joy of teaming together. Plan for extra time to clean between activities and call a “happy meeting.” This is your segway to the next activity which creates interest, pulls the group back together and plans the prompt cleanup prior to moving on. This is made much easier with organized storage that all ages can manage… baskets, cubbies, bookshelves, drawers.
Now I am confident that if you put your best coaches hat on, show enthusiastic leadership and take the time for call everyone’s attention to how well each one did… you can train the youngest little playtime partner into good habits. You see, their satisfaction of a job well done is the greatest prize.
Creating the joy of a job well done,
DJ
Jaime
I try not to go over 15 min. while I organize a drawer. Makes me stay on task.
Krissy
Have a place for everything and put it away after using it. We have bins everywhere right by where we the things are used so it’s easy to put away. My favorite is the bin of clothes that my son has outgrown next to the laundry basket in his closet. It really cuts down on the time it takes to get rid of smaller clothes!
cara
Even though both bedrooms are upstairs, there is only 1 closet. My husband put his things in the downstairs coat closet, and I put my seasonal things in the basement. Then I gave half of the walk in closet to my 3 year old to get dressed, play, and organize his books and toys. It makes his adjacent bedroom seem larger. And ditto on all the bins!
amylee
I live in a small condo so I know what it is like to feel overwhelmed with stuff. I love to organize and I use storage boxes for toys. I had my husband put in shelves in my two boys closets so they serve double duty of clothes storage and toy storage. It is also nice cause the boys have to ask to play with toys, which allows us to clean up before we get new stuff out. I love your boys room and am going to redo my boys this summer when my youngest (now 23 months) moves to a big boy bed.
Karen
Pick one day out of the month just dedicate to clean out the closets under the beds and just clean away! I typically turn on music and turn the volume all the way up and dont let nothing hold me down!. I do piles to take to Goodwill. Containers help and labeling things as well. :)
Deanna G.
I just like to use lots of storage containers and organizers & frequently re-organize to make things look neat.
Jessica
My most favorite way to keep my daughters things organized are those cute fabric, square baskets! I can organize brip cloths, bibs, Jammie’s, toys, stuffed animals, First Aid/grooming, diapering things, etc. each in their own bins! Plus they come in all sorts of fun, coordinating colors and designs so they look super cute and matchy matchy with her bedroom decor!
Sarah
My favorite way to organize my daughter’s toys is baskets. When it’s time to pick up the toys we throw them all in the basket. It’s easy for my 2 year old daughter to help, doesn’t have to be sorted out and super organized, but it’s all contained in one spot!
Allie
I love using plastic bins to organize my sons toys by type to keep items he plays with together in places he can easily access them.
Courie
We’ve had our house on the market for almost 8 months now, so keeping a toddler and infant room clean, clutter free and easy to pick up has been a challenge. Here are the three things that are saving my sanity:
1. Large, clear storage bins that we can stack in the garage or attic. I use them for clothes that aren’t quite ready to be passed down yet, and, more importantly, I use them to rotate toys. With about 1/2 the toys in storage, my oldests room is much easier to keep clean. And when those “old” toys get rotated out storage, it’s like they are brand new again!
2. Boxes in each closet for clothes they grow out of. I use old diaper boxes becuase they are small and sturdy, but plastic bins work great too. As soon as the box is full, key pieces come and out and go into long term storage and the rest is dropped off at the Salvation Army ASAP.
3. All my toddler’s toys are bins with see through fronts, and he can reach all of them. It makes it much easier for him to help clean his room becuse he knows where everything came from and where it goes.
Tonya Hopkins
Each one of my boys have their own toy boxes for there smaller toys. I also have pegs on the wall for their hats, backpacks, and toy masks so everything is hung up and out of the way. For clothes that they have grown out of I either donate them to children in need or keep them in a plastic container until someone needs them. That keeps me from having a ton of clothes that isn’t worn out of the way.
Tessa Hall
To keep my little ones organized who happen to share a room as well. I organize organize organize. I can not stress or say that enough. The each have their own clothes hampers 2 each (i dont know where all there clothes come from) im going to have to say its got to be the grandparents. I have a shelving cubby like unit that we purchased from ikea which are filled with individual bins and we put their shoes, towels, diapers and clothes in these individual cubby units. no toys are allowed in the room it just creates clutter we keep the toys in a seperate area.
Jess Erin
I’m with most of the others here – baskets are the way to go! I also love the underbed storage boxes for “project” type things like legos and dolls.
Makia
My favorite for organization are the painted metal containers from Pottery Barn Kids. They are great for storing books, art supplies, toys, toiletries and small baby items.
KR
Baskets!!! Kid friendly, can’t really ruin them, look acceptably chic to the adult eye and help keep things organized in small spaces. Can’t live without ’em!
SunRae
My best tip to keep a kids room organized is lots of storage containers and under bed storage. Make it a game . to put everything away. Also teach them to put one thing away before they get out anymore.
Crystal Sard
Bins and baskets are a life-saver in my 3 year old son’s room. I’ve taught him that big toys go in the toy box but small toys go in the bins. It saves me (and him) tons of time. When he wants a particular toy there’s no digging in the toy box and nothing gets lost in the bottom. Also hooks on the wall for backpacks and hats are a must.
Kat
I am a basket person. I keep my toddlers room organized by putting everything in separate bins and baskets. For example: all mega blocks go in one basket, his train set in another, all balls in another, I even do his shoes in a big bin that slides in and out from under the bed so we can conserve space. This system has worked great for us! We are military an we move around quite a bit so it’s important that I stay organized while keeping some familiarity for my little guy! :-) I love the brothers room that you did. I’m due in 3 weeks with number 2. We are gonna be surprised by the gender but if it’s another boy, I’m definitely doing the “brothers” letters in their room!!!
isadora
did i hear baskets? yep, baskets are an essential way of keeping my sons’ toys organized. toss and put away. I also like lunch boxes for their little die cast car collection, just pile them in and tote them around… a boy friendly “bag”. Lastly, for the more designer-y cars (cars that we’ve collected from travels, e.g. London bus, Citroen 2CV, Fiat 500, London cab) I group them together on a shelf. The grouping makes it look intentional, organized and it also works as a decorative accent.
Ashley
teach your children at a young age what it means to be organized. Have plenty of child friendly containers to separate their toys into. Make cleaning fun. Label the container with a picture or words to help them remember what toy goes where. Have containers, drawers and closet rods at the child’s level so they can use them.
Sarah
What a gorgeous room! I love everything about it, my favourite colours. Grey and yellow! Are you able to tell me where you get these book shelves/ledges?
Thanks!
Katy M
Great tips above and lovely pictures!
I like to use colored bins to sort different items like Legos, blocks, action figures and books.
Thanks for the great giveaway!
Alanna roberts
We made it into a fun activity one rainy day and got both plastic and fabric bins and spent the day painting and designing the boxes and also writing what type of clutter would go in that box! Letting the kids design it they had so much fun and got creative and felt like they wanted to use the boxes since they had decorated them theirselves!
jeannine s
I use shelves with bins that are labeled with the type of toy inside. It is easier for the kids to find their toys and put them away. This also keeps them off the floor
Charity S
I love using storage bins and wicker baskets with lining. My son suffers from severe allergies, and I have to always keep his stuff dust-free and organized. I loved all of your tips.
gita prasad
My tip is to by cute bins that are for diff categories such as shoes, books, toys etc. This makes clean up fun.
Also get hooks that are child height so they hang up their jacket on their own
Erin echols
Rustic or industrial inspired bins with picture labels on them so they can see and understand where different items go before they learn to read.
Kim @ The Educators Spin On It
We keep our kids spaces clean by using fabric storage bins by themes and rotate them out to make things for more exciting and engaging. We also labels things to help with organization and expose them to environmental print. We just shared how we do it on our site for babies, toddlers, & preschoolers ! http://theeducatorsspinonit.blogspot.com/2012/02/baby-time-ideas-for-creating-and.html
Heather G.
bins, bins and more bins. Everything HAS to have a space to go.
Ro'Chele A
Platform beds with the drawers underneath are one of the greatest investments ever!
Amy Rouse
My grandsons toys are stored in plastic bins in “his” closet in the playroom. He thinks it’s a special honor to put things away in the bins in “his” closet. Somehow calling it “his” closet makes it a special treat for him, he feels it’s exclusive to him… Whatever works…..LOL
alexa
I love storage bins and a good sized toy box. I taught my daughter to put her toys away and talked about my expectations of a clean room. I love target and the container store, thanks for this great contest! <3
Kate @ The Shopping Mama
If you saw my kids’ play room you’d know I am in absolutely no position to be giving advice on keeping kids’ space clean and decluttered. But, with a move to Europe on our horizon I know I need to make this a priority. And my solution? Bins. Lots and lots of labeled bins.
Carly
I put my degree in child development to good use! I remembered from the preschool I worked in that we had photographs of everything on bins so kids could clean up on their own (before they can read labels). I bought the Ikea Trofast system, organized everything into bins, and then took pics of the inside of each bin (the contents) and put them on the outside of the bins. My 2 year old can clean up independently with NO problem, and everything is in the right place! :)
Candace B
I recently got an Ikea Expedit 2×4 for our family room, paired with Itso bins from Target and they have been great to eliminate the daycare center decor from our main living space.
Bethany S
I have two small-ish baskets in the living room… one for toys and one for board books. All the rest of their toys are stored in the attic. And every few weeks, I switch out the toys, wash the used ones, and get out some ‘new’ ones. It’s like Christmas having ‘new’ toys to play with (cause they forget they have them after while, so it’s super fun once again!), and it keeps the living room tidy!
Shelbi Stockdale
The main thing is that everything has
Jennifer Beer
I went to Ikea and bought a little bookcase type thing and little bins that for in each slot perfectly. I put all of my sons toys in there. Each bin is labeled for certain toys ie: toys, books, blocks and so on. So far it’s worked. But we’re in need of more storage
Shelbi Stockdale
The main thing is that everything has a place and we pick up several times a day. Also almost all of the toys are in my boys’ room.
Monica Penalber
I am pregnant with my 1st girl, but I am already planning on how I am going to keep everything that a lil girl brings organized!!! I plan to use alot of storage bins and wicker baskets and dividers in her drawers and closets!
Marissa Lenhart
I love using decorative baskets for clutter and toys. I then go through the toys when the basket is filled to the brim and donate what isn’t getting as much attention. I also use small clear containers for those small places like in bathroom cabinets and drawers. I would like to use more hooks around the house I just need to be brave and put those holes in the wall. With a new baby on the way I find myself using idea’s of others, like the small picture ledges for books. I love that idea!
stacy h
I try to limit the amount of stuff- if necessary, I rotate things from totes in the basement so it all seems ‘new’! Also a big fan of baskets on bookshelves to keep things organized and tidy. We have few closets in our 1940 home so bookshelves, a buffet and secretary desk are how I put our things away!
Summer
I have a book shelf with baskets, I try and keep the toys organized but sometimes during clean up they get all mixed up but at least it still looks organized. Thanks for a great giveaway!
Margarite
With all the massive amount of crafts that come home from kindergarten, we laminate some and include them in a 3 ring binder showing my daughters art.
Jenn C
I think the best way to wrangle my toddler’s clutter is to purge, purge and purge some more. Kids have way too much stuff and I’m constantly donating to Goodwill when stuff gets out of hand. Using vertical wall space helps and having baskets to quickly stow things away. I love my abaca baskets from Target and I love container store to stow small odds and ends :)
rebecca chatterjee
We stay clutter-free by having bins for everything and shelves for these bins. I do a weekly pitch of loose items (without my children seeing me do so, or things get dragged back into rotation). Also, a wide dresser with six drawers serves as a place to hold loose toys and playsets. Easy to pull out and put back after play (and off the floor).
Jessica Smith Denio
The only way I can keep my kids organized is all bags up off the floor on hooks and many, many storage containers. I also organize all the incoming art from school with acrylic frames and magnets to highlight the masterpieces:)
Rivkah T
We’ve just started, but lots of fabric bins. I need more!
Renee
I get rid of lots of my kids things. Especially as they out grow it. We donate a ton. We keep bins in their closets with toys and games in them. I also keep baskets in areas where their certain toys have to go it:-) Baskets, Baskets, Baskets!!!!
Liz B
Our way of keeping things neat and organized is to make toy boxes that can be rotated once a week. Saturday mornings are spent gathering all of the toys and boxing them up and then we get out a new bin of toys putting the others in a rotation that is stored in the kids’ closets. They still have access to all of their things but we don’t have to have them all at the same time. Keeps the number of toys down and the kids play so well on Saturdays with the toys they have not seen in a few weeks. It is like new toys over and over again! We do the same thing with books, only keeping about 10 on the shelf at a time and rotating them every week or two. It keeps them interested in reading with all of the new material all of the time. Fewer toys and books out means less mess!!
Stephanie M
The best bet for clutter in my opinion is to have designated storage spaces and that’s it, if it doesn’t fit there it’s gone.Using my daughters room for example she has a cube storage system with four bins and two spaces for books. Every time new toys or books come in that won’t fit we go through the shelves and bins and donate some older toys to make room for the new ones. I do the same thing in my closet with my clothes otherwise it would be a jungle in there!
Robyn
Baskets that aren’t typical storage bins…. Finding baskets that match your home decor :)
Kristi K
Baskets and bins help me to keep my daughter’s things organized. I’d be lost without them!
Audra
The ever popular IKEA Expedit has been the key to organizing our kid life. The squares are perfect for the collapsible storage bins or storing things directly on the shelves!
jessica warne
We use clear bins and tires so the kids can see what’s inside. Pink and blue labels help them see which has the girl toys or the boys. Baskets house the bigger items used daily, stuffed animals and big trucks, etc. Like items are always grouped together. Purging and sorting often help control the masses.
Shelley
Keeping organized in my daughter’s room is the only room we have gotten it ‘right’ we only keep in the room what is used. Since she was born we have kept up with purging and storing unused items. I have given myself a new plastic bin every 3 months (incase baby #2 is a girl) and if it doesn’t fit, it leaves the house. My trick for keeping my daughter’s room clean is our night-time routine. While turning down the lights, filling the humidifier and pre-making diapers I always take a few minutes to straighten up – her room is the cleanest and most organized in the house!
Kristena
My boys have to share a room and taking them from 2 rooms to 1 room was a challenge in itself. We got rid of everything that was not a necessity and changed the theme of the room to a neutral theme. I gave each boy their own “space”. Their dressers have their personal belongings and the closet is divided in two. One side for each boy. Each boy only has one toy bin (a fabric tote) that they can keep their things in. I use the tops of the their closets and under their beds. Maximizing the space is the only way to handle it!
Kaylene
lots of boxes, bins, and drawers :) Everything has to have a designated place, or else it turns into clutter.
Leela
1. Maintain – it’s easy to leave a trail of dirty laundry or toys and gadgets. But I’ve learned that a little maintenance helps make clean up a lot less overwhelming. I can take a couple extra seconds on the spot to pick up clutter – before it becomes clutter galore.
2. Replace – it’s also easy to want to keep everything because it will be useful for someone or something later. But instead of trying to keep every piece of brilliant artwork, I can choose to replace something I already have. If I get a new set of towels, I find a way to get rid of the old ones. A new ___, get rid of the old. Even if it’s slightly used, I find that it’s quickly useable by someone else.
Jenny
I color code my bins so when we’re cleaning up, it’s easier to organize. For example, our orange bins are for my baby’s dolls and stuffed animals. She gets excited when it’s time to clean up!
Jo
I just close the door and walk away, so I don’t see it…. I need help!! Lol
Jennifer Paras
I also went to ikea for our Toddler’s room toy storage. I like the plastic bins shelving unit because you can pick any combination of bin sizes and the colors are fun. I also like that they are easy to clean.
For my older daughter’s room we used a combination of fabric baskets and woven baskets.
As for their play area in living room, I found at Target last summer these large clear bins with handles cut out. the kids can carry around the room, play with, then throw all their toys in. I think the bins are suppose to be a drink cooler bin! It works great and looks fun!
Lindsey
I am terrible at managing clutter. It all seems to build up during the week and I always end up spending my Saturday morning decluttering. I could definitely use some organization assistance!
alicia funk
I think keeping some toys in storage is key. Children don’t need ALL their toys accessible ALL the time. Rotating toys keeps things interesting. I also think that if every toy has a “place” there is a better chance at keeping things tidy when you want to!
manda
I agree. .simple is better! My two girls share a room and I am hoping that makes them closer, too :) We used the other room, for the play room. They have way too many toys – so that is the organized room. Bins and storage shelves galore! )
Lindsay S.
We use awesome under the bed storage bins from IKEA, hooks on the walls, and storage baskets in the closet. We have our three children in one room (the master bedroom). So, making the most use in spaces tucked away or up high makes more room for them to play! Also, we have a few big “buckets”, (from Target, they’re the big “Rope Tubs”) around their bedroom and the living room to store toys. They are big and roomy and make for quick clean-up!! (the rope totes also work great in the laundry room!)
Chris Myers
I like keep things clutter free in my kids rooms by using storage containers as decorative furniture/items in the room. This way, the room looks organized and decorated at the same time and space is utilized for multiple purposes.
Tracy S
We have baskets. Lots of baskets. It’s hard though since we live in a row home with no closet stir age and limited space. We’re always looking for new ideas.
Pamela
I always have a bag or storage bin handy to put clothes that my son suddenly outgrows. That way it’s not put back in a draw or thrown on the ground till I get back to it. I love toy stoage shelves to keep toys off the ground. When they’re on the ground they get stepped on and broke. Withe the bins it’s wasy to throw everyting in them and do a quick clean up.
Angel S.
Right before birthdays and holidays we purge! Go through clothes and toys that are no longer used and donate/throw away/sell. We use a large plastic storage bin (in a cool blue that matches the room) as a toy box and have the plastic drawer bin for crafts/puzzles/cars.
Seasen
We have a platform bed with drawers underneath. Huge space saver and valuable extra storage!
catherine Runge
When we had to double up our girls we found bunk beds with a drawer under and each has a special ledge in their bunk for special trinkets!
Kate
Lots and lots of baskets and bins! Everything has a place. Also, we regularly go through and purge toys that we don’t use and clothes that don’t fit. Purging is key!!
Laura
everything is in bins! i label all of the bins and put them away in the closet. we also use wicker baskets for toys. i have rustic wire baskets for all my daughter’s stuffed animals. i am hoping to get a toy chest soon because we have so many toys at the moment! ahhh!
Christy B.
Everything has a place. I always grew up with put it back where you got it. Also, I’m a big fan of, when you buy something new, you need to get rid of something old.
Shawna
Keep some toys in the closet and storage, so you can easily rotate. I also just built a book nook and created a platform for the boy to stand on. The truth is that I needed extra storage, so it’s elevated off the floor just enough to put extra toys and storage items under. We also have just a few clothing items hanging in a closet and boxes of clothing items stacked on shelves along with the new baby’s items. It all fits and is stacked to the ceiling… of course, neatly organized and the out of reach items are what we don’t use often. We also just put extra shelves up in the room that help to keep the diapers and wipes under control. Soon, I’ll be posting photos on my blog to share the changes we made to create extra space for the two kids to share a tiny room.
Natalie A
homemade fabric storage bins to keep all the toys neatly organized on shelves and a dresser in the closet to store more clothes
Nan H.
My kids are older now but they still have tons of stuff! Bigger kids = bigger containers! I will soon be going through my college daughters room and it will be a huge challenge. She has a LOT of stuff she has left at home that she will want after college so I can use all the help I can get! lol
Sue Wheelock
I have a large ikea expedit bookcase in my 4 year olds room and have baskets on the two levels. Having specific baskets for different kinds of toys makes it easier for him to clean and find the toys he needs when he is looking for something.
Lindsay
go vertical! use the walls to hang shelves and get stuffed animals, toys and books off the floor. And lots of bins from the Container store!
Paula
We use bins for our toys and are constantly rotating what’s available to play with.
Cortney
I so struggle with this! Picking it off the floor is first and then I organize out of season or too small clothes into totes. For toys, I rotate what room and bin they go in so it’s sort of “changing up” the game plan!
niki
Not really sure ~ that’s why I am here!
My newest thing though is a silverware drawer organizer for my kids bathroom drawer for toothbrushes/toothpaste etc.
Lindsay
Baskets and tubs for all different things. I also keep the plastic bags bedding & blankets come in and reuse them for organizing extra toys, coloring supplies, etc.
Toni Gautreaux
Baskets!!! I have them in cabinets, on the floor and under the bed to keep all the toys in order.
Bonnie Scott
I keep the room clutter free by using storage bins on shelves in the closet. We moved the clothes rack up higher and added another one under for double the clothes and hanging storage. My husband added shelves to half of the closet for blankets and towels and wipes, pampers and things baby. Multi hooks that hang on the back of the closet door and I use an over the door pocket shoe rack to keep socks and baby shoes and small items on the back of his room door. His chair pulls out into a twin bed for when his sister visits for the summer. My husband hung shelves on the wall next to his crib and over the chair for picture frames and accessories. His book shelf holds books, stuffed animals, baskets with toys and dvd’s. Small space = big on storage
Heather Casteel
Bins, totes and coffee cans! Little toy sets fit great in the coffee cans and the kids decorate them so they’re cute :) we need more shelves BADLY!
Mandy
I use lots of boxes, bins, and drawers and it helps to reduce clutter.
Farrah
With 2 girls under 18months I keep everything in bins and every couple months I take out a bins worth of toys to donate. Our biggest issue is books so I bought house gutters and hung them on the walls like yours. For all the stuffed animals I bought the decorative outdoor hose holders. So basically when it is cleaned nothing is on the floor.
Tarah Hodges
My daughter is getting to the age where toys ate EVERYWHERE, so I bought an expedit and started organizing her toys with that but looks like I’m fixing to have to buy more with all her toys.
Candice
My motto is “everything looks better in a basket”…or tray or box. We have a long, low bookshelf in the playroom for books, with some shelves filled with open woven baskets for smaller toys. Then a larger basket for big toys, and one talk wire basket for balls – this way clean up resembles a basketball game. The boys closets have Rubbermaid closet systems that let you adjust the shelves in 30 seconds, and we use a combo of open bins, clear plastic storage, and a large paper box for artwork. I have been saving all the school art (this is our first school year), then I plan to photograph all the pieces and make a photo book…I’ll do this each year, and only keep a few really special pieces from each year to store or frame. Art supplies for the boys are out of reach in the laundry room and sorted by type in an over the door shoe organizer, with bigger items in clear plastic totes…I use the men’s shoe boxes from Container store for pretty much everything.
Sarah
My son has a gazillion toys with small pieces (thank you family members for the wonderful gifts!)… So, to try to keep things in their place, I use alot of baskets in every room of the house. Every toy has its place and every night, it gets returned to that place!!! Target and IKEA are my go to places to get storage solutions in cute colors!!! Maybe someday little one will learn how to put the toys away all by himself!!!!
VIctoria Coffman
Storage bins with lids and lots and lots of labels! Now we have designated an entire closet to just toys and removed the door and added a curtain. This way kids can come & go but the excess clutter is not seen :)
Stephanie Silveira
I have a 2 year old boy and 4 month old girl sharing a nursery. To keep this space clutter free I had to give the space a smart little facelift:
1.) The cribs now adorn bed skirts to hide bins full of “stuff” both frequently used and simply stowed away. The look is both soft and fitting for a nursery and practical.
2.) A large bureau doubles as a changing table/station and clothes storage. Tip: dedicate one drawer for each clothing size so it’s easier to switch sizes out as the kids grow!
3.) The walk in closet stores boxes and hung clothing up high, and a play area/ secret little reading nook on ground level. Before bed, play “clean up” to de-clutter!
4.) Make sure every piece of furniture is both adorable and practical with storage components!
Alison
My 5 year old boy/girl twins share a room. We use color coded bins for storing toys and tubs for stuffed animals. I am hoping to create an art center soon for them to keep their endless supply of craft supplies in check and out of the living room.
Leslie
We try to keep the clutter in baskets and bins. As long as things have a designated spot, the house usually stays picked up at least.
trish
Everything has a place and if i can’t find a place for it by either trading out, editing or tossing, it doesn’t get to stay :( I really love these tips and I plan to use a lot of them. Thanks @projectnursery!
Larissa
I only have one daughter so far but the biggest thing for me is having an easy place to put clothes hat are too small near her dresser so I don’t have to do a major sort through her clothes every few months. Instead, I put it in her too small cubby if it’s a keeper or I put it in a bag to go to the consignment shop. This way it is sorted right away and when the cubby gets full it moves to a tub in storage. I also like keeping things off the floor as much as possible by using decorative hooks and using Ikea spice racks as book shelves.
Sarah W
My Mom taught me “a place for everything and everything in its place” and that really does work. Unfortunately, I don’t have a place for everything. I could really use these gift cards!
deanna
stay organized and keep them cleaning it up the same time every time.
Brenna
I usually try for “a place for everything, and everything in its place” but my husband and so it don’t necessarily get it. So I try pick up and our things away every night and I purge often.
Sara
Having a place for everything used to be my thing. Not so much anymore. Now with a 17 month old and a new, fastly growing Etsy shop I find that nothing has a home. I could SO use those gift cards to get my life back to “normal’ :) Thanks for the great tips. I feel like spring cleaning now!
Nicole M.
We love the canvas buckets from pottery barn kids. They are colorful and useful, I’m not a fan of giant tubs that take up a bunch of room and show all of the clutter. I’m also a huge fan of under the crib/bed storage.
Johannah Hayden
I have 3 boys, two of which share a room (the youngest is only 8 months so he is in the nursery). My older boys are now able to recognize and spell their names, so I use plastic colorful bins with letters on them. So when they clean up they take their toys and put them in their boxes and at the end have to put them together to spell their name! I put them up on the shelf once they get it correct. It is fun for them and keeps them thinking! They are so proud of themselves when they get it correct, and what kid doesn’t like to see their name in LARGE letters? And when we need more space or storage, I find wood or plastic containers that they decorate themselves. It keeps them involved and intrigued; they honestly are excited to clean up now!
Crystal
The plastic tubs with lids are the best for organizing things. We use the clear ones so you can still see what is inside and they stack neatly. Also the plastic stackable cubes that you can put the fabric boxes in are great and aesthetically pleasing. We also use the hanging shoe racks in the closet to throw folded clothes etc in.
Carrie Melchert
Each of my children have their own rooms along with a joint toy room. We try to stay organized as much as possible but it does not happen very often. Each child has their own toy organizer in the toy room that their toy specifically go in same applies for their bed room. We only have toys that fit. Once we receive more toys they have to go through and find toys to donate to help avoid the clutter. This is not always successful, but we try =)
Jossie Garcia
I am a first-time mom to a handsome 12 week-old baby boy. How do I keep Liam’s nursery organized? One word: Craftiness. Currently, I keep things organized by optimizing Liam’s space. His clothes remain neatly folded in his dresser or hung up in the closet. I also organized and displayed his toys by using mounted racks on the wall. There is a small section in his nursery that needs a little help. My thought was to use the Closetmaid cubes organizer. Hopefully, my little guy and I will WIN so we can continue to perfect his room. :)
Tara
For my twins 3 1/2 year old boys, we have an Ike’s expedit bookcase + square canvas bins from target that somehow fit perfectly into the ikea furniture!
Amanda
My sweet daughter loves drawing. I plan on giving her a sketchbook so that her work is CONTAINED and not loose-leaf and “looseable”. I also would like to make her an art station with designated bins for scrap paper, works in progress, etc. Both of these ideas would prevent the Pollock-approach to crafting that is my living room at present! :-) I love that little girl!
Helen
My best tip is to have your kids help with cleaning up! I have 2 children, ages 5 1/2 & 7. When they were little we would sing a Clean Up song & they would help. Now they are old enough to pick up their own toys. We have tub containers with tops that are very easy for the kids to open & they can put all their belongings away, in there appropriate tubs. We also have large, round open containers in their rooms for bigger items. Lastly, we have bookshelves to organize all of their books. It really helps to stay organized! I could always use a gift certificate to get even more organized!! Thanks!
Monique Haithcock
Ive always been a firm believer of, less is more when it comes to decorating and organizing. Having two boys has been hard to prevent clutter while trying to still make it look like an adults home. To declutter, I purchased nice leather bench ottomans which double as our coffee table & has storage for the living room toys. It’s so nice when company come over.
Alli
I have my kids (daughter and son) sharing a room. We keep it organized using closet maid square shelves and boxes. We sort their toys into categories and into the boxes they go. Clothes are a bigger challenge since we have a third baby on the way but don’t know if baby is a boy or girl yet – we have two sets of clothes saved which takes up a lot of space. We use space saver bags.
Thanks for the chance to win :)
Cheryl V.
Luckily are kids are so blessed that family & friends give them tons of clothes, books & toys. To keep it manageable we have used large zip lock storage bags & labeled each (ie. Thomas the train, star wars, blocks) so they’re easy to see & locate. Plus the storage bags are flexible so we can maximize storage space. And, we rotate toys in and out to keep it fresh & interesting.
We used to store the toys in this great Martha Stewart box shelf (stackable) with colorful pull out drawers (only $9.99 each) but once our eldest boy figured it out, we started stacking them on the shelves in the closet which he can’t open and stored clothes in the pull outs.
We also rotate out clothes based on size & season. Bagging & labeling them as well to make sure we maximize storage space. Large toy items are stored away under the play table to keep the appearance of being clutter free, even if it’s only for a few hours & just at night. :)
Elizabeth B
I loved reading the post above. I too love using the picture ledge as a bookwall. It saves tons of space (since all th books at on the shelf) and we have ours on one full wall, top to bottom. We put the hardcover and age appropriate books on the bottom shelf so our daughter can reach and pull them to read. I think it looks amazing and I really believe seeing books all the time have turned our baby into quite a book lover and reader.
I also label clear totes and fill them with clothes, socks, accessories, and shoes our daughter has out grown. If we have another girl, I can just pull out the appropriate tote and put them back into the closet or drawers.
I am a little OCD so organization is my middle name. I would love to win this! Especially since I love the container store and live at the Target across the street from our place. :)
Marah
could you tell me where you found the beds for your boys? I love them!
Amy Westbrook
Where is the gray striped duvet cover from? It is so cute!
Debbie
What are the sheets that you have on the boys beds?