Posted on: 16.09.2015.
If your child’s bedroom resembles the aftermath of a tornado, you are not alone. “Messy” is the default state for most children’s rooms. Kids typically leave clothes and toys strewn about with the idea they will come back to them later. At best, these items are piled on the floor of the closet or under the bed where they are at least out of sight.
The lack of organization can make it almost impossible to find needed items, especially on a busy school morning. The majority of parents procrastinate organizing their child’s closet because the task appears so daunting, and they are afraid they don’t have enough time. The following tips will help you get your child’s closet ship-shape quickly and easily.
The first step is to create a blank slate. You should start by taking everything out of your child’s closet. This will allow you to see exactly what is in the closet, so you can sort the items later. Make sure you set aside items that do not actually belong in your child’s room, such as overflow clothes from your closet or the extra sleeping bag that could be better stored somewhere else. Once you empty the closet, you should analyze the space and assign areas for specific items such as shoes, clothes, toys, and hampers.
It is now time to divide the items you removed from the closet into separate piles. The easiest way is to start with at least five large buckets, bins, or even extra-large trash bags. You should label the bins with the following categories:
Remember, you have to be somewhat ruthless when it comes to the “give away” and “trash” bins. Your child may tell you that a particular shirt or toy is their absolute favorite; however, if they haven’t worn or played with the item in months it is probably time to let it go.
You should look at the closet from your child’s perspective. Most closet bars and shelves are at an adult height, which makes it difficult for your child to put things away on their own. You may want to consider lowering the bar, adding a second bar, or even adding additional child-height shelves. Bars and shelves can easily be adjusted as your child grows. With a few minor changes to the closet, your child will not have an excuse for not hanging up their clothes.
When you return clothes to the rack, make sure to keep like items together. For example, all the shirts should be in one area, all skirts in another, and so forth. You can purchase or even download printable closet dividers to help with the process. These dividers will also help your child keep their closet organized by letting them know exactly where items belong.
Other helpful tools include adjustable hangers that grow with your child and premade closet organizers and shelving units. For younger children, you might find it useful to have a small selection of pre-matched outfits in the center of the closet so the children can learn to dress themselves.
The next step is to tackle the items that cannot be hung. You may want to consider adding shelves for things like toys or games. Hanging canvas shelves or putting a small dresser in the closet is perfect for storing items such as PJs and underwear. Door organizers and small plastic bins can be used for smaller items such as belts and other accessories.
You should make storage bins your new best friends. It is best to start with clear containers without lids so you and your child can easily see what is inside. It is important to make sure each bin is properly labeled. You can use preprinted labels, erasable labels, or even pictures of the contents. This will help you and your child return things to their proper place. The bins should be organized according to similar items such as art supplies, beach gear, and board games. Of course, you should put the least used or out of season items on the higher shelves.
Children’s shoes typically end up in a jumbled mess on the closet floor, and the pair rarely stays together. This can be a major time-waster on a hectic school morning. You can eliminate this problem by creating a designated area just for shoes. Open shelving, door hangers, or stackable plastic baskets are good alternatives to the traditional shoe rack. You can also use storage bins for out of season shoes and dance or sports gear.
Toys often take up the most space in a child’s closet and can be the most difficult items to sort and store. The following guide can help make sense of the clutter:
You should consider replacing your child’s closet door with a curtain. Sliding or bi-fold closet doors can be difficult for younger children to manage and can even pinch tiny fingers. A curtain is a practical way to hide the closet contents while giving your little one easy access. Curtains also come in a broad range of colors and styles, so they can be customized to match the rest of your child’s room.
A few final touches can help you maintain the organization that you just achieved.
Organizing your child’s room doesn't have to be an overwhelming task. The key is to edit the belongings and make sure you create a place for everything. You can actually make it a fun project for you and your child to work on together. They can pick out bins, baskets, and other organizers, in order to give their room a more personal touch. You can even engage your child’s creative side by letting them decorate the different containers with their own labels and pictures.
