Playroom Organizing Project Before and After(s)

What playroom couldn't use a little purge and tidy-up once in a while!?  The kiddos that enjoy this space were total champs when it came to the clean out.  They were so astoundingly cool about selecting toys that they no longer play with and passing them along to the local charity.  It was an awesome thing to witness.  

Now, they have room to play with their favorites, and are poised to welcome the next influx of new toys at their upcoming birthday parties.

A little bookshelf neatening and we made room to accommodate the board games instead of them sitting on a nearby desk.

A couple of detail shots:  

1.  Toys are easily visible and accessible in these acrylic bins

2.  Kid stuff organized like grown up stuff with real-sized kitchen cabinet organizers

3.  A shoe rack serves as a handy toy shelf in the closet in the eves.

4.  Barbie gear - tamed.  

Closets along the sides of the room make excellent use of the space in the eves, but its sometimes tricky getting in there - even with the two doors.  Adding a shelving unit (shoe rack) and some item-specific containers, it looks better and works better.

Boys Toy Closet:

Girls Toy Closet:

What are your favorite toy organizing tricks?  How often does your space get the once-over?  I'd love to hear in the comments below!

3 Keys to Organizing a Play Room

1.  Containerize with the right size/shape containers

Select bins, baskets and tubs that are the appropriate size for the toy(s).  For example, a broader category, perhaps Barbie Accessories for example, are best further categorized into more specific, smaller bins, such as: clothes, shoes, linens, house parts, etc..

Tapper Richards Interiors Playroom Organizing Project - Barbie Doll Accessories

Consider using clear, easy to handle bins whenever possible – this way, the kids can actually see what is in each bin before having to dump it all over the place :).  These acrylic cabinet bins (via Target) are the perfect size for small toys and keep them easily visible and accessible.

Tapper Richards Interiors Playroom Organizing Project - Acrylic Cabinet Bins

I want to grab something when I want it, and toss it back when I’m done.  

~ Pretty sure I’d make a great toddler~  

Nix the covers.  Any bin with a cover requires two action steps and two hands to get into it …AND also two steps to put something away and reassemble:  step 1:  pull out the bin, step 2: open the cover.  We don’t want to promote laziness here, but why not accommodate it

Solution: Opt for containers that are just shallow enough to hold each category and store them on shelving that makes it easy to simply toss things back in to put them away. 

Image via LilBlueBoo.com

2.  Label

Use both words AND pictures to appeal to all generations (toddlers, spouses, babysitters and grandparents).  This will help to maintain the established order as well as teach the little ones about the how easy staying (at least somewhat) organized can be. 

Image via A Day in My Life

3.  Teach

Reinforce the habit and ritual of putting things away when done.  

Even if they don’t tidy up all of the time (just like adults in real life) 

at least there is some structure to return to when needed.  

Every family has its own limit to how disorganized a space will get before its time to tidy up.  For some families, it is every night or before a nap.  

At our house, each tidy up and organizing session usually involves finding a missing part to a puzzle or a toy.  This - to me - is very exciting, so I amp it up.  It's like a treasure hunt!

Involve the kids in the process and mention some of the highlights of being organized. After all, every organizing effort has to be justified by some benefit (we'd rather be at the beach than cleaning the house, but...).  

Here are some bonuses to being organized that kids might be able to relate to.

Being Organized Bonuses:
·      Finding toys when you want to play with them
·      Storing all of a toy's pieces and parts together
·      Tidy up frequently and the job never gets too big
·      Having a clear space to play in
·      Keeping toys in good working condition

Valuable Lessons:

·       Cleanliness – locate the hidden, day-old PBJ before the kids do
·       Safety - prevent injuries - barefeet and Legos don’t mix

·      Passing items along to others who need them or want them as a way to recycle and give to those less fortunate

Good luck tackling possibly the most difficult space in the house to keep organized, but it will be worth it!  I'd LOVE to hear from you in the comments below 

how you keep your spaces organized, or also throw in any questions about your particular organizing challenge!