Get Organized! Cutting Down on Kid Clutter

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Setting up an easy-to-use system to organize your child's bedroom makes clean-ups a snap.

My three sons share a bedroom. (My husband and I need our third bedroom for an in-home office.) The boys don't seem to mind, though; in fact, they actually like sharing a room—for now. I'm sure in 20 years my guys will look back at these times wistfully, remembering all the nights they giggled while hiding under the bedcovers, protected by the glow of their toy camp lights, or the great fun they had propelling Super Balls from the ceiling fan. I, on the other hand, will remember the daily challenge it was keeping the room neat and organized. Fortunately I've picked up a few tricks over the years.

If you're a parent who needs a bit of direction in organizing your child's toys, books, and clothes, try these simple but effective solutions.

Storage Bins

When thinking of organizing the millions (or so it seems) of toys in your child's room, forget cavernous toy chests where items often get mangled or broken. Instead use plastic storage bins with lids in a variety of sizes to sort everything—one for Hot Wheels, another for dress-up costume jewelry—choose containers that are appropriate for the size of each toy (or toy category). This makes it much easier for children to find the exact thing they're looking for without making a huge mess.

At the end of the day, clean up is easy as kids sort their toys back into the appropriate containers. You can even tape a picture of the toy that belongs in each container onto the outside of the box. Even storing them is simple—they stack effortlessly in the closet, in a corner, or slide under the bed.