As a professional organizer and a mom, I get asked this question nearly every day. The Washington Post even featured this very question in an article in 2021. From our little ones regularly outgrowing clothes and toys, it is easy for the quantity of items in a child's room to grow exponentially. Add in a busy work schedule, playdates, and extracurricular activities, it can be hard to even find the time to get started.
This is where regular decluttering comes in. It is not too early to teach your kids the life skill of decluttering.
Here are some easy steps you can take to keep your kids room organized:
Find obvious trash: you can make this a game with your kid (if they are old enough to help)! Give them a trash bag and set a 5-minute timer. Ask them to collect as many pieces of trash into the bag before the alarm goes off. You'll be amazed at just how much of a difference this type of decluttering can make. PRO TIP: Use this step in any room in your home!
Clothes: What size clothes does your child wear now? Remove all clothes that your little one has outgrown. Yes, this can be hard (probably for you as the parent more so than for your kid). If you are saving clothes to hand down to a sibling, place them in an airtight bin or vacuum sealed bag and label with the size (such as 2T or size 6) so it's easy to find when you need it. Place clothes that your child hasn't grown into yet in an out of reach area, such as a top shelf of a closet.
Stuffed Animals and Toys: Be brutally honest as you go through toys and stuffed animals. This will probably be the hardest part for your kiddo (if you are involving them in the decision making). Remember that you are bound by the square footage you actually have. Don't try to cram in as much as you can. Just like adults, kids thrive in peaceful environments where they don't have a million choices to make.
Create Simple Systems: Create systems that YOUR CHILD can actually upkeep. From about age 4, my daughter was able to organize her room (with my help). I had to model where everything goes over and over again and make it as easy as possible for her. I typically recommend clear storage systems for pre-reading children. Strive for something that's actually sustainable rather than Pinterest-worthy.
At Golden West Organizing, we regularly organize kids rooms and playrooms. Not sure where to start? Our team of expert organizers can declutter and organize your kids room today!