How to conquer kids' clutter in five easy steps

Tired of a constant mess? If you find yourself overwhelmed by your child's clutter get everyone involved in doing something about it. With these creative ideas you will make it easier for your child to maintain some reasonable form of organization.

Install a low closet rod and shelving

One of the most genuine excuses that kids have for not hanging up their clothes is that they can’t reach the rods. Make your child’s closet kid-friendly by lowering the rod and installing shelves at child-accessible heights.

Color-code shelves and bookcases

To avoid a disorganized heap of toys, paint kid’s shelves and bookcases different colors, blue for books, green for games, and so on. The different colors will be a visual reminder of where things go.

Use see-through baskets

Deep toy boxes might be great for a stuffed toy collection but it isn’t very practical for small toys and books. Your child has to dig to find what he wants and the result is usually a pile of stuff on the floor. Instead, consider shelves, shallow bins or carts with see-through wire baskets.

Give old toys new life

Most kids have a collection of toys and games they have tired of. Instead of leaving them to gather dust in your children’s room, tuck them away for a few months and bring them back at a later date. This idea will not only leave more storage space for the things your child actively plays with but it is also a great way to get rid of items your child really has no interest in. After six months or so, if your child is still uninterested in the items get rid of them.

Play beat the clock

Make cleaning fun by playing “Beat the Clock”. Set an egg timer for an appropriate length of time and ask the kids to clean whatever room they’ve been playing in before the ringer sounds. If they get it done in time, they get a prize – a family video or some play time in the park. This game can be so fun you may even find your kids playing it by themselves.