Decluttering and Organizing Your Child's Playroom

Your child’s playroom may be a magical space of fun and imagination most of the time, but it may also turn into a source of stress for you at other times. After a few years of birthdays and holidays, the number of toys that accumulate in your home can feel out of control. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed just looking at your child’s overflowing playroom, you’re not alone. Clutter has been shown to affect our anxiety levels, sleep, and ability to focus, which is why it makes us less productive and more likely to avoid tackling the issue.

The key to keeping an organized playroom (yes, it is possible!) is to turn the room into an open space that encourages your little one to clean up on their own. Have a space for everything, and invest in storage solutions that make cleaning up easy and fun. As your child grows, so can your expectations for how they clean up. Here’s how to transform the playroom from a cluttered mess to a tidy, easy-to-manage space.

Choose what to toss and keep

There’s something delightful about the little trinkets kids get in goody bags, Christmas stockings, and prize boxes after a dentist visit. They’re tiny and cheap, but irresistible to young children. Somehow, some way, these little objects and accessories that come with bigger toys end up sticking around your house for years before you finally toss them. 

Take inventory of your child’s playroom and gather these little miscellaneous objects in a bag. You can donate them to their classroom’s prize box or offer them up in your local Buy Nothing group, but they’ve got to go. Old toys that your child never plays with should go too. If you have any unused toys in boxes that have been laying around, you may donate those to your children’s hospital or regift them.

Implement toy rotation

Once you’ve decided on what to get rid of and what to keep, consider implementing a toy rotation system. You can curate a selection of toys for your child to play with, while storing the rest of the toys out of sight. After a period of time, you may swap out the toys for another curated selection. This helps keep your playroom tidy, while also reintroducing old toys in a fresh way that makes them interesting again to your little one.

If you want to introduce toy rotation in your home, follow this guide to create the perfect schedule for your family. 

Get smart with storage

When your child is young, your expectations for how they clean up shouldn’t be too high. Rather than putting each individual item in a specific place, use storage baskets as an easy cleanup solution for categorized items. Got a toddler who’s obsessed with toy cars? All the toy cars go in a basket. Stuffed animals littering the floor? All the stuffies go in a basket.

While some storage baskets are easily dirtied or just a plain eyesore, the Toki storage baskets are high quality and crafted from 100% certified organic cotton. The soft structure helps it hold plenty of toys or your child’s play mat, and it’s machine washable for easy cleaning.

When it’s time to clean up after play, have your child help pick up items and dump them in the storage basket. It’s easy enough for toddlers to do, and expedites the process to make it manageable and less of a chore.

Use a waterproof play mat

For kids who love coloring and crafts, the floor of your playroom can get dirty fast. Marker stains, dried spots of glue, paint splatters can add to the overwhelm of a messy playroom. Instead of stressing about ruined floors or carpet, invest in a waterproof play mat that’s comfortable for them to sit or lay on and easy to wipe clean.

Our vegan leather mat is a fan-favorite because it’s super comfortable for kids and adults of all ages, it’s foldable and portable, and it’s the perfect waterproof surface for messy play. To clean, just use a gentle cleaner and a paper towel or microfiber cloth! Leave it on the playroom floor as a soft spot for play, or store it away in our organic cotton storage basket when not in use!

As long as you have young children, your home will never feel tidy 100% of the time—and that’s okay! These tips should help tame the mess and reduce your stress levels by making cleanup easier for both you and your little one.