8 Easy Ways to Organize Your Kids' Rooms — That We've Actually Tried

It’s a common scene. You walk into your kids’ rooms looking for a specific item and you wonder which alternate dimension you’ve landed in. Kids have a knack for creating epic messes and it’s our job as parents to show them how to keep their belongings organized. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done, since there isn’t exactly a guidebook for every parenting situation you’ll encounter. After trying (and failing and trying again) many different strategies, we’ve found these parenting-solid organization tips that are easy for kids to follow. Here are eight simple ways to organize your kids’ rooms… that we’ve actually tried!

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grey three-compartment laundry hamper in purple room

Heather Marczynski

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The Perfect Laundry Hamper

I always find that my kids take their clothes off in such a way that they are all inside out, jumbled together and on the floor. We used to keep a laundry hamper in our main washroom, but it turned out no one was putting their clothes in it (including the other parent). The solution was to put a laundry hamper into each of the kids’ rooms. To make life sweeter, I found this three-compartment perfect laundry
hamper that helps you sort your clothing into darks, lights and colours from the get-go. Having a head start on the sorting really is a time saver when it comes to getting the clothes into the washing machine. X-cosrack Collapsible Laundry Hamper, Amazon, $60.

pink patterned backpack hanging on colorblocked wall

Heather Marczynski

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Getting Hooked

Now that we’ve got the clothes off the floor, what about the backpack, hat and soccer medal that somehow are still laying at the foot of the bed? I recommend installing wall hooks in a discreet-enough place in your child’s room. Hanging hooks behind the door is usually a safe bet. You can teach your children to get into the habit of hanging up their backpacks or sweatshirts when they’re in their rooms and they will also come to love putting things away in the spots where they belong. JQK Chrome Hooks, Amazon, $22.

black tiered craft cart with craft supplies

Heather Marczynski

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Craft Cart

I love three-tiered carts because they’re versatile and affordable! Tiered carts come in a number of styles and colours and you can use them for extra storage, as a cool bar cart – or to organize your kids’ rooms. I use a tiered cart for all of my kids’ stationary and craft supplies, like construction paper, pencils (so many pencils), erasers, stickers, ribbons, markers… you get the idea. It’s a lot! The great thing about using a three-tiered cart for your kids’ stationary and craft items is that everything is contained to one spot, but it’s still easy to find what you’re looking for. TOOLF 3-Tier Rolling Cart, Amazon, $66.

organized crayons in divided compartments on marble surface

Heather Marczynski

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Crayon Beauty

As your child grows, you’ll find that you buy (and receive) many more crayons than you’ll ever care for – and every time your child looks for a specific colour, the whole pack ends up on the table or floor. One of the best organizing hacks I’ve learned in my parenting journey (which I learned from my daughter’s preschool) is to buy an inexpensive beauty organizer and sort crayons in it by colour. Make sure the organizer you choose has at least seven different compartments to cover the range of crayon colours. This is a great opportunity to teach your kids about colours and the colour wheel, while also making it fun for them to put away their crayons in an organized way. iDesign Clarity Cosmetic Organizer, Amazon, $18.

clear stacked hanging wall organizer with cup of pencils in front

Heather Marczynski

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Homework Plan

As my son started grade school, I found an overwhelming amount of paperwork was being sent home daily, like homework, artwork and so many school forms and communications. Soon, my son’s desk looked like it was swallowed by a paper monster. To organize all this paperwork in my kids’ rooms, I tried a three-compartment hanging organizer and I haven’t looked back. You can decide which compartments will best suit your needs for which type of papers. Using this system helped us make sense of all the paperwork and – best of all – helped us parents stay on track and up to date on school items. Deflect-o Three Pack Wall Pocket, Amazon, $26.

patterned hanging push-pin magnetic board

Heather Marczynski

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Pin Board

There are some items your kids will want to proudly put on display, like an awesome work of art, a sports medal or maybe a sweet note from their best friend. This wall-mounted bulletin board is the perfect solution! The metal casing is magnetic, but there’s a cork-like material behind it that means you can also use push pins – making this a great two-in-one bulletin board. Umbra Trigon Wall-Mounted Bulletin Board, Amazon, $50.

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Little Library

Creating a library space in your kid’s room is a great way to organize books, making current books more accessible to your child while promoting reading every day. I like to use a multi-section organizing shelf, as it’s low to the ground – and that’s usually where your kids are! You can also switch it up and add more items to the shelf if you wish, creating a great organized station full of your kids’ favourite items. ClosetMaid 1109 6-Cube Organizer, Amazon, $178.

kids room with pink bed and multiple throw pillows

Unsplash

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Less is Enough

The most important way to organize your kids’ rooms is to limit the amount of items that are actually in it. Do they need 10 boxes of crayons or 50 stuffies all at once? The answer is always no. Find a method of keeping a few items in their rooms and placing any other extra supplies or toys away in storage. Then, cycle the newer items in every few months. This gives your kids a chance to clear their rooms of things that are worn and torn and it’s a great way to introduce the concept of donation and charity for items that are still good that they are no longer using or have simply grown out of. Use this as a teachable moment for your kids and yourself. It’s OK to let go.