3 simple steps to create or makeover a playroom your kids will actually want to play in.
Wild guess here … there’s a room in your home dedicated to children’s toys that’s a complete and unorganized disaster. Welcome to the playroom, also known as The Dumping Ground. Chances are, your kids rarely play in the so-called playroom that only gives you anxiety every time you walk past the door.
We get it. You’ve tried to keep it tidy. You organize, reorganize, get your kids involved and ask Alexa to play the “Clean Up Song”. But in the end, no matter what, it always ends up a monumental disaster. It seems impossible to get under control leaving you feeling overwhelmed and frustrated.
At Simply Haven Nashville, it’s our job (and passion!) to reduce clutter and create an organized and usable space and this includes the children’s playroom. Our little secret: we’re big fans of the open-bin concept, labels, and having children take part in the process!
Playroom Clean-Up 101
Step 1: Evaluate
Children as young as 12 months can learn to sort. By including your child, of any age, in the playroom clean-up and organization process, you’re helping them learn how to assume responsibility by taking care of their things. Start slow, it doesn’t have to be done overnight!
During the evaluation process, you and your child can decide together what toys make the playroom cut. First, determine if the toys in the playroom are age appropriate. Your 3-year-old is likely too old for baby rattles and play mats. Your 10-year-old likely no longer plays with the 300 naked Barbies (because we all know the clothes are nowhere to be found!). It’s time to seriously evaluate what toys you have and what toys your child wants or is likely to still play with. Any unwanted toys still in great condition can go into a donation pile. Toss the rest.
Step 2: Sort
This is exactly how it sounds … put like toys together. Blocks with blocks, all of the legos go in one pile, Peppa Pig and her family and friends in another … you get the idea. This part can be tedious and time-consuming but it’s so important to get everything in order before you actually start to organize the playroom.
We also like to take this time to double check Step 1. Look for duplicate toys, inspect that toys are still safe and not missing small pieces or parts, and replace any dead batteries.
Step 3: Organize
Put the sorted toys into bins that are either clear or bins that have no tops so that children can easily choose what to play with. We love something like this open-bin concept for a child’s playroom. After all, how can they choose to play with something if they can’t see it?
The bins shouldn’t be so big that they feel like a black hole where the toys at the bottom are never seen or played with. We also really like bins with labels where you can clearly see what goes where and every teeny tiny thing has a home.
During the organization process, you and your child together can label the bins with pictures and/or words. Children will see where their specific toys belong based on what’s on the label and this will make it easier for them (and you!) to clean up at the end of each day.
Again, don’t expect this process to happen overnight. It is overwhelming for many people. We’re here to help 24/7 if you need help with your playroom or any other professional home organizing services!
