Organizing children’s toys — and, more importantly, keeping them organized — can feel impossible at times. If you have young kids, it often seems like they undo everything as quickly as you sort it.
I have four children, and my two younger boys create the biggest mess. Joshua is six and Luke is five, and they keep me busy. Still, they are old enough to help clean up and keep their toys organized, and they do.
I learned a while ago that the key to organizing toys isn’t a fancy DIY project or an expensive system. After admiring perfectly styled playrooms online and trying a number of projects that were sometimes successful, I discovered an essential truth about toy organization.
The secret to getting kids to organize their toys is to keep it simple. Very, very simple.
1) Simple means doable.
A simple system is far more likely to get implemented. Complicated projects or costly organizers can be tempting, but if they take too long or feel overwhelming, they’ll likely never get finished. Choose solutions you can actually use.
2) Simple makes change easy.
With kids, change is inevitable. A solution that’s affordable and simple lets you adjust as your children grow and as their toys change. Expensive, elaborate systems can feel like wasted time and money when they no longer meet your needs. Keeping it inexpensive removes the pressure to stick with something that’s not working.
3) Simple means the kids can do it.
Complicated systems are harder for children to maintain. If bins are difficult to remove from a shelf or toys are sorted into too many categories, kids won’t keep up with it. Toy organization has to work for the children who use it, not just look good.
Practical tips for keeping toy organization simple:
Labeling is helpful for kids of all ages.
For young children, print pictures of the toys — LEGO, blocks, dolls, cars — and tape them to the containers and the spot on the shelf where each toy belongs. This teaches even toddlers to put things away.
For older kids, a simple label maker is invaluable. Labeling bins and shelf spaces tells children exactly where things belong, so they can maintain the system on their own.
How I applied this with my boys:
Using these tips, their bedroom is the primary toy area. I sorted and minimized their toys and use a toy rotation approach. I found a used Ikea organizer for $15 and it fits perfectly. Watching Craigslist, local buy-and-sell groups, or yard sales is a great way to find inexpensive bookcases or storage solutions — and it’s easy to change things later if needed.
Everything is labeled so the boys know where items belong. Luke can’t read yet, but the system is simple enough for him to follow, and for Joshua it reinforces reading skills.
Get the kids involved while you organize:
Make them part of it and they’ll be much more likely to cooperate later.
Ask for their input — “Do you want dinosaurs on the top or bottom?” — because small choices make a big difference. My boys loved helping, especially when putting labels on the bins.
Give each child a “junk” bin for small, miscellaneous items. I let my boys keep anything in those bins as long as they don’t overflow.
For larger toys, we have two big bins on the floor in a corner. Clear labeling and accessible storage make cleanup straightforward.
This simple system has done wonders for my boys’ room and my sanity. I still sometimes walk in to find toys scattered, but when I ask them to tidy up, they usually do. It’s not magic, but it helps calm the chaos.
I hope this shows that organizing your kids’ toys doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. Keep systems simple, get the children involved, and you’ll save time, money, and a lot of frustration.