Child's play: 20 essential tips for organizing kids' rooms

Before tackling a major organization project in the kids' room, do a purge first. Make piles for items that should be trashed, items that should be donated, and items to keep, and stick to it. Once you've gotten rid of the excess clutter, the space will be much easier to organize. 

Kids have tons of toys and gadgets, and grouping like items together in individual bins and cubbies can be a lifesaver. Use plastic bins with lids to store small toys like Lego bricks, or consider fabric bins for stuffed animals and clothing. 

These versatile pieces of decor can be used for so much more than your child's ever-growing book collection. Use shelves to display completed art projects, store supplies, of course, books. 

After you remove all the junk from underneath your kid's bed, it's time to make use of that space. Buy bins that can fit underneath, and store off-season clothing, heirlooms, and occasionally used toys. 

If your kid struggles to keep their clothes organized, give them a hand with inexpensive hanging organizers for closets. Alternatively, use bins that you can see inside to keep onesies, pajamas, and other like clothing items together. 

For an organizing process to be truly successful, you have to involve the little ones – and make sure that it's a system they can adhere to. Make sure that bins for toys that they'll need to put away often are accessible, and make sure that they're sticking to this new routine. 

Tackle boxes and craft organizers can be a life-saver when it comes to board games and other toys with seriously tiny pieces. Use the compartments to organize like items, then label each container with a permanent marker so you'll always know what's inside. 

Using empty cans and jars and a lot of creativity, sit down with your kids and make DIY organizers that can be used to corral everything from pencils and markers to paintbrushes. Paint the containers, or try decoupage for a fun collage-like look. 

If your child's room is small, you need all the organization space you can get. Buy organizers that are specifically designed to hang over the back of doors, and use them to organize shoes, toys, and anything else your child needs frequent access to. 

Inexpensive wire baskets with suction cups — or regular baskets placed beside the tub — are perfect for organizing bath toys and keeping them out of the way. Hang one up high in your shower, so that it's not easy for little ones to knock off the basket in the midst of bathtime play. 

A lot of kids really struggle to keep their shoes together. Help solve that problem by setting up a shoe bin or basket by the front door, and help your kids get in the habit of depositing their shoes there at the end of the day. You can also use closet hanging organizers or inexpensive boot trays. 

Laundry is a lifetime chore, and there's really no age that's too young to participate. Help keep your child's laundry organized by giving them a hamper of their own, and make sure that they're putting their clothes inside after every single change. Alternatively, consider mesh laundry bags that can be tossed right into the washer. 

In cramped rooms, there never seems to be enough storage. Make more room by hanging wall shelves for storing books, toys, and decorative elements. Shelves with hooks are especially useful.  

In order for your child's room to stay organized, you'll have to tackle that project regularly. Set a calendar reminder for a mini-decluttering every 2-3 months, and plan for a deep-clean once a year. 

When you're setting up new organization systems, labels help kids remember where everything is supposed to go. If your little ones are too young to read labels, use pictures of the items inside bins and baskets to help them figure out where to find their favorite toys. 

Bulky jackets and wet towels make for perfect floor clutter, and hooks offer an easy solution. Hang a few hooks near your child's door, and get them in the habit of remembering to hang their towels, coats, backpacks, and other essentials as soon as they walk inside. 

If you've got a budding Picasso, use twine and clothespins to make a non-obtrusive way to display their artwork on the walls. Once the wall is full of art, you'll have a nice piece of room decor that also serves as functional storage. 

Kids need space to wind down and read, and a cozy reading nook is a perfect spot. Use bean-bag chairs, cushions, or pillows, and set up a space that's just for reading. To keep things organized, use wall shelves or nearby cubbies for storing books. 

Inexpensive and versatile, pegboards can be used to hang basically anything out of the way in your child's room. You can also make the pegboard a fun piece of decor, sprucing it up with a fun coat of paint. 

Organizing takes time, especially when little ones are involved. In the beginning, try to remember to be patient (but firm!) with kids as they adjust to new systems of organization for optimal success.