Organizing a kid’s closet presents a unique challenge, mainly because most children’s clothes are smaller than standard hanging systems, as well as because the space often needs to double as a place for toy and game storage. Below are our top tips for organizing a child’s closet space:
1. Keep in Mind Children Grow: You’ll want to make sure that what you choose is something flexible that can grow with your child. Sure, the coordinating cute little hangers and baskets might look good now while they are toddlers, but there’s a chance that when your child is a little bit older they might not still be a practical choice and decision. Keeping colors neutral or going with something that is adjustable and able to adapt to your child growing may help with keeping things organized.
2. Make it So Kids Can Use It: There’s nothing worse than all of their toys or clothes being stored up too high out of their reach. It can also pose a safety hazard, especially if they would be tempted to climb shelving or drawers to reach those hard to get items. Instead, make it so the things they will use the most often can safely be reached – and keep only the boring, uninteresting stuff up top.
3. Consider Safety: In addition to making it less appealing for your children to climb, you’ll want to look for other safety issues and concerns as well. Make sure everything is securely attached to the wall just in case they would be tempted to climb up, and also watch for things such as sharp corners, small pieces that they may choke on if they fell off and put in their mouths, and anything else that might seem potentially harmless to adults but an accident waiting to happen for a child.
4. Get Rid of Things You Don’t Need: Chances are there are plenty of toys and clothes your child doesn’t use regularly. Toys that are broken should be discarded, and anything they don’t play with regularly should either be set aside in a different place for them to rediscover on a rainy day, or donated to your favorite charity. Clothing especially we tend to hang onto longer than we should, and if you have sizes your child no longer fits in, you may want to consider storing them somewhere else if you have other children who will fit into them someday or donate them.
5. Use Clear Storage Containers: Kids can be naturally curious, and so if they can’t see what is inside a storage bin, they may be tempted to just dump it all over the floor to find out what is inside. Clear storage bins and boxes will make it so they can easily see the container’s contents and will be much less likely to dump it all out unless it is something they really want to play with or use. For older children who can read or associate pictures with objects, you may also want to consider labeling items either with the words or a picture to further emphasize what is inside the container.
6. Consider a Laundry Bag: You can never start too early in helping your child put their dirty clothes in the clothes hamper. Even very young children who are toddler or preschool age may be able to learn that they should put their clothes in a hamper after wearing it. Either place it inside the closet if there is room, or designate another space in their room or nearby to help them start learning good organizational habits early on.
7. Consider Shelving: If there is simply not enough room in the closet, you may want to consider additional shelving units for storing things such as toys and books and games. They make a wide variety of different units and combinations that can be used for storing these types of things and making it easier to keep kids rooms organized and clean. Be sure when purchasing any shelving or additional furniture that you make sure it is anchored to the walls to prevent it toppling over and potentially inuring or harming your child.
It doesn’t have to be difficult to organize a kid’s bedroom closet. Following these simple steps will help you make the most use of the available space and create an organized system that even young children can understand and keep clutter free.