Organizing a Child's Room

Is your child's playroom so over run with toys and stuff that you are almost afraid to let them go in because you may never find them again? OK; maybe it's not that bad, but you are at a loss as where to put everything? Organizing a child's room is really quite simple.

The prime rule to remember is that no child can pick up their things if they do not have a place to put their things.

Begin by thinking what purposes the room needs to provide. Is it a room where the child will do his playing as well as his homework and will he be sleeping in the room as well? Each purpose can have a definite impact on the decisions you make concerning the organization of the room.

Think about using furniture that delivers both good looks as well as being functional. Have the furniture fit the child's physical needs as well. It's also a good idea to let the child help select the furniture. If the child thinks that the room is something special, the child will be more willing to help keep it clean.

The child needs a place where there they can do their homework. This space needs to be clutter-free. A clutter-free environment will help the child to stay focused on their homework. If there is room a bookcase near the desk or shelves that are within the child's reach can be a great place for them to store their books.

Items that are very special or that might break if handled unsupervised should be placed on high shelves. The high shelves are a great way to showcase their treasures but protect them from young hands.

If the room is also going to be used as a playroom it is important to have the toys away from the desk. Have the toys put into baskets and bins. Keeping the baskets and bins at a height that is easy for the child to reach allows the child to get things out on their own and to put them away by themselves. One thing that I have seen is adults using one big box to hold all the toys. While this is easy for cleanup it doesn't make the toys accessible to play with. Try grouping the toys together and into smaller bins. (Cars in one bin, dolls in another, blocks in a third, etc.) This really does make cleanup easier simply because they won't have all the toys out looking for the one that they want.

Now that the child's room is organized, why not take some time to teach your child to pick up and put away the materials from one activity before going on to the next? This can make their life easier, not to mention lowering your frustration level.