Decluttering 101: How to Declutter a Kid’s Room ⋆ Lana Pummill

Clutter. It’s a word all moms hate but come to know very well. As a mother of two boys, I can tell you that sometimes their room looks like Godzilla ran through it. Decluttering a kid’s room can mean hours of work.

However, once I set the right systems in place, the boys’ rooms have been tidy and clean ever since! I’m here to tell you that it is not impossible to have a clutter-free kid’s room. Check out my tips below on how to declutter a kid’s room, keep it organized, and prevent clutter from happening ever again.

How to Declutter a Kid’s Room

First things first, it’s time to get rid of stuff! Without being able to shop for themselves, my kids still somehow have way more stuff than I do. Between presents and last-minute grabs, kids accumulate a lot of toys. A clean environment means peace of mind, so let’s declutter.

Declutter Together

It’s important to go through things together so that one, you don’t throw anything away they would be upset about, and two, so they can understand how much they have and the importance of not living in excess.

Start off by sorting your decluttering into categories such as crafts, paper, stuffed animals, dolls, etc. You can tackle a little bit at a time to make things more manageable for you and your child’s attention span. Go through each category and make a keep, donate, or trash pile.

Positive Reinforcement

While going through items with your kid, always use positive reinforcement. Ask what items make them happy and what doesn’t spark joy, as Marie Kondo would say. If your kid is having a hard time getting rid of stuff, encourage them to say goodbye to more items by saying how proud you are of them for getting rid of items, following it up by asking, “What else can you get rid of?”

Act Quick

It’s easy to let the donate pile sit by the garage door or in the hallway. I’ve been guilty of letting my decluttering continue to clutter the house by putting off a trip to the donation or recycling center. Make a point to recycle, throw away, or donate items within a few days after decluttering your kid’s room.

Go with the Seasons

Half the stuff in your kid’s room is only needed for a certain time of the year. One of my favorite tips is to put all of your kid’s clothes within reach for them. This means lowering the closet bar and using lower storage bins for their clothes. That means the high, out-of-reach areas can be used for storage for items not currently in use such as out-of-season clothing or sentimental items.

This idea can also be applied to books. I store any Christmas or holiday books and bring them out only when it’s the right season. I also include books that we are currently learning about, such as rhyming, alphabet, counting, etc…and store any other books that aren’t focusing on our current topic.

How to Organize a Kid’s Room

The trick to keeping a kid’s room clutter-free is to avoid it in the first place! Setting up easy-to-use organizational systems that BOTH you and your child can use will be essential. Usually, kids have a difficult time keeping their rooms clean because they don’t know where to put things. Luckily, organizing a kid’s room is easy-peasy.

Kid Accessible

Make anything your child will use frequently at eye level. Ensuring they can reach things to take out and put away will allow for less clutter if they can take care of it themselves. Use draw organizers for things like craft supplies and bins and baskets for toys and clothes.

Cube storage is such an easy system for kids to use. Use bottom bins for their clothes and utilize the vertical space to include toys and books all in one unit.

Organize Toys

Toy boxes are one of the least functional ways to organize toys. They quickly get jumbled up and kids will dump stuff out trying to find what they’re looking for. By using small bins and baskets, they can see everything inside with a quick glance. This way, they won’t make a mess trying to find what they want.

Label

If you tell your kids exactly where things need to go, they will listen! Label drawers and bins so kids know where to find and store stuff. The less they have to dump and search, the better.

How to Avoid Clutter in a Kid’s Room

Prevention is key! Clutter adds up quickly, so it is important to get systems in place to avoid adding additional clutter to your kid’s room.

Incorporate a Daily Routine

Have your kids clean their room or clean up their toys every day. It’s a good idea to do this the same time every day such as before bed, right after school, before any screen time, etc.

If they do this every day, it should only take a few minutes as the clutter is manageable. This prevents dedicating hours to cleaning and you needing to get involved. Plus, if they do it every day, they get a good sense of where things belong in the first place.

Consider New Items

Every time you consider picking up a new toy or your kid begs for a purchase, ask yourself if you really need it or already have something like it at home. Voice this out loud with your child if they are asking for something new so they can understand why buying something new may not be necessary.

I know a lot of clutter comes from gifts. When it comes to Christmas or birthdays, I like to let family and friends know exactly what we’re looking for or to keep gifts minimal. This could be some new educational books or more outdoor toys, whatever I think my kids need at the time. This helps to avoid receiving 5 teddy bears and 3 Lego kits.

And that’s it on how to declutter a kid’s room! Be sure to subscribe to my newsletter for more helpful mommy tips and to get instant access to my freebie library.

“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31

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