How to Organize Kids' Clutter

Kids and clutter go hand in hand. Children have a way of creating chaos with their belongings. Clutter can be eliminated and contained with some easy organizational tips.

Organizing Smaller Toys

Just about every parent has experienced stepping on a small but very painful toy. Legos, blocks and small cars are often found strewn about. These, along with Barbie clothes and accessories, can be difficult to contain. Dumping these into large buckets won't work. You can keep smaller toys organized a number of ways.

One method is to store them in smaller plastic containers that are labeled. If your child can't read, take a picture of some of the items and attach the picture to the outside of the box. This keeps Barbie clothes in one box, blocks in another and so on.

You can also store smaller toys in shoe boxes. They stack easily on top of one another and can be kept out of sight in a closet or cabinet.

Another idea is to use a clear, plastic shoe rack. These hang on the backs of doors and contain a number of pockets where smaller toys can be stored. The clear pockets allow your child to easily see what is inside the pocket.

For an economical and eco-friendly storage option, hold onto gallon ice cream containers or smaller plastic containers (such as those that hold sour cream or cream cheese). These can be washed and used to store small items. Use a Sharpie marker to clearly label the outside of containers.