10 Tips to Organize a Playroom: Ideas That Are Fun (And Functional!)

Playrooms are about as easy to contain as the kiddos who use them, but their active imaginations don’t have to leave behind constant clutter and chaos. If keeping things tidy feels like repeatedly stepping on a Lego and you’re not ready to hire a professional organizer near you, there are a few DIY options to play around with. Consider these 10 tips for organizing a toy room while still keeping things fun and accessible.

1. Go Lidless

Lids are a great idea in theory, but in practice, they add an extra obstacle for putting items away. After all, "a place for everything and everything in its place" only works when it's convenient to reach that place. Rather than stacking rubber storage totes, consider racks or shelving units that can hold open-topped storage bins. As a bonus, you can test your free throw skills as you and your kids clean up for the day.

2. Make Stackable Drawers Your BFF

Lining up toys is a meticulous task that is really easy to lose track of. Stackable bins are a step in the right direction, but they can be challenging to fumble with on the daily (especially for little hands). Instead, the stackable drawer gives you all the benefits with quick and easy access, whether it's pulling toys out or putting them away. A clear drawer organizer works well, but it doesn't provide the same ability to customize how many drawers you need. 

3. Keep Everything Within Reach

Vertical storage is a great way to use up all of your space, but there's a major downside: It puts toys where kids can't reach them. This may even present a hazard if young ones try to get out-of-reach items down on their own. If it makes sense for your home, consider building out rather than up. A set of short, squat drawer units against the wall takes up minimal space while still allowing safe and easy access to toys.

4. Think Multipurpose Storage

The more multipurpose units you add to your playroom, the more you can maximize the use of the space. Look at toy boxes that double as benches, beanbag chairs that allow stuffed animal storage, or play tables that open up and store toys. 

5. Hang Up Stuffed Animals

Stuffed animals are soft and huggable, but they’re also some of the bulkiest toys in the playroom. Save yourself some floor space and hang a net for them within reach (wall corners work great for this purpose). Or, if it makes more sense for your setup, hang a mesh organizer from the ceiling. Use a chain to hang it low enough for little hands to reach their favorite stuffies.

6. Store Like With Like

A thoughtful categorization is a great tool for organizing the playroom. This doesn't have to mean strictly sorting based on dolls, figurines, and the like. Consider the "workflow" of your child's playtime and store the toys that get played together near each other. That way, everything will be easy to find and put away. 

7. Create Designated Play Areas for Favorite Toys

If your little one can't get enough of their colorful doll collection, don't resign to taking them out and tucking them away every day. Instead, dedicate a small playspace to contain those toys. Whether it's a dollhouse, racetrack, or small table for building blocks, this will keep their favorite toys out of the way without breaking things down on the daily. You can also use small rugs or foam flooring to create various "play zones."

8. Keep Everything Visible

If you or the kiddos can't find what you need, you'll end up pulling out a bunch of items as you search. Rather than relying on memory alone, use bold labels to mark fabric boxes or opaque bins (this will make it easier for your kids to clean up, too). Or, if you want to keep the look clean and minimalistic, consider color-coding storage cubes by child or playset. Another option is using either clear or open-topped containers to identify contents quickly.

9. Declutter Regularly

Kids outgrow toys even quicker than they outgrow their shoes. Try employing the same decluttering principles for their toy room as you would for your own belongings. If you don't see something used as much, keep it stored away for a while. If no one seems to miss it, then you know it's time to let it go. This will help clear the room of toys they're bored with, giving them more space for what they truly love.

10. Make Room for Their Personal Touch

Playrooms are a space for kids to explore, create, and get inspired. What better way to encourage them than allowing them to make the space their own?

Instead of leaving things blank, style the room like a child’s bedroom. Add display shelves for their latest Lego builds, vision boards for their imaginative sketches, or wall art to reflect their current animal obsession. Find creative ways to paint playroom walls for an extra personal touch to create a room of every kid’s dream. Whatever makes your little one tick, give it its own place within the organized system of totes and drawers.