How to Organize a Playroom

I have tried sorting through outgrown toys and books with my children, and it is always a struggle as they bawl over every scrap of paper. I’ve given in a bit to their pack-rat tendencies—the prettiest, most useful paper shreds go in a shoebox near their craft area, and everything else gets tossed when they’re asleep. Jess Grose, parenting columnist for The New York Times, uses a similar technique when it comes to her kids’ artwork.  Research shows that clutter can be stressful, so an occasional purge is likely worth the mental payoff.

Wirecutter senior staff writer Jackie Reeve once received some excellent advice from a Montessori teacher who told her that a big, mixed toy box is too overstimulating. Kids will spend more time digging through the jumble of toys and making a mess than actually playing with any of it. Keeping themed toys together is a logic path that kids can follow: All play food lives near the play kitchen, all building toys have a home in the yellow bins, all crafts cohabitate in an art corner.

In her piece on how to set up a creative space for your kids at home, Jackie offers a ton of options for what you might need, from rolling drawers to clear plastic storage boxes. Labeling your bins with a picture of what’s inside (in addition to words) is a great approach for pre-literate kids. And by doing this, you’re reinforcing object-word association, so, ta-da!—you’re teaching them stuff, too. Of course, some attractive, soft-sided toy storage can also be helpful. Our staff loves the aptly named Swoop Bag (to pick up Lego blocks in one swift motion) and the 3 Sprouts Storage Bin (perfect for stuffing with stuffies).

Sure, you want your kids to be self-reliant, but it also stinks when you’re triumphantly searching for the last puzzle piece and it’s completely gone. Senior staff writer Lauren Dragan’s 5-year-old uses his bedroom as a playroom. “We have to keep it tidy, and labeled bins, under-bed storage, and shelving has saved us,” she said. “Things that will get out of hand easily if they are lost (see: board games) are on the highest shelves.”

It’s nearly impossible to keep everything tidy at all times. That’s okay. So you could spot-clean as you go (kids as young as 2 or 3 will learn that they can’t move onto the next activity until all of the puzzle pieces are back in the box). Or you could do a maintenance clean every so often, to prevent your space from becoming garbage island.