How To Create a Clutter-Free Kids' Bedroom

Keeping a neat and tidy home is not an easy task, especially with young children running amok. Cleaning up after your kids is practically a full time job for some mommies, but there comes a time where enough is enough. How many times do you have to say "clean your room" before you turn into the 'Mommy Who Cried Wolf' and the kids' no longer listen? Before it gets too crazy, why not take an afternoon (or two) and organize your child's bedroom? We all know that cleaning can sometimes be a therapeutic experience, and organizing keeps your mind sharp. By organizing your kids' room you're also likely to find a ton of stuff that they have outgrown - so this is the perfect time to get a few bags of donations together for the Salvation Army! Here are some simple things you can do to "de-clutter" your kids' bedroom.

1.) Out With The Old...: If you're going to take the time to organize your kids' rooms, why not free up some space by throwing away or donating old clothes and un-used toys? If you stop to think about how much money you've probably spent over the years on toys for the kids, you're likely to have a coronary. Now, stop and think about what your kids are actually playing with? While your kids might claim all of their toys as their favorites, watch and see what they are actually using. This will give you a good idea of what can stay and what should go. It's also a good idea to get rid of anything that's old and worn out. Instead of throwing everything away, why not donate to a charity? Look to see what organizations in your area accept kid? s toys.

2.) Sort and Separate: Don't worry - we're not talking about laundry! Sorting your child's toys by criteria like type and outdoor vs. indoor will help give you an idea of how much space you're going to need for storage. For example keep your action figures separate from your toy cars and trucks. Organizing your toys by type will help make future "room cleanings" less of a chore.

3.) Location, Location, Location: If you have a playroom - great! A child's playroom is a great place to store your toys. If you don't have a separate playroom, no problem. Many manufacturers of children's furniture today offer beds and headboards with built in storage space. While you obviously can't store any of the bigger toys here, using a bookshelf headboard to keep your kids' favorite dolls or action figures is a great way to keep organized. Taking advantage of under-bed storage space is also a great option. Closets, attics and basements are good places to keep toys that are either more seasonal or un-used.

4.) Everything In its Place: Storage bins, drawers and other organizers are essential items when reorganizing kids' toys. Available in all shapes, sizes, colors and materials - having a bevy of storage bins is a great way to eliminate clutter and make cleaning your child's room easier in the future. Labeling your storage bins is also a good idea. You can either buy stickers or purchase color-coded storage bins. Toy boxes or toy chests are also a great way to organize your toys. Easy to assemble and available in many styles and finishes, a nice toy box is a subtle storage option for a cluttered kids' room. Either at the foot of the bed or tucked away into a corner, toy boxes make organizing easy. Narrow plastic under-bed storage bins are also great for keeping things dust-free and in neatly organized. Boon makes some fantastically fun toy storage including some machine-washable toy storage bags. When filled with plush stuffed animals, the Boon Toy Bag turns into a cushy soft seat for your child! For all of your kids' bathroom toys, check out Boon's Frog Pod. Shaped like a frog, there's storage space for shampoo and soap as well as bath toys.

5.) Storage on a Tight Budget: While you probably should invest in at least a couple of storage bins, you probably have some things around the house that would make perfect storage solutions for your kids toys. Laundry hampers are a great place to store toys. They are designed to fit in small spaces and it keeps things stacked and easily accessible at all times. Packing boxes, while not the most visually appealing, are big and roomy and great for toys. You can even make an art project out of it and have you and the kids' decorate the box with stickers, markers, and crayons - whatever! If you have an old play pen from when the kids' were young, (assuming you have the space) use that for some of the bigger toys and stuffed animals.