KIDS’ STUFF
Spring cleaning and organizing
Kids have a lot of stuff in their rooms — from toys and books to clothes (upon clothes upon clothes), shoes, and more. It can go from “cleaned up” to “chaos” in the blink of an eye, which is why we asked two professional organizers about their tips and tricks when it comes to organizing kids’ spaces.
Elizabeth Alescio of Mlle RangeTout is a fan of using dresser-drawer dividers for small clothing items, such as socks and underwear, and then standing folded T-shirts up.
“It’s easier to pick one out and put it back,” she explained.
“If someone doesn’t have a dresser, cube bins are the best idea for organizing, and I tend to use one colour per type of item.”
Closets need to grow with the child, so Alescio suggested a combination of two or three pulls along with adjustable shelves, if budget allows. “As kids change in height, you need more space between the shelves, so it’s a good option for adjusting,” she said.
“It’s important to organize at a child’s height.”
Tamara Elias Liebmann of A Simplified Life said she always hangs as much as she can.
“It’s visual — kids can choose what they want without making a huge mess,” she explained. “When it comes to folded items like Tshirts, I stagger and layer them one on top of the other.”
Both Alescio and Liebmann try to avoid having too many toys in bedrooms, if possible.
“It doesn’t mean they can’t have any toys in their bedroom, but try and limit it to what is special,” Alescio said.
A great solution: a bedside organizer that slips between the mattress and the bed frame. Outfitted with pockets for a few books, a special blanket or a stuffed animal, it keeps everything off the floor.
And both of these mom organizers like labels that have images, especially for younger children who can’t yet read.
“I like opaque boxes with labels that have pictures for small kids, then pictures and words (to teach reading) for three- to five-yearolds, and then chalkboard labels when they get older because you can wipe them off as you change the bins,” Liebmann said. She suggested scouring websites like Pinterest for free printable labels.
A final step in creating a great, organized kid’s space, for Liebmann, is incorporating a reading area.
“I always add a special place for reading,” she said. “Whether it is a bedroom or a playroom, there is always a book nook or a reading corner. All you need is good lighting, a place to sit, and books.
“Children learn through play, so this is a way to make reading a fun activity.”
Before tackling the reorganization of any kid’s room, Alescio said, it’s necessary to ask yourself: What works and what doesn’t work in this current setup?
“It’s important to know how they actually live in this space, what they use, and what they don’t use.
“And, if you can, it’s important to get the child’s opinion as well,” she added, “to know what’s important to them.”