Ever wonder why your kid’s bedroom, art drawer, and craft closet are always a mess? First, it’s because kids will be kids. Second, it’s because you don’t have designated storage spaces for all the things that come along with kids. Practical kids storage ideas for the smallest things, like pencils and diapers, makes a big difference.
It’s easy to spend hours getting your children’s spaces organized only to have it fall into chaos within a few days. This failed effort can be disheartening, but don’t give up yet.
These kids storage ideas tackle some of the most used children’s items around the house and show you ways how to store them sustainably. These tips will also help you figure out ways to get your child involved. The more your child can do on their own, the more time you’ll have to focus on the rest of the house.
Give your kids an incentive to put toys away.
This isn’t so much a kids storage idea as it is a chore incentive. Kid’s organization is so much more manageable when you can get your kids on board. Start teaching them early helpful habits and skills to keep their spaces tidy by letting them earn coins for various small chores.
Place a small jar of coins next to the key dish. The adults drop off their keys and their coins, and the kids can earn their own chore money.
Consider giving kids a random award amount, such as $1.17, so they get a little added coin addition practice.
Read Also: 8 Innovative Toy Box Ideas That Will Help Your Kids Declutter
Set up a star basket and fill it with prizes.
If your children are too young for coins, consider incentivizing them with toys instead. In fact, some kids might rather earn “stars.” These stars add up to win prizes that you can keep in a “star basket.”
Fill a basket that is out of reach with games, balloon animal kits, and other small toys. Once the child earns enough stars, they can pick a new toy from the basket.
Keep the Star charts right in the same basket. The kids can see the prizes every time they earn and markdown a star, which keeps motivation high. Using positive reinforcement can keep your home organized, but it could also help improve difficult behavior.
Designate a basket for kid’s artwork.
Children bring home a ton of artwork, and it is a tough decision to throw artwork away. There is also a limited amount of artwork that can be hung on the walls, no matter how many corkboards you hang. The solution? An artwork basket can hold all the artwork straight out of backpacks.
After a few weeks, go through the art together with the kids and pick a few pieces to display. Somehow it is easier to throw away several pieces while choosing to keep a few when all the art is in the same place.
Create an artwork and homework station.
Art supplies can take over a house if you’re not careful. Set up a station filled with all the supplies needed to complete homework or make art. Storing these supplies in one area in attractive baskets can make art and homework time immeasurably easier. The paper doesn’t fall like it does while on a shelf, and it is entirely accessible to the kids at all times.
Keep drawing supplies in mason jars.
Every time it’s time for homework, nobody can find a pencil. A plastic jar full of sharpened pencils, refilled once a month solves this problem.
Have another mason jar for crayons in bulk. Any utensil that the kids are going to use daily gets individual storage. No more mismatched boxes of markers, crayons, pens, and pencils with half of them not working.
Have more than one spot for diapers and wipes.
Keeping diaper changing supplies in a few baskets or drawers throughout the house means they are easily accessible to both adults and the baby who needs a change. Fetching a diaper independently both builds confidence and helps with potty training instincts.
Read Also: Nursery Storage Ideas and Hacks to Save Space
Store healthy snacks within a child’s reach.
You might have noticed that most of these kids storage ideas foster independence within the child. Give your child some more responsibility when it comes to snack time, too. It is super easy to keep a container stocked with 1-3 kinds of “hard” fruit. Stick with apples, oranges, etc. as opposed to easily-bruised and spoiled peaches, berries or bananas. Consider storing some snacks outside of the kitchen. Instead of the kids always opening the fridge or underfoot in the kitchen rifling through cabinets for a snack, they can grab a healthy snack from the fruit jar.
Buy small fruit for this fruit jar. Kids will not waste a piece of fruit by only taking a few bites, and the smaller sizes are typically cheaper. Clementines are a favorite in many households.
Let older children help set the table.
Keep napkins separate from other paper supplies in a basket so your kids can help set the table or grab a napkin for quick cleanup or a nose swipe. If the napkins get a little messy in the box, give the box a shake to settle them at the bottom.
Do your kids like to grab a quick drink of water, but end up climbing on the counter to get a cup? Try a little basket of small plastic cups at the child’s level.
Keep extra toiletries at the entryway.
Store grooming essentials like combs at the front door for quick touchups. Instead of running to the bathroom and rifling through a drawer to find a comb covered in toothpaste, you can just grab one at the entry and do quick touch-ups on the way out the front door. The same goes for baby wipes and socks.
Purchase hand sanitizer in bulk.
This kids storage idea isn’t straightforward like the others, but it is an example of an essential logistical change that can make a difference for your family. Instead of having little bottles of hand sanitizer buried in a purse or junk drawer, buy a giant one and place it by the front door. Kids sanitize their hands when they get home from school or come inside from playing, and they aren’t spreading germs all over the house!
Put a little bottle in the driver’s side storage of your car too. You can use it after pumping gas, visiting a park and feeding the ducks, and after diaper changes when washing your hands isn’t an option.
The key to an organized home is to get your children involved no matter how small the task. Start with these kids storage ideas and customize your family storage until the “system” works seamlessly for you!
