My children’s closets always seem to be a mess — no matter what I do! It’s frustrating when I’m in a rush to get the kids to school in the morning and my son can’t find his shoes because he’s managed to put one of them under a pile of clothes and one in a storage bin. And my daughter is just as guilty—because it’s SO IMPORTANT that she finds her purple headband that matches her flip-flops (only to find out later it’s somehow in her soccer bag). Needless to say, I needed some help.
So I had a heart to heart with myself (and with the kids) and decided we were getting organized. I needed to save time in the morning rush, and we needed stop buying new clothing items because their old ones “disappeared.” That’s why I’ve listed the necessary steps I took towards getting organized and eight ideas that actually keep your child’s closet clear of clutter.
Eliminate non-closet items and purge the unnecessary
Follow these two steps prior to getting down to the business of organization:
- Remove all items that don’t fall under “closet” criteria: I understand that closets hold a lot of things, but to get down to the nitty gritty—everything that doesn’t belong in the closet needs to come out. This allows you to see how much space you actually have to work with and what needs to go back in the closet. The best way to get kids to participate in this “chore” is to make a game out of it. My kids like nothing better than to compete against one another—so I set a timer and make closet cleaning a race and watch how fast they can get the job done!
- Perform a five-minute purge: Taking five minutes to purge the closet before starting to organize is a great way to begin organizing. If you know something is too small, worn out, or your kid doesn’t like the outfit, toss it in a garbage bag for the Goodwill or local resale shop. The more you reduce the closet stock—the more space you have to work with!
Bonus tips: Remove the garbage bag immediately from your sight to prevent questioning your decision-making process. Don’t involve the kids in the purging process so you can avoid a fight over the cowboy boots that are too small.
8 Closet organization tips that will keep your child’s closet organized
1. Organize outfits for each school day
If you’re tired of fighting with your kids about what outfit they’re wearing to school, involve them in a project to organize their outfits for the week. Make a simple tag for the day of the week, tie it to the hanger with ribbon, and the kids can dress themselves. This organization tip will save you money by using all of the items in the child’s closet with rotation.
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2. Consider using bins for play clothes and socks
The great thing about play clothes is they don’t always have to match! Using a bin for my son’s shorts, shirts, and socks keeps both of us organized. He can grab a top and bottom from each bin! I find this works great when he comes in from outside after riding his bike that’s covered in dirt! The best part of using bins is that the kids can start to learn some independence and provide a quick visual before you head out shopping for more clothing.
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3. Organize accessories with flair
Using the wall space of the closet is advantageous and perfect for the little folks! A simple picture frame painted pink with strips of ribbon is a perfect solution for organizing my daughter’s hair accessories. She can reach them, and it helps her learn to coordinate colors. When the space gets full, you don’t need to purchase anymore items.
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4. Stack shoes in a wooden rack
What I love about this idea is the rustic nature of this accessory rack. Take advantage of the space behind the clothing rods. A kid loves hide and seek, so they’ll love to find the hidden shoes behind their clothes, and you can teach them how to pair like items. Organizing shoes helps reduce your shoe expense because the pairs are more likely to remain together.
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5. Use the inside of the closet doors
Hang a shoe organizer on the inside of the closet door and fill it with socks and underwear. For my son, I put his socks, belts, and hats in a shoe organizer. Since my kids are still on the short side, the items they need to reach are located in the bottom section. I fill the top sections with items that they will grow into, such as shoes, socks, and underwear that I bought at great clearance prices.
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6. Hang jeans with shower rod hooks
This quick organizational tip saves space because I’m not using hangers, and money because I can get a pack of shower hooks at the dollar store. It’s also easy for my kids to slide the jeans back and forth over the rod, and I don’t have to purchase child-sized clothing hangers.
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7. Organize dress-up clothes
There’s nothing that makes my kids happier than their favorite costumes. The costumes have many pieces, and its hard to keep up with crowns, wands, swords, wings, cowboy hats, and all the other associated toys. Designate a specific location in the closet for costume organization to keep all the pieces together. Preventing a meltdown because of costume organization is a winning proposition!
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8. DIY hanging hooks
Kids see things at a different eye level than we do. Have the kids make their own hanging hooks (or let them pick some out at the store) to hang in the closet for them to reach. This is a great place for backpacks, jackets, raincoats, and umbrellas. Plus—it maximizes the closet space because the areas you would normally ignore are perfect for the kiddos! As a bonus—using a shower organizer can also create great storage on the cheap!
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