Organizing a Little Boys Room: aka... cleaning up after a tornado!

Anyone who has small children knows that they are not born with a desire to clean up their messes. None are worse than little boys. With short attention spans, they move quickly from one toy or activity to another. Which means that by the end of the day you have a home covered in little messes from the entire day. My little guy just turned 3. I have tried desperately to bribe inspire him to WANT to clean. Ha!


Usually around the holidays my hubby and I {though it's usually me since he works outside of the home} go through the kids toys and either pack up or donate a bunch to make room for any new things they get for Christmas -- and in my sons case his birthday. 

This year, due to circumstance, it didn't happen. Unfortunately that has led to the chaos in both the playroom and my kids' bedrooms. My sons room just happened to be first on the OVERHAUL list. 



Part of it is that my hubby has been out of town on business and I have been holding down the fort on my own. Needless to say things have been a little hectic and just didn't get taken care of... until now! 

I had pretty much had enough of the mess, and the nagging for the kids to clean up THEIR messes that I took matters into my own hands. 

This was my approach:
I while back I bought some hanging organizers at JoAnn's for like $2 on clearance. I thought {at the time}
What a great way to store the kids' stuffed animals. They would be put away, out of sight, but still accessible." Boy was I wrong. Both kidlets emptied our their organizers onto their closet floors. So much for that brilliant idea. 

So, first up!? The stuffed animal pile. I kept a couple out that they actually play with. The others got packed away in a clear storage bin that will go in the garage. Why clear? Clear storage bins make it easy to see what's inside. It's the ONLY way I am storing things in my garage anymore. I got tired of opening bins to see what was in them -- even when they were labeled. 

Next up? The clutter and toys that have taken over his floor. 


I made a HUGE trash pile. All the loose papers he has been hoarding from around the house and various church handouts got tossed. The wipes box and the diapers got put away in the closet where they actually belong. Books were put back on the bookshelf, and I bought a new addition. This wonderful kids room organizer from Target. I can't find the white one online, but it's this same organizer in white... weird. 
My super smart sister-in-law helped me to put it together. I have put together a million {okay not that many, but close} bookcases and shelving units all by myself. BUT, the darn angled piece on the bottom of this one was tough! The instructions were not helpful as to which way to place that piece so that all those nifty holes lined up. My SIL figured it out! It only took both of us with our college degrees to put together a stinkin' organizer... BUT I LOVE IT!! 

Here's how his room looks now {and I do mean, like right now}.


The bigger toys that don't really have a "home" now have one on top of this new organizer. 


The diapers and wipes were put away on the shelf in his closet and the hanging stuffed animal organizer has been put away for now... until I can think of another use for it. 


The bookshelf has been reorganized and now you can see the carpet! I had forgotten what it looked like! 

And here's my little guy in all his mischievous glory!


Next up on the organizing list? His sister's room... ahhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!


How do you get your kids to clean up? Do you have a routine? Do you sing a song? Do you time them? Do you offer rewards? What's your secret!!? I would LOVE to know!

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6 comments

  1. I give them a timer and tell them to clean up. When they were younger we used to sing the barney clean up song.. now it's you clean up or else no dinner :P

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    1. The timer is a great idea! I may have to try that one. Thanks so much for sharing!!

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  2. My children also made terrible messes, especially the eldest. Oh wait, that was you.

    Dad

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    1. Gee, thanks Dad! I'm sure those messes weren't REALLY mine! :) I was a perfect child! hehehe

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  3. My motto is if I have to pick it up it goes in the donation bin. Moo has quickly learned to clean up after herself needless to say.

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    1. I have been trying that too lately. It's a good strategy! :)

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