End the Battle Over Kids’ Cluttered Closets
If you’re a parent, then you’ve proclaimed this familiar battle cry; “Clean up your room!” And nowhere is the battleground more intense than in children’s closets.
More often than not, kids are messy because they are usually relegated to the smaller rooms of a house with tiny closets that aren’t designed for their needs. The right closet design will virtually eliminate a messy room.
Whether you have a pre-schooler or high schooler, a closet design should provide flexible space to meet your child’s needs today, while thinking about their future. Features a child’s closet should include are:
Get Your Child’s Input – Ask for your child’s thoughts when designing a closet. When kids help with the organization, they feel a part of the solution, versus being told what to do. Kids are more likely to maintain a clean closet if they help create it.
Pull-Out Baskets – Sturdy, wire baskets make it easy for a child to see their toys or older children to quickly identify clothing items. They can also be used for tossing dirty clothes.
Adjustable Rods and Shelves – If kids can’t easily reach hangers, shelves and bins, they’re not going to put things away. For younger children, hang rods at lower, child-friendly levels. As a child grows, those rods are adjusted to accommodate bigger clothing items. Shelves can also be added and adjusted.
Color-Coded Hangers – For younger children, establish which color will be used for different types of clothes. Separate kids’ clothes into categories of school, play and dress.
Hooks – Placed at a child’s eye level, or within their reach along the inside walls of the closet, hooks keep accessories such as caps, purses and necklaces organized and easy to reach. Or hang the next day’s outfit to simplify the morning routine.
Slide-Out Racks – Belts, scarves and other everyday clothing items are hung on racks that slide in and out from the side of panels, allowing easy access and more space in the closet.
Helping kids organize their closet also has an automatic self-benefit: When they’re more organized, you have time to do the things you want!
