7 Ways to Create an Accessible Closet Space for Kids

Let’s face it – kids don’t like putting away their laundry. They don’t like putting toys back where they belong. They don’t like to organize items based on functionality. As parents, there are ways for you to encourage your children to develop better organization just by tweaking the design of their closet space! Use these tips to create an accessible closet space for kids, which will make laundry and toy clean-up a little easier in the future. 

1. Avoid piles

If you want to teach your child good laundry habits, it’s best to eliminate large piles of clothing that will clutter her closet space. This can be taken care of with shallow containers that allow for small stacks of shirts, shorts, etc. Another option is to utilize shelves with enough space between them for short stacks of folded clothing. The idea of shallow storage space is to help your child find items easily without making a big mess.

2. Label Containers

Arrange containers on shelves to organize types of clothing together and label them so that your child can easily recognize where to find certain items. If your child cannot read yet, have some fun with it! Use stickers with pictures of clothing items to label each container. Without labels, children will quickly forget how to organize their clothing and are more likely to toss them on the floor instead.

3. Hang accessories

What are the easiest items to get tangled up and disorganized? Belts, purses, and other small accessories are prone to getting lost, so it’s important to keep them within eyesight. Utilize wire belt racks like this one to create a designated area for hanging these accessories, and make sure they are easily reachable for a small child.

4. Organize toys and games

Closets aren’t just for storing clothing. Your child can develop good cleaning habits by consistently returning toys, books, and games to designated containers and shelves. Favorite games and books should be placed on open shelves so that your child can easily find them and return them after playtime. Smaller toys can be stored and labeled in shallow containers; these containers can be placed above shelves to make room for more important items or even under the bed.

5. Keep things symmetrical

This tip is for parents of two! If both of your children share a closet, use shelving, clothes rods and nooks to create a symmetrical design that splits the closet space into two equal parts. Labels and bold colors can be used to represent ownership of each set of drawers and nooks. The two can share a mutual shelf at the top of the closet for seasonal items and shared toys.

6. Use Wire Organizers

Your children are growing up, so their closets should grow with them! Wire organizers are the easiest to readjust and rearrange to make more room for a bigger wardrobe. As your child gets older, she will need space for different types of accessories and larger clothing items, so you’ll want to remove or add cubbies and organizers easily. In time, you may want to invest in more permanent shelving and shoe racks.

7. Keep the space open

Ideally, you can use drawers and shelving to create an open space that is clean, simple, and attractive enough not to need doors! Once you’ve accomplished the look you’re going for, consider replacing the closet doors with panels that can stay open and create a larger looking closet space. This will also steer your child away from stashing toys and clothes quickly into the closet and closing the door to hide evidence during clean-up.