Life with kids means a home filled with love, laughter, and let’s be honest . . . lots of stuff. Toys, school papers, snacks, shoes, and everything in between seem to multiply overnight, especially in smaller spaces. But a clutter-free home isn’t always about having less. It’s about creating systems that work for you and your family.
As a home organizer and mom myself, I know that storage needs to be practical, accessible, and easy to maintain. I also want my home to be beautiful and welcoming, so the style of organization and the containers I choose reflect that!
Below, I’m sharing some tried-and-true tips to help busy moms make the most of their space while keeping their sanity intact.
1. The “One-Minute Rule” for Daily Clutter
First things first: if something takes less than one minute to put away, do it immediately. Teaching kids to follow this rule helps prevent small messes from becoming overwhelming. This might look like tossing their shoes in a basket, or placing their cup in the dishwasher after using it.
2. Contain the Chaos with Baskets + Bins
Secondly, baskets are a mom’s best friend! I love open-top bins for quick toy clean-up (one less step for people to open a lid), labeled baskets for categories like art supplies and legos, and soft storage bins for stuffed animals.
For our family, it has been so great to have each child assigned a catch-all basket in our mud room. Anything I find around the house I pop in there, and at the end of the day, they put their items back where they belong.
3. Maximize Vertical Space
Not all of us are blessed with big spaces for storage so using all the available space, including vertical storage of walls, can add helpful storage space. Wall-mounted shelves for books and toys can be a wonderful way to use empty walls. Over-the-door organizers for shoes, accessories, or craft supplies can maximize closets and the back of a door! And, hooks at kid-height are perfect for coats and backpacks so they can put things away themselves. They’re really a life changer!
With little kids especially, I love using the lower shelves for their toys and books, with the rest of the toys and books on the out-of-reach shelves for “out of rotation” toys and books. Which leads me to my next tip . . .
4. Rotate Toys to Reduce Overwhelm
Too many toys leads to overstimulation for us and the kids. So, I recommend keeping a few favorites out and storing the rest. Then, rotate the selection every few weeks or whenever you think they are getting bored with the current toys. This means kids get excited to see “new” toys, and cleanup stays manageable!
5. Command Center for Family Sanity
Creating a family command center in a high-traffic area is a lifesaver. It’s incredibly helpful for when you’re trying to get kids out the door to school, keeping different activities organized, or in need of a day to run more smoothly! These can include a wall calendar for schedules, a bin for mail/paperwork, a chalkboard or whiteboard for reminders, and hooks for keys and backpacks. Having everything in one spot eliminates the last-minute scramble!
6. Double-Duty Furniture
Look for smart furniture that works harder, like ottomans with hidden storage for blankets and toys, a bed with built-in drawers for clothes or extra bedding, or a fold-down desk for kids’ homework that tucks away when not in use.
7. Embrace the “End-of-Day Reset”
Before bedtime, set a 10-minute timer and do a quick family clean-up. Kids love racing the clock and this prevents waking up to a mess. It’s amazing what can be accomplished in 10 minutes. And, it is helping set good habits for their futures!
8. Declutter With Kids (Without Tears!)
With each birthday and Christmas bringing more toys and items in, decluttering is essential to keep items manageable. Instead of forcing kids to part with things, make it a game or ask questions which frame the decluttering in a positive way and helps avoid the feeling of loss and lack. Some questions you could ask include:
- “Are you finished playing with this toy?”
- “Shall we give it to a child who doesn’t get many toys?”
- “Would you rather keep this toy or trade it for something new?”
- “Can we find five things that don’t belong in this room?”
Small steps make a big impact over time. Make your home, a home that works for YOU! Your home doesn’t have to be Pinterest-perfect, it just needs to work for your family. By creating simple, easy-to-maintain organizing systems, even the smallest space can feel peaceful, functional and clutter-free!
