A million magnetic tiles scattered across the living room. Stuffed animals piled high in the playroom. Outgrown baby gear taking up space in the closet. When you live with kids, your home is bound to get messy—and the more stuff they have, the more time you spend organizing and cleaning.
Psychotherapist and mom Denaye Barahona advocates a less-is-more approach to kids’ clothes, toys and gear. “When you pare back on the amount of clutter in your life, you can focus on the most important things,” like quality family time, she says. Research shows toddlers in quieter spaces with fewer toys “do more, create more and innovate more,” Barahona adds.
Practical ways to organize and decide what to keep or let go:
1. Create “active” and “storage” spaces
Keep high-traffic areas stocked only with items used regularly. Seasonal or occasional items—like winter jackets in summer—belong in a storage space (an under-bed drawer or closet) until they’re needed, reducing daily clutter.
2. Use clear, shallow bins for younger kids
Visible, shallow bins help children spot and access toys without dumping every item onto the floor. Clear storage reduces searching and mess.
3. Rotate toys in and out of play spaces
Toy rotation cuts visual clutter and reduces overstimulation by limiting options. It takes planning to maintain, but can make playtime more focused and engaging.
4. Reframe the donation pile
Think of donating as “sharing the love.” Imagining an item being useful to another child makes it easier to part with things that won’t be used long-term.
5. Beware of recluttering after decluttering
The aim is simpler living, not making space for more stuff. Before buying storage or new toys, pause and ask: Is this a need, a replacement, or a want? Consider experiences instead of more belongings.
6. Scale back to build responsibility
If a child leaves a trail of toys everywhere, they may simply have too much. For collectibles like Pokémon cards, have them choose a top set (e.g., 20) for active use; move the rest to storage until they demonstrate care.
7. You don’t have to keep every piece of kid art
Limit keepsakes—Barahona keeps one box for both kids’ artwork. When it fills, review items for meaning. If you can’t identify a piece later, you’re unlikely to miss it years from now.
This story was edited by Malaka Gharib. The visual editor is CJ Riculan. Tell us your best organization hacks (and feel free to share photos!) by emailing [email protected] with the subject line “Kid stuff.” We may feature your story on NPR.org.
Illustrations inked and colored by Malaka Gharib.