Does your kid’s closet look like a tornado went through it? Most kids’ closets do. It is hard for children to realize the consequences of rummaging through piles of clothes when they’re thinking about what they want to wear. Parents are acutely aware of how much work reorganizing is and probably catch themselves imagining the repercussions of just about everything that their child does or is about to do! It is time to find a way to help kids remember to keep their closets neat and organized.

1. Help them get the closet cleaned out. Kids have fun pulling everything out because they feel like they’re making a mess and they often will find toys and things that they thought were lost in the process. Pile everything into separate categories as you go. Toys, sports equipment, costumes, blankets, dirty laundry, shoes and books are common piles for a kid’s closet.

2. Involve your child in deciding what should go into the closet. It is generally not a good idea to put toys in with clothes, but if you separate them properly, it can work. Some parents like to install a deep shelf about waist level in the closet. Kids’ clothing is generally small enough to hang from the bar without touching the shelf. You can put baskets or bins on the shelf to organize socks, underwear, belts and pajamas. Try to hang all of the pants and shirts on children’s hangers. Baby hangers can be used for smaller items and they won’t stretch the shoulders out.

3. Use a shoe organizer to keep shoes off of the floor. You can either put a crate or toy bin in the room and keep shoes out of the closet, or you can use an over-the-door rack. Some parents like to keep a shoe bin or shoe organizer in the mudroom or entryway to the home so that dirty shoes aren’t tracked all over the house. This also keeps all of the shoes in one place, making it easier to get out the door on busy school mornings.

4. A laundry basket or bin is a great thing to put under that shelf. All dirty clothes should be thrown into the basket. It will hopefully be one of the only things on the floor of the closet, so if some clothes miss, it is easy to throw them in when it’s time to do laundry. You don’t want dirty clothes mixed up with toys, so decide if this is where you want your basket. Avoid hampers or other bins with tops, because kids will not take the time to open them.

By letting your child participate in the organization of the closet, they will get a bigger sense of pride. Make it fun by having races to see who can hang the most shirts the fastest. Let them use the infant hangers so that manipulation is easy. Baby hangers are actually a great tool when it comes to teaching your child closet organization. Praise your child when they take care of their closet and you might even try a reward system for a tidy space. Just remember to have fun with it and hopefully the excitement about the clean space will last!

About the Author: Kurt Adams is on the staff of Only Kids Hangers, a leading provider of infant hangers. The right baby hangers, like wooden baby hangers and children’s coat hangers, keep baby clothers organized and children’s hangers are great for retail stores. For more information, please visit www.onlykidshangers.com.

1. Divide clothes by size. You probably have a lot of different sizes of baby clothes. You can buy or make markers that wrap around the closet rod that will help you keep things organized and easy to grab at a moment’s notice.

2. Hang as much as possible. Folded stacks of clothes can easily become a pile of laundry. It is hard to see what you need and you end up rummaging through. Hang as much as you can on baby hangers and use bins for things like undershirts, body suits, and socks.

3. Make space for things that should be kept out of a child’s reach. The nursery inevitably will contain medicines, diaper rash ointment, and other dangerous items. Make sure that you dedicate areas out of children’s reach to these items. Avoid keeping them in or around changing tables and cribs.

4. Use bins for small items. Small things like socks, burp cloths, diapers and receiving blankets can be kept in bins. Pacifiers, toys and teething rings can be kept in bins once they are sanitized and ready to use.

5. Make space for dirty laundry. Babies can go through a lot of clothing in one day. Keep a laundry hamper or basket near the changing area or inside of your nursery closet. It will be out of sight, but easy to collect when it is time to do the laundry.

6. Dedicate a shelf to things that you’ll need quickly or in the middle of the night. You don’t want to have to wake the baby by turning on lights to find something like a thermometer. Keep these emergency items together so that you can easily find them when you need them.

7. Install lighting. Small lamps or night lights can be helpful if you need to find something in the baby’s room. You may even want to keep a flash light on a hook by the door so that you can sneak in if you need to. A closet light will help you find all kinds of things without waking the baby.

8. Use a lock or child-proof door knob cover. Make sure that your baby can’t get into items that are kept out of reach by using the closet to store them. Put a door knob cover or self-locking mechanism on the closet door as an extra precaution.

9. Use special baby hangers, children’s hangers, or infant hangers to keep special outfits from becoming damaged or stretched out. You can even designate part of the closet for consignment or charity items to keep the closet from getting cluttered.

About the Author: Kurt Adams is on the staff of Only Kids Hangers, a leading provider of infant hangers. The right baby hangers, like wooden baby hangers and children’s coat hangers, keep baby clothers organized and children’s hangers are great for retail stores. For more information, please visit www.onlykidshangers.com.