These tips to organize a kids room on a budget are so simple, but so effective, that you’ll wish you’d read this last year.
“Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing up is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing.”
If you haven’t heard that quote before, I’ll bet you’ve lived it!
When it comes to kids room organization, the trick is to keep it simple, sweetie. So let’s talk about simple solutions to problems like the kids room being a constant mess.
(And wouldn’t it be nice to get out the door without searching for last minute items for once?)
25 Ways To Organize A Kids Room (On A Budget)
Organize Books
There’s one thing I’ve learned about book organization: They rarely stay on the shelves.
The good news is that means someone is excited about reading.
Unfortunately, the side effect is that they dig through the books looking for just the right one…and that often results in a mess of books everywhere.
Here are some better ways to organize those books:
Sort Them Out
If you have children that are school aged, you might know about reading levels. You probably own some “easy readers” that are just right for kids learning to read.
I’ve separated those books away from the others.
Actually…I keep them in a box in the closet. When one of our children is ready to learn how to read, I pull out these books.
That makes them more interesting to our new reader, because he doesn’t see them all the time. (And it’s less clutter for me to keep straight in the meantime!)
You could rotate out some of your books based on what works for you.
Pull out board books, chapter books, books you have read so often you have memorized! Let the kids explore new books for a while.
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No More Shelves
Books and shelves go together like baseball and Cracker Jacks.
Unfortunately, that setup seems to make as much mess as a box of Cracker Jacks.
My kids reach to take one book off the shelves and they all come down!
If that sounds familiar to you, check out this boxed bookshelf instead.
Even if other books come down with the one they’ve chosen, it’s a much smaller mess! And kids are more likely to help keep the area clean when it’s easy for them.
Board Books
Any kid big enough to look at board books, is big enough to clean them up (with help, of course).
Don’t expect a little one to stack board books neatly. Give them a basket or box to drop them into, instead.
Book Bins
Some of our homeschooling books are so darned big, it’s hard to find room for them.
So I grabbed some cheap milk crates and stacked them up to create a contained book case. It’s perfect for the books we don’t use quite as often!
Hang It
Learn how to make this wall bookshelf out of a pallet for a cheap solution your kids will love!
Make sure you put it at a good level for kids to reach!
Book Cart
I don’t know why, but my kids are 2,523% more likely to return books to this cart than they are to stick them on a shelf.
Plus, it has wheels! (Which is the equivalent to a dress having pockets!)
You can get a nice metal one like this from Amazon (I got mine from Sam’s but they don’t have them anymore).
I also bought a cheaper plastic one from Walmart that has worked great.
Cheap Plastic Baskets
I like to grab organizers like this from Dollar General, Aldi, or the thrift store, or one like this whenever I see them on sale.
This large one was the perfect size for our homeschool books. But I would also store activity books or coloring books in here.
Organize Game Storage
Hang Them Up
Got one of these hangers? Put them to work holding your board games!
As a bonus, you can hang games by age level. Put the Chutes and Ladders style games on the bottom so the little ones can reach.
Tubs
Small pieces tend to fall out of game boxes easily. That’s why I transfer them to a tub like this asap.
I’ve also used ziploc bags to hold games that fit.
Pencil Bags
I’m a fan of dollar store solutions! Card games never seem to stay in the cardboard box they come with.
Grab some plastic index card holders (like these) to use instead. Or use pencil bags you have on hand or pick up from the dollar store.
Kids are more likely to put these away correctly, since it’s easy for their little fingers to manage.
More Card Storage
This container is made for storing photos, but the size makes it perfect for card games. It’s easy grab and go for trips.
Puzzle Storage
Puzzle boxes also have a tendency to get crushed into oblivion. And then you have pieces everywhere.
Solve that problem (and store so many other things!) with these fabulous mesh bags.
Don’t Toss It Yet
If your family enjoys a game that is missing pieces, don’t give up yet. You can search Ebay for missing game pieces.
(Just don’t pay more for one piece than you’d pay for a whole new game.)
You can use apps on your tablet or phone for spinners or dice.
Organize Toys
Legos
Check out Clark Condensed to learn how to make a drawstring bag for your Legos!
You and the kids will both love the ease of cleanup!
Barbies
Got a shoe hanger like this one? Place a Barbie or two into each shoe slot.
Drop accessories in the bottom row. Your daughter will love choosing her Barbies at a glance.
Small Toys (Like Little People)
If you buy snacks in bulk, the containers are wonderful for storing small toys like Little People.
(My favorite are the animal cracker and pretzel tubs from Sam’s Club.)
Hotwheels
Sometimes we toss our toy cars into the back of a dump truck to make cleanup simple.
Nerf Guns
Hanging Nerf guns on a wall or in a closet is a fun way to display your collection. But if you want ease of use, grab a tall hamper and fill it with those long guns.
That will fit even the longest Nerf guns!
Sports Toys
Sometimes sports toys are also that awkward size and shape that make them hard to store.
But this cheap mesh laundry hamper has held up really well to store my son’s golf/pool table.
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Organize Clothing & Shoes
Days of the Week
If you have a child that is particularly scattered about finding clothes to wear each day, try this days of the week closet organizer.
Set everything out on Sunday to prepare for a great week!
Shoe Organization
Lost shoes are my nemesis! Make them easier to find with a shoe rack.
I like this simple one, because it holds even tall boots. (They always make the muddiest messes!)
This large flower pot holds our dirty crocs and gym shoes perfectly. My kids are more likely to drop shoes in a pot than line them up carefully on a rack.
Laundry Baskets
Laundry baskets are a handy way to keep things in order. Try these instructions from Ana White to make a laundry basket dresser similar to this one.
One of my kids swears he’d rather just throw every piece of clothing he owns into one laundry basket and be done with it.
Dirty Clothes
Do your kids constantly mix up clean clothes with their dirty ones? Make it more fun to put those dirty clothes into a hamper by trying one of these fun ideas!
Let them dunk those clothes. (Games are always good.)
I don’t know many kids that would be able to resist feeding this shark. Just sayin.
Family Closet
A great idea that more and more families are adopting is called the family closet.
This will involve some rearranging.
You might have a room in mind that would work perfectly, or you might have to rearrange your kids’ rooms to make it work.
You’ll put everyone’s clothes in the same room. Use several dressers or places to hang clothing.
Place a screen in the corner of the room for kids to dress behind.
With all of the clothing in one location, it’s that much less mess in the bedrooms.
Organize Homework & School Supplies
Get this year’s school supplies on the cheap with these simple ideas.
If you’re tired of running something up to school, because it was lost or forgotten (again), here’s just what you need to make that bad habit a thing of the past.
Catch It All
Make it easy…hang everything on the wall where it will be seen (and not forgotten!).
Chalkboard
A chalkboard is a great place to keep track of assignments and their due date.
You can color code by student when you grab a box of colored chalk.
You can paint a chalkboard in a convenient space to your homework or homeschool station. Or grab a premade chalkboard.
Portable Caddy
I found another blogger who loves dollar store solutions as much as I do!
Learn how to make this DIY Dollar Store Portable Homework Caddy from Simple Made Pretty.
Library Books
Escape those overdue fines when you keep your library books and supplies together.
Choose a basket or bag and keep it in a specific location.
I hang this cute bag near my purse, and the kids know to put their books inside when they’re finished.
Small Rugs
Use small rugs to designate work space for homeschool or homework. (This one is super fuzzy, so they’ll love sitting there!)
They take up less space than chairs and give kids a specific place to focus.
(Besides, most kids fidget in chairs anyway.)
These kids room organization ideas will make finding things a snap!
Because who has time to look for everything on your way out the door?
I'm Jamie, and I want to help you afford a beautiful life with your family. 
