Create harmony in your home by making space for play and relaxation

Collaborative post by another author

Most of us can relate to living room chaos after playtime. For families with young children and no designated playroom, this creates an especially challenging task of tidying (and maintaining) your little ones' belongings while keeping your lounge area still functional.

But owning a small flat or home with limited space doesn’t have to doom you to a life of endless toy clutter. Check out these top five organisational tips that will transform your living/ play room into the perfect neat space for the whole family to enjoy.

Out with the old

One of the fastest ways to control the mountain of endless LEGO and Barbie dolls is to remove broken or unwanted books and toys from the equation. Start by sorting through visibly damaged toys that can be a potential hazard or just add to the mess of stuff piling up in the toybox. 

If you’re unsure what to get rid of first, ask yourself the following questions to decide:

• Is this still safe for my child to use?
• Is there more than one of this toy in the chest?
• When was the last time my child played with this toy?
• Does it have significant sentimental value?
• Could another child use this more?

Be sure to donate all toys, books and play clothes that are still in good condition to your favourite charity shop. If your little one is 3 and up, involving them in the decluttering and organising process is a great way to teach cleanliness and generosity.

Categorise toy boxes

While a singular, large toy chest may seem to take up the least amount of space in your living room, it will actually create a much bigger mess in the long run, with your child often digging to the bottom of the box to find what they’re after. 

For the best chance of controlling smaller messes, consider organising your child’s toys into categories and using designated shelves, bins and cupboards. This allows you or your child to find exactly what they need without throwing every toy they own onto the floor.

Consider installing a toy unit

Much like a TV unit, a toy unit provides all of the previously mentioned organisation of multiple toy bins in a sleek and consolidated space. You can purchase them at most furniture retailers or consider making a custom unit to perfectly match your living space.

Be sure to use quality timber that is sturdy enough to hold its contents of books and toys without posing a risk to little ones. Fixing your unit to the wall is a safe way to ensure curious climbers don’t get seriously hurt during play. 

Out of sight, out of mind

But what about storing large and wonky toys like castles, doll houses, racing tracks and ride-on cars? The best way to tackle these bigger play items is to store them out of sight and in a nearby cupboard or the back garden.

The key here is to maximise your floor space, as this provides plenty of playroom for your children, and less of an eyesore for those relaxing on the couch. It also promotes playing with big items one at a time without crowding the centre of the room and creating a hazardous floor space.

Your space, my space

Lastly, and most importantly, be sure to designate space for your children to play comfortably. Be flexible with the room and rearrange furniture as needed to accommodate enough room for storage and open space. 

Whether it’s an empty corner by a dining table or one half of the living area separated for play, giving your children their own place encourages them to keep mess in one central area. Separating your space from theirs also means you’ll have a fully functional living area to relax and entertain no matter what the little ones are up to. 

No matter the size of your home, how much space you have to spare, or what the layout of your living room is, you can use these top tips to create a fun, clean and functional play space for your children to enjoy.

For more tips on home organisation, check out our other blog posts here!