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Toys, toys, everywhere? It is possible to get your child's room organized and keep it that way, too!

The key to organizing your child's bedroom or playroom is to make the best use of your available space. Think outside the box – the toy box, that is. Look at each wall, your floor space, your closets and crannies. Consider both horizontal and vertical space. Then, employ clever organizers that allow you to reclaim that unused real estate.

Not only will your home look great, your child will get greater use from his or her playthings. (When toys are easy to find, kids play with them more often.) In addition, you'll teach your child to take care of his of her possessions – while building neat habits that last a lifetime.

A Place For Everything
Getting organized can be fun! Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

• Take advantage of vertical wall space with bookshelves and toy shelves. If you periodically rotate toys from upper shelves to more-accessible lower shelves, your child will always have something "new" to play with.

• What's the ideal organizer? Shelves of plastic bins – with lids! These allow you to categorize your child's playthings – i.e., blocks, cars, dolls. And because kids can see inside, they can easily find what they're looking for.
• Child-safe toy boxes are perfect for storing large, unwieldy items, while adding interest to a room. Look for one with no-pinch hinges and a slam-proof safety lid.
• Review your child's closet with fresh eyes. Look past the clothing rack: how much precious space is going unused? A clever closet organizer with multiple compartments can more than double storage capacity!
• What's above your child's furniture? Plenty of unutilized storage space, that's what! Put it to work with expandable hat racks, toy hammocks, clothing pegs, or hanging toy chains . It's a great way to organize and display stuffed animals, dress-up costumes, and baseball caps.
• Don't forget that valuable space under the bed. Flat boxes are perfect for storing out-of-season gear and toys, while keeping them dust-free.
• When purchasing a play table, look for one with a coordinating wheeled trundle drawer . After playtime, toys store virtually out of sight.

• If your child's clothing ends up on the floor, place a "cool" hamper in your child's room and encourage him or her to use it. (Our folding double sided hamper looks great and makes pick-up fun.)
• How about the bathroom? It's easy to organize tub toys with mildew-resistant toy nets and tub trays.

If you don't want your child to resist getting organized, include her in the process. Let her choose some of the storage containers and decide what goes in them. Kids like playful colorful units-and some can even be personalized!

Encourage your child to pick up toys regularly and to take pride in his or her room. Soon, you'll both agree that it's "neat" to be organized.