Need help organizing your playroom in Nashville?
How To Organize a Playroom
Avoid These Top 10 Organizing Mistakes
Summer is here, which means longer days, more indoor/outdoor play—and often, more chaos in the playroom. If you’re stepping over blocks or can’t find a single marker with a cap, you’re not alone. For many Nashville families, the playroom becomes the catch-all zone for toys, games, art supplies, and dress-up bins. But without a thoughtful plan, it can quickly spiral into a stressful mess instead of a joyful space for creativity and learning.
At A Fresh Space, Nashville’s premiere organizing experts, known for creating systems that actually work—especially in kids’ spaces. Whether your playroom is a dedicated room, a corner of the living room, or a finished basement, here’s how to organize it right—and the top 10 mistakes to avoid.
Pro Tip: Embrace the Montessori method of creating activity zones—areas for pretend play, reading, art, and building blocks. This approach encourages independence and makes it easier for kids to stay engaged with one activity at a time.
How To Organize a Playroom
Why an Organized Playroom Matters (Especially in Summer)
A well-organized playroom isn’t just about aesthetics. It supports:
- Independent play and creativity
- Faster clean-up times (yes, really!)
- Less screen time and more purposeful engagement
- Calmer transitions between activities
- Easier sharing and cooperation between siblings
During the summer months, kids spend more time at home—and that means more toys in rotation. An organized space gives structure to otherwise unstructured days and helps both kids and parents breathe a little easier.
What To Consider When Organizing a Playroom
Before you start sorting toys, take a moment to think through the space:
- Who is using it? Do you have a toddler and a tween sharing the space?
- What kinds of activities happen here? Arts & crafts? Dress-up? Quiet reading?
- How much room do you have? Be realistic—your space doesn’t need to hold every single toy you own.
- How often will you rotate toys? A rotation system can make the space feel fresh without constant clutter.
How To Organize a Playroom
The Top 10 Playroom Organizing Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
1. Using Deep Toy Chests
Tossing everything into one big box might seem easy, but these catch-alls are black holes. Kids can’t see what they have, pieces get lost, and it’s impossible to maintain order.
Try Instead: Shallow bins with labels or picture labels for pre-readers. Clear bins on open shelving work especially well.
2. Lack of Storage Infrastructure
No matter how pretty the room is, if there’s nowhere to put things, it won’t stay organized.
Solution: Invest in shelves, cabinets, cube systems (like IKEA Kallax), and labeled bins sized for kids’ hands. Add hooks and baskets at kid level. If there’s a closet in the room – building that out for storage is ideal.
3. Too Many Toys
More isn’t better. When everything is available all at once, kids can get overwhelmed and disengaged. Plus cleanup can be really challenging.
Solution: Rotate toys monthly or seasonally. Keep out only a few categories at a time and store the rest in labeled containers elsewhere. Plus editing regularly to weed out damaged or broken items, outgrown toys & books, and things they don’t use.
4. Ignoring Age Differences
A toddler’s Duplo bin doesn’t mix well with a 9-year-old’s Lego city. Without clear separation, older kids get frustrated, and younger kids can get into things that aren’t safe.
Tip: Create distinct zones or shelves based on age. Use higher shelves for small parts and lower bins for toddler-friendly items.
5. Not Labeling Anything
Labels aren’t just for aesthetics—they’re essential for maintenance. If kids and caregivers don’t know where things go, it all falls apart.
Use: Picture labels for younger kids, written labels for readers, or both. Laminated tags with Velcro are great for toy rotations.
6. Keeping Broken or Unused Toys
That toy with missing parts or the puzzle that hasn’t been touched in 18 months? It’s time to let it go.
Declutter Regularly: Make it part of your seasonal routine—before birthdays, before AND after holidays, and definitely before summer.
Pro Tip: Check out our full ‘How To Organize Your Playroom‘ guide!
7. Storing Many Toys in Their Original Packaging
Boxes are bulky and often hard for kids to open. They also don’t stack or fit neatly on shelves so it doesn’t makes sense for a lot of toys to stay boxed.
Pro Tip: Use uniform clear bins instead. Contain puzzles in zippered pouches or stackable trays.
8. Overlooking Vertical Space
You may be short on floor space, but don’t forget the walls.
Try: Wall-mounted bookshelves, pegboards for art supplies, hanging buckets, or even labeled wall baskets for stuffed animals.
9. No Table or Work Surface
Kids need a flat surface for puzzles, Play-Doh, crafts, and games—but many playrooms skip this.
Recommendation: A child-sized table with chairs or a wipeable craft mat on a low bench or ottoman. Bonus if it has storage underneath!
10. Making It Too Grown-Up
A perfectly styled space that looks like a Pinterest photo might not be usable for actual children.
Tip: Choose durable, washable materials, low furniture, and kid-accessible systems over designer décor. Form should follow function—especially in playrooms.
How To Organize a Playroom
Product Recommendations We Love
Ikea Trofast storage system – ideal for Legos, building sets and arts & crafts. They come in different sizes with cute, kid friendly colored bins in various sizes.
How To Organize a Playroom
Setting Up a Shared Playroom for Multiple Ages
If you have a mix of toddlers, elementary-aged kids, and maybe even a tween or two, aim for tiered access:
- Low shelves & bins for toddler toys
- Middle shelves for general use toys or board games
- High shelves or closed bins for small pieces or age-specific items
- Color-coded bins to help each child know what belongs to them
Creating shared zones (like an art station or reading nook) can encourage cooperation, while still giving each child their own “home base” within the room.
Need Help Organizing Your Playroom in Nashville?
If the thought of tackling your playroom feels overwhelming—or your past efforts haven’t stuck—A Fresh Space is here to help. Based in Nashville, TN, we specialize in creating beautiful, functional, and maintainable playrooms for families just like yours.
From sorting and decluttering to sourcing the right products and setting up kid-friendly systems, we make it easy to go from chaos to calm.
📍 Serving Nashville, Franklin, Brentwood, and surrounding areas.
Ready to reclaim your playroom? Let’s chat.
