Clever Ideas for Smart Storage in a Kid's Playroom

Shelves

• Install shelves on each wall of your child's playroom in a different color and label the shelves so your child knows which items go where. Place the shelves on the wall at a height that your child can easily reach and use letters for labeling that are colorful and stand out. For instance, reserve one shelf for painting supplies where brushes, paints and frocks are stored, and paint the shelf a bright red. Install another shelf for housing your child's favorite books and cover it with vivid green paint. This storage system can reiterate color recognition for your child and can help her to sound out words.

Bins

• Purchase large, plastic bins in various colors for storing toys, books and craft supplies. Position the bins in a designated spot in the playroom to get your little one used to the routine of cleaning up each day. Give her instructions like "place all your dolls in the green bin" or "put all the blocks in the blue bin" to help her remember her colors. Use stencils and construction paper to create the label letters that go on the boxes and let your child help you tape words like "books" or "crafts" onto the box.

Door Storage

• Attach a shoe caddy to the back of the front and closet doors for additional playroom storage. These items are ideal for housing smaller items like crayons, markers, glue sticks and rulers, as well as smaller books and toys that your child may like to travel with. Create labels for each pocket of the shoe caddy and help your child practice reading by telling him, "bring the markers over to the table so we can start coloring" or "it's time to put the rulers away" so he can read the labels on each section of the caddy and put the items back where they belong.

Signs and Designated Spaces

• Create signs from poster board or large pieces of construction paper and cover them with Con-Tact paper. Hang the signs on the wall in various areas of the room, so your child knows where to store her toys. For instance, place a yellow area rug in one corner of the room and place a sign above the rug that says "Dress Up." Place a large basket on the area rug for your child to house her dress-up clothes like tutus, tiaras, long scarves and costume dresses.