Space saving tips for Organizing your childs stuff

Soon after we had a child our home became cluttered with stuff. Our open floor plan presented some additional issues since the living room and dining area were essentially the same room with no physical partition. At 1st it was pretty manageable but by our 2nd Christmas our open space was filled with clutter. One thing that I think I would do different is to limit the type of stuff we purchased avoiding toys with a lot of pieces or small pieces. I have made many an impulse buy that I later regretted because I was endlessly picking pieces up off the floor.(Or worse yet stepping on them if you ever stepped on a lego you know what I am talking about) In an effort to regain some order to the chaos we put up floor to ceiling shelves in the living room. Books and items that don't require as much supervision are on the 1st 3 levels and items that we want to keep out of reach are higher up. This has helped to keep books, games and some toys more in order. It is somewhat safer as well because items that are not to be played with unsupervised are more difficult to get at and are out of sight. We have also started to implement a rule where you need to put away one toy before taking a new one out. This is not too rigid she can take out multiple toys if she is playing with them all. However if she was playing with Legos and then wants to color, the Legos would need to go away. We help with the put away but want her to be involved. The goal is to eventually have her be completely responsible for keeping her belongings in order. I have purchased some clear stackable drawers and am looking at some other storage ideas. Stuffed animals and smaller toys are problem areas. Books and Games Stack away easily and our video shelf has helped to keep Videos and DVD's in pretty good order. Art work is another problem area. I cannot bring myself to throw away my daughters artwork (Did I mention that I was a pack rat) Last year I got an art Folder which is a big accordion folder and can hold poster sized paper. This is a good option for paintings and drawings but things that are pasted together or have glitter on them do not fair well. I know some people who have used filing cabinets for artwork, cards, etc. you can also use the wider Rubbermaid type clothes storage bins which can be Hidden under a table or bed. If you want you can make this an art project, decorate a box or storage bin and keep it out in the open. (Some fabric, glue, and a little time can transform any box into a decorative storage bin.
For art and craft Supplies a hanging shoe organizer can keep craft supplies in plain sight yet neat and out of the way. You can fill the pockets with everything from Markers, crayons, pencils, pipe cleaners or anything else your child needs to build their masterpieces. The organizer can hang on any door or wall as long and should be near a table where little ones can sit down to work.

If you are fortunate enough to have a basement this is an ideal space to turn into a child's play area and help to keep or regain your own living space. You can make the area more safe by putting down foam flooring or carpet and should wrap metal columns. Depending on how creative you want to be you could transform this area into whatever your child is into. If they like Pirates you could Theme the area that way and even build some props. I know some people who have had there children's room turned into a room within a room They built castle with a loft bed on the 2nd level and Storage for Clothes, Books, and Toys on the 1st level. Your Living space is what you make it your home should be a place where you feel comfortable and at ease not a main stressor in your life.