Kid-Friendly Closet Ideas

Think small when designing kid-friendly closet organization. Small drawers, cubbies, and storage bins make it easy for kids to find what they're looking for without making a mess. Keep clothing in short stacks in shallow drawers so they don't have to rifle through piles. Put toys and books on open shelves in plain sight where they are easy to grab and put away. Use baskets and boxes to keep adults-only items, such as extra toy batteries, out of reach. 

When kids share a closet, strategic kids' closet organizer ideas can keep peace. The symmetrical layout in this closet gives each boy a custom storage area. Racks on either side of a center unit make it easy for each kiddo to get their belongings. Big, bold labels designate ownership of each drawer in the shared center console.

Editor's Tip: When hanging rods for vertical storage, look for adjustable pieces that can be repositioned as your child grows. 

Little kids aren't reaching for their own hanging clothes. Make the most of the space in the top of the closet by positioning clothes rods where Mom and Dad can easily reach. This toddler's closet staggers two rods. Today's ready-to-assemble storage cubes come with mix-and-match options—cubbies, drawers, and shelves—to fit your toddler closet organization needs. Arrange a set in the bottom space, then trim the stacked cubes with quarter-round molding, if desired. 

To design kids' closet storage that grows with them, opt for wire closet organizers. The repositionable components can easily be rearranged to accommodate bigger clothing and different types of accessories. Need more hanging space? Reassign a slide-out drawer unit as an organizer and add another clothes rod in the closet. Many systems have specialty pieces you can add later, such as shoe shelves and hanging baskets.

In a solo closet, label types of clothing and accessories to keep things organized. Color-coordinated containers can do the trick, too. Over time, your child will learn the difference between clothing items, as well as the value of organization. For a personal touch to your kid's closet storage, pick labels in his or her favorite color. Kids' closet organizer products can be found at most home goods stores or you can make your own with construction paper, washi tape, and markers. 

Choose a kid's walk-in closet design that perks up a plain Jane walk-in closet with custom touches for practicality and personality. Replace standard bifold doors with ones fitted with tempered-glass windowpanes. Attach a length of colorful fabric on the inside of each door panel for a decorative touch. Inside, outfit one wall with drawer and cubby storage arranged around a bench seat where little ones can put on shoes. To get a built-in look without heavy construction, arrange a sturdy cushion-topped toy or blanket chest between two narrow bookshelf towers or modular storage cubes. 

If your child's closet has built-ins, use bins and baskets to store treasures that can't find a home on hangers or in drawers. A large wire basket holds socks, underwear, and other everyday items. Colorful boxes on the top shelf contain treasures and keepsakes, such as first report cards or baby teeth. If your child's closet does not have built-ins, opt for store-bought kid's closet dividers.

Tip: Kid-friendly closet organization is all about ease, so choose baskets without a lid. They'll have no excuse for leaving socks or dirty clothes on the floor. 

Let children be a part of the organization process and you might be surprised by how willing they are to help declutter the space and keep the closet organized. Encourage little ones to tell you how they'd like to sort and store their favorite items, or let them choose what kids' closet dividers they like best. Work together with older kids to get organized, then turn them loose to decorate the space with their favorite colors and patterns. 

Sure, closet doors are a necessity, but they're also boring and sometimes cumbersome for little kids. For a creative option, remove the door and hang a curtain rod above the door frame. Add a decorative curtain that easily slides and hides kid's closet dividers that organize clothes. The bright fabric panel disguising this closet matches the vibrant yellow wall treatment. 

Tip: This unique kids' closet idea will make the room appear larger if the curtain is hung at the very top of the wall and reaches all the way down to the floor. 

Toddler closet organization doesn't have to be boring. Let it be the focal point of your child's bedroom by painting an armoire, dresser, or other storage unit a vibrant shade. This emerald dresser features easy-to-grasp drawer pulls for little hands. Decorated boxes hold out-of-season items. And a mounted tension rod keeps coats, dress shirts, and hard-to-fold items wrinkle free. 

The best kids' closet designs don't leave a dent in your wallet and can easily be adjusted as your child grows. Cut clutter by tweaking a standard closet system, no remodeling needed. Designate the existing clothes rod and high shelf (where only parents can reach) for out-of-season clothes and items for safekeeping. Add a second lower rod to store everyday clothes that kids need to reach. Use the floor for shoes, toys, and even a laundry hamper.

Small closet ideas for kids are not all that different than those for your own master closet. Plan kid's closet ideas before you organize. Purge outgrown clothes and unused toys, inventory everything you want to store in the closet, and think about how your child can most easily access things. Then come up with a closet design that fits those needs. A modular closet organization system offers great variety for storing hanging and folded clothes, shoes, hats, accessories, and toys. With careful planning, low rods can be removed to make way for longer hanging clothes in the future. High shelves can transition from off-season storage to everyday space as the child grows.

Hassle-free equates clutter-free. USe kid's closet organizers to keep commonly used items easy to fetch and put away. In this closet, open shelves line up shoes and hats for grab-and-go access. Oversize baskets keep personal items, such as underwear and socks, accessible but out of sight. This simple organization tip can be applied to meet your kid's interest. If they love ballet, maybe install a hook right by the door for a quick place to drop off their dance bag. 

Make it fun to stay organized. Treat kids' closets to practical touches that mimic their room's decorating theme or play to their favorite interests. This princess, for example, turned her closet into a castle. A tension rod keeps all of her dress-up gear in plain sight; a bottom basket holds treasured accessories, such as tiaras. This toddler closet organization tool will make your child feel special while teaching the importance of cleaning. 

Kids might not appreciate a walk-in closet like adults do, but it helps to rethink the space as a mini bonus room. A small remodeling project in this dormer-space closet made room for toy cabinets and a child-size window seat. With hanging and cubby clothes storage on the left wall and extra floor space to the right, this walk-in closet now doubles as a pint-size secret hideaway. The key to kids' walk-in closet design is to put away your own preferences and really think about what will get them excited. 

Good things come in small packages, even small closets. Make the most of a small closet by perking it up with wallpaper. If space is too tight to install a closet-organization system, bring in a short dresser and add a row of hooks to a section of wall.

In this small closet, the homeowners even took advantage of the unused space on the door. They installed hooks that could work to hold purses or plan out a week's worth of outfits. 

You've cleaned out the kids' closets and have a plan to keep the space organized. But how do you ensure all your efforts don't go down the drain faster than you can close the closet door? The key to teaching kids to keep an organized closet is making it easy for them to do so. One easy kid's closet storage solution is to line wire baskets with fabric to prevent small items from slipping through the wire grid.