How to organize the kids room with smart storage – with Reorganize
Creating an organized kids room that works both for play and rest can be a challenge. Over time, children's interests and needs change, making it important to have flexible and well-thought-out storage solutions in the children's room. We have talked with Mathilda, the person behind the Instagram account Reorganisera, about her best tips for creating a kids room that is both functional and inspiring.
Mathilda, tell us a little about yourself, your family, and how Reorganisera started!
My name is Mathilda and I am 33 years old. I have two wonderful sons and a fantastic partner. We live in a house in Skåne outside Lund, in my parents' home, which feels fantastic. I work as a teacher at a middle school and love languages, culture, movement, and health. Order and tidiness have been important to me for as long as I can remember. Since I was in school myself, I have had binders, calendars, and color-coordinated folders to bring peace and quiet to my mind. The structure has helped me organize my chaotic mind. I don't really think I qualify as an "orderly" person since I have previously had many problems maintaining order over time and did not understand that it is not just the order itself that must be there, but there needs to be some form of routine around the order, a thought behind it. I have always had a chaotic mind; I have so many thoughts and ideas that I can't keep up with everything, and I completely lose myself in new projects. I need structure, priority lists, and time blocking so that my time is spent on what I really want, my family and my friends.
When I became pregnant with my first son, it was like my mind was racing; I wanted to fix EVERYTHING in the home so I could focus on my delivery and taking care of my son (and of course for the inspiration from "The Home Edit," their show was playing at home). I organized all the storage spaces in our apartment and quickly realized that the order didn't last. I then understood that it wasn't just about "getting organized," it was about changing the way of thinking and creating routines around the different areas. How often should we clear out and clean the space? Is the storage logical based on how we live our lives? How should we think about buying new things, etc.? I also quickly realized that life became easier when we had order in all our things, and that's where my interest in organizing grew, and I realized that I could actually be good at it. Along with that, Reorganisera also grew. I could never in my wildest dreams have imagined it would become this big, but I am eternally grateful and so excited about the things ahead of me.
An Ikea hack in the children's room – Kallax works as both smart storage and a cozy seat.
What is the most important thing to consider when organizing a kids room?
I think the most important thing is to think through what type of room you want and how much time you want to spend, everyone has different purposes. I LOVE to fix up my children's rooms and see them play in the rooms and USE the room, not just look nice. That's why I choose to spend a lot of time planning and selecting different furniture/drawers while also wanting to make it as affordable as possible. It is very important to me to find a way for the room to be with the child for many years.
The structure and the concept behind the room are the most important, creating different "zones" in the room, a reading corner, a building corner, a drawing corner, plenty of surfaces to create and be creative, and of course smart and convenient storage for it. For me, uniformity and colors are also important to contribute to creativity and play. For us, who do not have a playroom, but our children's rooms are both their bedrooms and playrooms, it is important that all things can be put away at the end of playtime and that the room can then contribute to harmony and calm rather than overstimulation. For me, it is important that the children can access their things, that they themselves can reach their toys and be creative in their rooms.
What are the biggest challenges in organizing a kids room and how do you solve them?
Making the children's room work over time, I would say. The children grow, their interests change quickly, and you don't want to redo the children's room every year. Then you need storage solutions that are easy to, for example, convert into a desk or where you can easily change the contents of the storage drawers and just change the label so that they fulfill their function over time. Organizational solutions are not free, and our environment is important, so it is important to think through before buying how the furniture can be used as the children grow.
The furniture itself is the most important thing here, in my opinion. Having shelves that you can move/lower/raise or furniture that is easy to rebuild/move. Then thinking through the drawers/boxes so that they can function over time. For example, buying a storage box that is relatively neutral which you can then customize with labels or stickers instead of buying a storage box with "Paw Patrol" on it that you then have to sell or clear out because the children have other interests.
How do you create sustainable routines to keep the children's room organized?
I believe in rotating toys and continuously decluttering; if you do that, you have a simple surface to organize. And try to avoid buying new things without clearing out something first. If you buy new, you also need to think about where it will be stored and how it can work in the room. It sounds basic, but I think that's the only thing you need to do to maintain order if you've done a good job organizing from the start. Here, it is incredibly important to have labels that can be "moved" or easily replaced; children's interests and toys change, and the storage should work regardless (though that can't always be maintained, but that's the goal for me at least). If you have a label that you can easily replace or move, then you have a functioning system.
Organization of crafts and toys at the desk
System is something I strongly believe in; in a system, you need to think through your choices beforehand instead of maybe (as I sometimes do) impulsively buying some storage that you think will be good for the moment. When you build up a surface, you need to consider what the purpose is, how it can change over time, and what the function is. Then you also need to think about how everything will be maintained, what you need to keep order. You have to decide how often you need to clear out or ensure that everything new that comes in has a place, and then maybe something else needs to go. In a household where there are several people, I strongly believe in labeling and making it clear to each other which things have their place where, and maybe also having some form of "organization schedule" where you can write down when you last cleared/cleaned and maintained the space. It's about finding something that works in your household and in your life; everyone needs different things based on their circumstances.
How often do you recommend cleaning and rotating toys?
I would say 3-4 times a year. Definitely once before or after Christmas and once before or after birthdays. When you have a good system, it goes very quickly and easily.
Which storage solutions are most underrated in a kids room?
Absolute storage under the bed, without a doubt. There are fantastic solutions that can be used for all sorts of things, from rotated toys, as a wardrobe, to stuffed animals. They are not visible and do not disturb the play area.
Mathilda's step-by-step guide: How to organize the children's room
Creating order in the children's room can feel overwhelming, but Mathilda has a clear and simple method that makes the process structured and efficient. Here is her step-by-step guide:
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Empty – start with a clean surface
Take everything out of the room to get an overview. Empty drawers, shelves, and other storage spaces. -
Sort – categorize the items
Divide into categories such as toys, craft materials, and books. Use transparent storage solutions for easy overview. -
Put back – create a logical order
Make sure the storage in the children's room is easily accessible and labeled with tags or pictures. -
Clean and rotate – keep things organized long-term
Rotate toys and clean continuously to avoid the room becoming overcrowded.
Smart storage in the children's room – Mathilda's favorite tips
- Storage under the bed – Perfect for hiding toys and clothes.
- LEGO storage – Use transparent boxes or mesh bags for easy sorting.
- Puzzle solutions – Store puzzles in bags or stands for boxes.
- Drawings and artworks – Use frames with an openable front.
- Book storage – Wall storage makes books easily accessible and inspiring.
- Mini agencies and small storage – Perfect for craft materials and small figures.
With Mathilda's smart tips, you can create a kids room where storage is both practical and stylish. Follow her on Reorganisera for more inspiration!
Photographer: Mathilda Sandberg
