How to Organize the Living Room for Toddlers

Toddler toys can cover the living room if you don't have a place to store them.

Organizing a living room so it is safe and convenient for toddlers is a wise idea for anyone who has a toddler in the living room on a regular basis. Keeping toys and other necessities in areas where your toddler can access them quickly prevents frustration and keeps him from making a mess of your belongings.

Things You'll Need

• Child safety gate(s)
• Floor pillows
• Large wicker basket or plastic box with a lid
• Bookshelf or magazine rack
• Throw

Instructions

1. Install child safety gates in the doorways that border the living room to prevent your toddler from wandering into other rooms or up and down the stairs. Place barriers like large floor pillows in front of a fireplace hearth or other area with sharp corners. Once a child-safe zone has been delineated, you can organize your toddler's toys, media and books within that zone. See the Tips section for more child-proofing ideas.

2. Provide a large wicker basket or a plastic box with a lid to store your toddler's toys. When you need the room cleaned up quickly, simply toss all the toys into the basket. When you're not in a hurry, you can teach your toddler to clean up by helping him put his toys in the basket and praising him when the room is clean.

3. Store your toddler's favorite DVDs and CDs in one location on a low bookshelf. This saves you the time of looking through your entire collection when your toddler requests a particular item.

4. Place your toddler's books on a low bookshelf or in a magazine rack or provide a basket that is for his books only. If he is looking for a particular book, he can find it himself in this designated area without strewing all of your magazines and books across the room.

5. Toss a soft throw over your toddler's favorite chair or sofa. If he decides to take an impromptu nap in the living room, you won't have to leave him unsupervised while you retrieve a blanket from another room.

Tips & Warnings

• When making your living room into a child-safe zone, anchor tall or heavy furniture to the wall so your toddler can't pull anything over when rising from sitting or crawling positions on the floor.

• Set your TV far back on a short and stable piece of furniture.

• Temporarily remove glass-topped tables. Remove furniture with sharp corners or pad the sharp areas to prevent injuries caused by falling onto a sharp edge.

References

• Life Organizers.com; Room-by-Room Makeover Organizing; Maria Gracia
• Family Education: Child-Proofing the Living Room/Family Room