Let’s start with the truth: home organization with a toddler is no easy feat. It won’t be realistic or aesthetically pleasing all the time.
And if your social media feed tells you it is, let’s just say it’s selective posting 😊
Toddlers are tiny hurricanes. They move fast, change interests every three minutes, and seem to generate clutter simply by existing. Trying to organize your home as if you don’t have a toddler is a losing game, and an exhausting one.
The goal in this season isn’t perfection.
It’s systems that support real life.
Here’s are five concepts that have actually helped me keep our home functional, calm-ish, and mentally manageable while living with a very active two year old boy.
Closed Storage Is Your Best Friend
Open shelving looks beautiful on Pinterest. Toddlers, however, do not live on Pinterest.
One of the biggest home organization mindset shifts for me was realizing that hiding the mess is still organizing. Closed cabinets, bins with lids, toy boxes, and storage ottomans create instant visual calm – even when what’s inside is a little chaotic.
When everything doesn’t need to be perfectly displayed, cleanup becomes faster and more realistic.
What matters most in this season:
- You can tidy quickly
- Your space feels calmer
- Your brain gets a break
Closed storage lets your house feel like your home again – not just a playroom with a kitchen attached.
(This is also where neutral bins, woven baskets with lids, and furniture that doubles as storage really shine.)
Give Kids Their Own Dedicated Storage Zone
Not every toy needs to live in every room.
Creating dedicated storage in your child’s room helps contain the chaos and gives toys a clear “home base.” This doesn’t mean toys can’t travel – they most definitely will – but it gives you somewhere to return them to at the end of the day.
A few things that help:
- Low shelves or bins your toddler can access
- Simple categories (blocks, books, stuffed animals)
- Clear or labeled bins for easy sorting
This also builds early independence. When kids know where things belong, cleanup becomes something you do together instead of something you do alone after bedtime.
And honestly? Being able to close the door on a messy kids’ room is sometimes a gift.
Accept That Daytime Mess Is Normal
This one took me the longest to embrace. I associated a messy house with being a bad mother, and Coach Josine (parenting coach extraordinaire) totally debunked that for me.
Your house does not need to look “company ready” at 11:30 a.m. when your toddler is actively living in it.
Toys on the floor during the day mean:
- Your child is engaged
- Your home is being used
- Life is happening
Instead of fighting the mess all day, I’ve learned to let the house be functional during the day and reset once, usually at night.
One focused tidy > constant micro-cleaning.
This shift alone can save so much mental energy.
You’re allowed to choose presence over perfection.
Create Fast Reset Systems
When time and energy are limited, home organization has to be fast.
A few things that help:
- One main toy bin per common area (I love this Amazon ottoman we have in our living room)
- A “catch-all” basket for end-of-day clutter
- Simple rules like “toys go away before bedtime”
If it takes more than a few minutes to reset a space, the system is probably too complicated for this season.
Simple systems are sustainable systems.
Organize your home for the Season You’re In
This isn’t the forever version of your house.
This is the toddler version.
And that matters.
There will be a time for open shelves.
There will be a time for curated spaces.
There will be a time when toys stay where you put them.
This just isn’t that time – and that’s okay.
Your home right now needs to support:
- Safety
- Ease
- Cleanup without burnout
- A little grace
Organization should make your life easier, not add another standard you feel like you’re failing to meet.
Final Thoughts: A Lived-In Home Is Not a Failed One
If your house feels messy, it’s probably because it’s full.
Full of toys.
Full of movement.
Full of learning.
Full of a tiny person growing fast.
Home organization with a toddler isn’t about controlling the mess.
It’s about creating systems that let you enjoy your home and your child.
Even on the days when there are toys everywhere.
If you need a break after all this organization talk, check out our Self-Care Essentials for busy moms.
Journal Prompts: Finding Calm at Home
If you want to reflect a little deeper, try these:
- What version of “organized” am I holding myself to – and where did it come from?
- What parts of my home feel most stressful right now, and why?
- What would make my daily cleanup feel easier, not perfect?
- Where can I let go of control in this season?
- What does a calm home actually mean to me?
