How to Help Your Child Clean Up (Without Being Their Maid)
If your child is anything like mine, their toys have a tendency of ending up scattered all over your damn house. On one hand, it's great that they're playing and having fun. But on the other hand, stepping on one more stuffed animal or Lego might just push you over the edge…
Before I reached my breaking point, my lovely ADHD brain came up with a solution: the Toy Organization Station.
I Didn't Become A Parent So I Could Be A Maid
(and I bet you didn't either...)
Could I just clean up my kid’s toys myself? Sure. It would definitely be faster and avoid any meltdowns. But here's the thing:
My ADHD limits the amount of energy I have each day, and I need to prioritize running my virtual assistant business, creating content for That ADHD Farm Mom, and helping manage things on the farm.
Cleaning up for my daughter wouldn't teach her any responsibility. I'd just be reinforcing the idea that messes magically disappear because Mom is her personal maid. Hard pass.
And honestly? I have a hard enough time keeping my own shit cleaned up and organized and just really don't want to spend my limited time cleaning up someone else's messes.
I’m sure you have plenty of your own reasons to add to this list, but the question still remains- how are you going to make sure the toys get cleaned up without you being the one to do the cleaning? I’ll tell you right now, simply telling your child/ren “clean up your own toys" won’t work. That kind of vague direction is too overwhelming, especially for younger children or neurodivergent kids who struggle with executive functioning, and it will likely lead into an intense power struggle. What you and your child need is a system.
The Toy Organization Station
The Toy Organization Station breaks cleanup into three simple components:
Everything has a designated spot
Your child knows where each thing's spot is
They have a way to determine what still needs to be put away
This system helps your child feel in charge without you having to micromanage every little piece of the process.
Before I share more about how to set up your own Toy Organization Station, please know that implementing the system is very different from creating it. I know the whole goal here is to NOT be your child’s maid, but it might end up feeling that way when you’re first getting things set up. Trust me when I say that it will NOT feel this way once the system has been created, and your child is able to learn how to use it.
Step 1: Designate a Place for Everything
I'll be honest, this part requires a decent amount of effort from you upfront, and there’s more than one way to do it. I spent practically a whole day going through all my daughter's toys and grouping them into categories (kitchen toys, stuffed animals, farm toys, etc.) then finding bins for each category of toy. Some people will use totes while others have bookshelves for their children’s toys. However you end up deciding to do it, the end goal is to eliminate the question of "Where does this go?" by giving every single toy a home.
Q: What should you use to store the toys? A: Literally anything will work!
Step 2: Make Sure Your Child Understands the Set Up
Again, this step will take some time, but I promise you, it’s worth it. Once all of my daughter’s toys had a place, I made picture labels for each bin so my daughter could easily see what belonged where. If your child can read, written labels will suffice. But for younger kids or those who struggle with reading, pictures labels will be a game changer.
To make getting started easier, I’ve created a set of free printable picture labels you can use for labeling your bins or containers. I know every family’s system is going to look a little different (because every kid is different!), but I’ve included images for some of the most common toy categories to help you hit the ground running. Just download, print, and stick them on whatever bins or baskets you’ve decided to use.
Q: Where should you store all the toy containers? A: Wherever it works best for you and your family!
Step 3: Create a Checkout System
This is the step that initiates the magic of independent cleaning. When I made picture labels for all the toy bins, I also made smaller versions of the same pictures and turned them into a checkout system.
When my daughter takes out a bin of toys to play with, she moves the smaller picture on the file folder (shown in the image here) that matches the picture on the bin to the "playing with" column. When it's time to clean up, she picks a picture from the right column and puts all of the toys in that category away before moving the picture back to the "put away" side.
Does she still need reminders to use the system? Absolutely. But having something tangible to point to makes those reminders easier, and she's able to match toys to the correct bin on her own without needing me to hover.
Q: How do you make a checkout system? A: I used a file folder and little velcro dots.
Why This System Works (Especially for Neurodivergent Kids)
Kids want to be in charge of their own time and space. When they're constantly being told what to do, it can feel like one long battle for control. This system gives them the independence they crave while still offering the structure and room for support they need to succeed.
What makes it extra effective is how flexible it is.
As your child grows and their interests shift (because let’s be real, one week it’s dinosaurs, the next it’s cooking, and then it’s the next new fad toy…), the system can grow with them. The key isn't the exact bins or baskets you use, it’s the labels. You can swap out categories, move the labels to different containers, or add new ones without overhauling the whole setup.
This makes the system feel manageable for both kids and adults. And when cleanup is as simple as “toss the thing in the bin with the matching picture,” it’s easier for kids to stay involved without needing constant reminders.
Realistic Expectations
As magical as this system has been in our home, it didn’t fix things overnight. I created the Toy Organization Station when my daughter was three, and she still needs some support and reminders when it’s time to clean up her toys. But the difference between now and 2 years ago when her toy-nados were pushing me to my breaking point is that now she has tools that make the whole process easier for both of us. And if you're a neurodivergent parent like me, having this system in place makes it easier to follow through on cleaning without having to rely on willpower alone.
Want Help Setting Up Your Own Toy Organization Station?
I’m working on creating a much more in-depth step-by-step guide that will help you create your own Toy Organization Station. You can be the first know when it’s available by signing up for my email list below.
In the meantime, be sure to grab your free picture labels starter kit to help you get started.
Need more help or want to bounce around ideas? I’d love to connect! Reach out to me on Facebook or Instagram or send me an email! I’m here for emotional support and labeling advice.
