6 Ways to Refresh Your Playroom
Little Boom Designs founder, Zoë Roscoe Bridgeman, shares her tips and tricks for giving your playroom a little makeover and how to keep it organized.
After a long winter and many days spent playing inside, it's the perfect time to refresh your playroom and give it a lovely little spring clean. A playroom refresh is helpful to ensure that your kid’s environment remains stimulating and safe for them to learn and play. Toss out the clutter, rearrange the toys, and add vibrant colors to ignite their creativity and inspire a renewed sense of wonder and excitement. If you’ve spent the last few months staring at your kid's play space, wondering how to make it feel fresh and maybe a little updated, you came to the right place.
Zoe Roscoe Bridgeman, founder of Little Boom Designs, a virtual nursery, kid’s room and playroom design service, shares her six tips for making your playroom or play area feel fresh, new and organized for spring.
Edit, Edit, Edit!
Let the purging begin! Studies show that fewer choices spark more creativity in kids, so say goodbye to broken toys, unpopular books, and party favors or gifts that are collecting dust. Sort through what's left, organize by who uses it, and group similar toys in organized bins. Make room for what they love right now, and watch their imaginations soar!
Tips:
- Remove outgrown toys and donate or store them if you plan to have more children in the family.
- Keep a small backstock of toys that you can swap in and out every couple of weeks for kids to be reintroduced to.
- Toss anything that is broken or damaged.
Amp Up Your Storage Game
If your playroom or play area seems to be overwhelmed with toys and activities, incorporate accessible storage solutions that little ones can reach. They're like secret agents for keeping clutter at bay while still being aesthetically pleasing. If you’re using an open storage cube system, use bins to group similar toys together.
Tips:
- Utilize vertical space and use cubby systems and bins to organize like-toys
- Clear or wire bins are recommended so that you can see what is being stored.
- Use wall-mounted storage, like book ledges, hanging wire baskets, and display shelves.
Create Zones
If your playroom contains a lot of different types of toys, make it fresh by creating different “zones.” Zones can be based on activity type or age if your kids are of various ages. With designated zones for activities like reading, arts and crafts, pretend play and active play, children can easily find what they need and immerse themselves fully in each experience. Plus, it encourages independence and fosters creativity by offering diverse play opportunities.
Tips:
- Group like-activities together. Think sports zone, doll zone, kitchen zone, art zone, etc.
- If you don't have a designated room for a playroom, use a playmat or washable rug to visually create a dedicated floor space for the play zone.
Introduce Open-Ended Toys
When it comes to kids and their toys, many toys have a short shelf life regarding how long they’ll be age-appropriate. Incorporate open-ended toys that encourage communication, exploration, creativity, imagination , and problem-solving skills for a wide age range. Open-ended toys don’t require any instructions and can be utilized in many different ways, play kits like the Figgy play couch are great because they grow with your kids.
Tips:
- Open-ended toys might look like a craft table that doubles as a building base for legos or a magnetic white board that fosters vertical play in different mediums
- Keep open-ended toys on low shelves and easily accessible so kids can reach them on their own.
Add Some Color!
It’s time to step out of the winter gloom and embrace the fun colors of spring and summer. Swap your Figgy covers for a fresh new color or introduce new wall art to your space. Swap out your basic storage bins for playful storage bins or even add a colorful washable rug. You don't have to completely re-do a space to make it feel fresh and new. Small changes can make a significant impact.
Tips:
- If you have framed artwork, swap out photos for new prints. I love Society6 and Etsy for finding affordable prints. Think outside the box and look for playful prints that are meaningful to your family, such as favorite destinations, songs, animals, food, etc.
- Paint! If you have a bookcase or storage cubes, give them a fresh coat of colorful paint.
- Swap out modular couch and chair covers with fun new colors.
Spring Clean, Everything
If your idea of cleaning your playroom is tidying up, that’s okay. But those toys could probably use a good deep clean, especially if you have littles that put everything in their mouth. Just like a good hand-washing, scrubbing toys by hand in a sink of hot, soapy water can be super effective. This is a great way to clean toys that can't be put in the dishwasher or washing machine (think soft plastic or rubber toys that can't take the heat). You can also clean wooden toys by wiping them down with soap and water.
Tips:
- If you want to stay on top of disinfecting, try creating a deep clean schedule. Break your playroom or area into zones and add them to your cleaning schedule. Tack them onto a weekly chore so you’re only doing an additional 5-10 minutes of work each week versus a whole playroom clean.
- For a non-toxic and easy cleaning solution, mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle and wipe to disinfect toys and surfaces.
By incorporating these ideas, you can create a refreshed and inviting playroom that inspires children to learn, explore, and have fun all season long! If you have a playroom or kid’s room that needs a refresh, Little Boom Designs is here to help.
Figgy friends get 10% off design services when you mention Figgy x LBD when booking a consultation with Little Boom Designs.
Zoë Roscoe Bridgeman is the founder and designer behind Little Boom Designs, a virtual nursery, kid’s room, and playroom design service.
Learn more about Zoe and her work at littleboomdesigns.com. For more fun follow @littleboomdesigns on Instagram & Pinterest!