* I posted this a few years ago but wanted to share again! This remains one of my favorite organization posts that we STILL use and it has served us well.
Summer is winding down, school is back in session, and my eight weeks of maternity leave are almost over. With daycare kids returning soon, our playroom needed a refresh — a space that grows with the kids and works for everyday play and projects.
I love our playroom; it has served us well for the past three years. But as the children get older, it’s time to update the room. While the soft pastels were perfect for my girly-girl Ella, we’re ready for a more versatile, big-kid-friendly palette that will still feel fun and inviting for the little ones.
One of the main uses for the playroom is art and pretend school. We accumulated a lot of art supplies — markers, crayons, colored pencils, glue sticks, paint, brushes — often spread across multiple containers. When the kids are crafting, having three or four containers on the table isn’t practical. We needed a simple, portable solution: an art caddy.
On a quick trip to Target I found metal utensil holders on clearance with the summer dishes. They were the perfect size and sturdy enough to hold lots of supplies. I picked up a few and put them together into a caddy that’s easy to carry to the table or tuck back on a shelf.
We filled the caddy with fat and skinny markers, colored pencils, regular pencils, scissors, glue sticks, paints, and paintbrushes. The kids loved helping assemble it — and if I’m honest, Andrew enjoyed the organizing part more than I did. He’s my little helper and takes pride in keeping things tidy.
This art caddy is just the beginning of our playroom makeover. It hints at the new color palette and a more grown-up, functional layout. Check back soon for more updates — big changes are coming and I can’t wait to share them.
For more organization ideas, look through other posts on easy storage solutions and simple DIY projects that make everyday life with kids more manageable and enjoyable.