After experiencing the benefits of less, I knew my kids needed a minimalist closet. One that was kid-friendly. You may be wondering exactly what a minimal kid-friendly closet means. Isn’t a minimalist closet already kid friendly? Perhaps.
In our home, a minimalist kid-friendly closet has what they need, where they need it.
When it comes to clothing and routines, creating a minimalist kid-friendly closet is one of the most practical ways you can set your child up for success.
When our little people are overwhelmed by clutter, it’s our job to help them simplify. -Zoë Kim
Designing a minimalist kid-friendly closet supports several essential components: wellness, rhythm, calm, parenting, and independence.
A minimalist closet invites emotional wellness.
Research has shown that simplifying our environment is not only vital for our emotional health, but also for our kids.
“Many of today’s behavioral issues come from children having too much stuff and living a life that is too fast,” says Kim John Payne, author of Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier and More Secure Kids. Payne also says that many American kids are experiencing sensory overload with “too many trinkets, too many choices, and too much information.”
By approaching our kid’s environment using simplicity as a framework, we can significantly reduce unnecessary stress in our child’s daily life, which can lead to a happier, more successful child.
A minimalist wardrobe invites a healthy rhythm.
Does your child get distracted? Hello excess. Does their closet hold out of season clothing, things they refuse to wear, or even other stuff such as toys?
By simplifying their closet, your child is more likely to focus on the task at hand instead of searching for things and entertaining endless distractions. When we give clothes a proper home, your child’s daily rhythm will improve.
A minimalist wardrobe reduces stress
I want my kids to feel good when they open their closet doors. And I know first hand that a cluttered closet never feels good. It leads to lost time and energy. Ultimately, it leads to frustration.
Providing a minimalist kid-friendly closet creates an environment, routine, and design that invites calm instead of one that invites frustration, which reduces a child’s daily stress.
Never underestimate the benefits of removing clutter from your kid’s closet.
A minimalist wardrobe makes parenting easier.
You’ve probably heard the saying, nothing is really lost unless your mom can’t find it. It’s kind of a joke, but one that is often true. If you are constantly locating items for your kid, simplifying their wardrobe can make parenting easier. When your child has clothing accessible and simplified, that equals less day in and day out management on your part.
A minimalist wardrobe fosters independence.
Part of being independent in their closet means being able to access their clothes and choose what to wear. A cluttered closet filled with items you don’t want them using undermines a child’s independence.
If we want our kids to dress themselves and care for their clothes (an important skill I would think), then we need to design a closet they are able to make their own choices in. Clutter creates chaos. Calm fosters independence.
Above is my 4-year old. He’s able to access and choose his clothing independently. Yes, he has more than two shirts 😉
A minimalist wardrobe speaks gratitude.
How can we expect them to be grateful for what they have when we keep so many things they don’t need? When we as parents get intentional about what we allow in their closets, they can too.
“If you overwhelm a child with stuff, with choices and pseudo-choices, before they are ready, they will only know one emotional gesture: More!” says Kim John Payne.
By setting boundaries and having positive conversations about what enough is, we are helping them see and appreciate what they already have.
Ready to create a minimalist closet for your child? One that fosters an environment, a routine, and design that invites calm rather than chaos?
Here are the 3 factors for designing a minimalist kid-friendly closet.
Simple
When it comes to kids’ closets, less is more. We keep it simple by having only the shelves they need. My boys have one basket each in their shared closet. Their basket holds socks, underwear, a tie, and a few lovey blankets. Their shirts are hung (by them) and folded clothes piles are kept low.
This shelf holds their pajamas (1 long sleeve + 1 short sleeve) and their swimming shorts.
Despite what society says, we don’t have to cover every wall with things. We opt for lots of white space!
Smart
I want my kids’ closet to be smart-sized. For my 4 & 5-year-old, this means their closet and dressing area offers easy access to clothes, a small stool to sit on while they dress, a small basket for their dirty laundry, and a mirror at their eye level so they can see what they’re doing (hello button shirts). Here is the before and after of my kids’ closet. The white wire shelving in the before photo was about five feet up so my kids were unable to access their hanging clothes. Now, the highest shelf holds their out of season clothing and extra shoes. Keeping it up high keeps them from pulling out things they don’t need.
Affordable
No need to go out and buy the entire closet system from The Container Store! In today’s market, there are so many options. Many of them are inexpensive.
The shelves for this closet cost us under $100. We purchased all of the materials from Lowes for under $100 to create this custom closet.
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