A birthday party is a magical time for a child—friends and family, cake and ice cream, and of course, the presents! While we may teach our kids that gifts aren’t the most important part, the excitement of new toys is undeniable. For parents, though, the sudden influx can feel overwhelming. A room that was already tricky to keep tidy can quickly become completely overrun. So, how do you handle it?

My kids are three years and one day apart, which means one big double birthday party and double the chaos of new toys. In this article, I’ll walk through how I reset each of their rooms. Just like each child is unique, their toys and organization needs are, too.

My Son’s Room (age 2)

The biggest challenge in my son’s room is how quickly he grows out of things. This year he received exciting new toys—cars, action figures, and more—which meant we needed to make space.

I started by clearing his closet completely. This is almost always my first step in any project—it’s easier to organize from a blank slate. I even give the space a quick clean before putting anything back. With everything out, I could see exactly what we had and begin building categories.

First, I removed all the baby toys he’d outgrown and set them aside for friends with little ones or for donation. Next, I tossed anything broken or missing pieces. From there, I grouped items by type, combining similar toys to reduce how many cube baskets we needed. For the odds and ends—like his baby doll, the cars for his ramp toy, and stacking rocks—I used a set of three hanging baskets.

Once everything had a category, filling the cubes was simple. Of course, there’s always some trial and error while figuring out the best fit, so don’t feel bad if you shuffle things around a couple of times. Now his closet feels fresh, his new toys have a place, and I’m so much happier every time I open the door.

My Daughter’s Room (age 5)

The biggest challenge in my daughter’s room is her closet—it’s a unique space that doesn’t lend itself to easy organization. While her room is actually the largest in the house, about the same size as our living room, the closet isn’t ideal for storage because it also serves as the attic access for the house. For this reason, we use it purely for toys, while her clothes live in a separate wardrobe. To make the most of the space, we needed to stack items thoughtfully without making it difficult to access things.

As with my son’s room, I started by clearing out her closet completely. And wow—it was overwhelming to see just how much we’d crammed in there. She had so many toys that I’m pretty sure she didn’t even know existed! While categorizing, I repurposed one of our drawer sets for all her Play-Doh toys. This is a great example of how you don’t need to buy new storage; sometimes using what you already have in the most efficient way is all it takes. I also set aside a specific tote as a “donation” staging area, which makes it easier to separate what’s staying from what’s leaving.

Another challenge was the limited floor space to work in while sorting. As you can see in the video, it was too crowded to spread everything out at once. To solve this, once a cube bin was ready, I returned it to the newly dusted cube storage system in her closet. This freed up space and kept the remaining toys organized while I continued sorting.

In the end, the closet is still somewhat stacked, but everything is now easily accessible—no more stress! Yay!

Wrap Up: Lessons From Two Rooms

Tackling both kids’ rooms after a birthday party reminded me that no two spaces—or children—are alike. My son’s room needed flexibility for fast-growing toys, while my daughter’s closet required creative solutions to maximize limited space and keep items accessible. Despite the differences, the process for both rooms followed the same principle: clear the space, categorize, and use what you already have before buying anything new.

A few key takeaways:

1. Start with a blank slate. Clearing the space helps you see what you have and makes organizing much easier.
2. Group by category. Sorting toys into types or play styles helps you make the most of storage.
3. Repurpose before buying. Drawer sets, baskets, or bins you already own can often be adapted to new uses.
4. Keep access in mind. Especially in tricky spaces, like closets that double as attic access, stacking strategically ensures everything is still reachable.
5. Set up a donation station. Having a designated tote for items to donate or give away keeps the process moving and clutter under control.

After a weekend of sorting, stacking, and organizing, both rooms feel refreshed, functional, and easier to maintain. Post-birthday chaos doesn’t have to mean stress—just a little planning, a few creative solutions, and maybe a timelapse or two to make it fun!