Whether you have a huge room or cram everything inside the space of a shoe box, there are creative ways to make your kid's bedroom a haven instead of a hell.

Start with sturdy storage bins, preferably the kind that can be placed on shelf racks against the wall.   They come in various colors, usually a light pastel set, or a primary color set, and the racks are easy to assemble, either in wood grain or white wood.   I have found these units on sale in Target for as little as $15.99, or at a wholesale club such as B.J.'s for around $30.   Once you have the unit in place, you have a variety of sized bins to toss items into.   Use them for everything that normally winds up on the floor: socks, shoes, small toys, books, crayons, etc.   You'll be surprised at how quickly you will tidy up the floor just by tossing this stuff in the bins.

IKEA (and many DOLLAR stores) sell a hanging net bag which you hang from the ceiling.   The colorful mesh has large cut out holes in each compartment so you can stash stuffed toys, clothing, Lego's, just about anything light enough to fit.   This frees up floor space for furniture and larger toys.  

For the closet, a great way to organize a week's worth of school clothes is to hang a canvas shelf bag (again, find them in major retailers like K-Mart, Target, Walmart) and have your child put each day's outfits on a separate shelf.   I was pleased to find this canvas item available in a mail order catalog and it was available in bright colors with the child's name personalized plus each day of the week labeled on every shelf.    You might check web sites like Lillian Vernon or One Step Ahead for this, otherwise, Babies R Us is sure to carry them.

For the mile high pile of shoes in the closet, buy a large stackable bin or two, put sneakers in one bin, dressy shoes or boots in the other.   There's nothing more satisfying than finding a PAIR of shoes in a jiffy when you're rushing to dress your fussy child.

Last but not least, a kid's sized book case, or book rack, is an essential part of any room.   I went with one that is popular in school libraries:  it stands flush against the wall and has large, wide slats where kids can place their books so that the covers are visable.    This makes reading more accessible since they can easily see each book before choosing.    I ordered mine right here on eBay, but I've seen them in catalogs, usually less than $60.  If you can avoid the high shipping fees that would save you a bundle since this is a heavy item.    Mine is 100% solid wood, but those with canvas pockets easily slip over wooden rods, making the rack more like a book catch-all than an actual book case.    I'd recommend the solid unit just because canvas tends to soil too easily.  

SASSY offers a soft sided toy box which saved our toddlers from possible bumps and bruises with the traditional wooden toy chests.   The one pictured here is terrific because it folds flat for storage and has a large removable inner bag with handles.   The front flap also turns out for a bright and fun play mat.   Even if your little ones like to hide themselves inside this toy chest, they cannot get trapped under the lid since the entire thing is soft yet sturdy stain resistent canvas.

One way to utilize ceiling space is to hang a mesh bag, available in many dollar stores and IKEA.   They come in all colors, have between 3 to 6 cubbies for toys, and can be suspended from a hook on the ceiling, out of the way and off the floor.   A clever corner netting is a good way to store stuffed toys as well. 

You might also want to hang a canvas shoe organizer on a closet door and tuck smalls items into the pockets, store socks, undies, and even hair accessories like combs, brushes and headbands.

Putting everything in its place can be fun and simple, not a chore that kids hate to do.  Making the room "user-friendly" is half the battle, and with these 1-2-3 suggestions, you'll have a view of the floor and the bed in no time!