Smart Storage & Organization Ideas for Summer with Kids

These genius storage & organization ideas for summer will keep all of your kid’s things organized all summer long! 

---

Summer is here and it’s time to get organized!

I know summer and organization don’t exactly sound like they go hand in hand, but as a mom of 3, I thrive on simple solutions that help my home run smoothly (and help keep me sane). 

Although summer is about letting the kids run free and get messy and stay up late, that doesn’t mean we can’t have smart storage solutions in place! 

And you know I’m going to share all of my ideas with you right here. 

Small Storage Ideas for Summer

Most of us don’t have a ton of space to dedicate to summer supplies. 

• Often we’re trying to make space in a cabinet or drawer we’re already using for something else. 
• When it comes to seasonal storage, I like to look at the space I already have, like the front hall closet or downstairs bathroom, and decide how I can update or rearrange the space to work for that season.

Sometimes that means a quick trip to HomeGoods and sometimes it means using what I already have but in a different way. 

Today you’ll get examples of: 

1. mudroom/closet storage
2. outdoor toy storage ideas
3. sunscreen & summer supplies organization
4. kids bathing suit organization 
5. summer snack organization

You’ll also love these smart ideas:

• My Daily Laundry Routine (Fam of 5) 
• How to Have an Organized Summer with Kids
• My Daily Summer Routine (with 3 kids)
• What to Feed Kids This Summer 

Summer Survival Guide

Smart Storage & Organization Ideas for Summer with Kids

Here you’ll find all of my Pinterest-worthy (but totally doable) organization ideas for summer. How to store everything from sunscreen to kids bathing suits to all those outdoor toys – I’ve got you covered. 

I’ve also linked all of the storage solutions featured in this post, here on Amazon.

Closet & Mudroom Storage Ideas

If you visit the pool or beach often, it’s a good idea to have a pool bag ready to go (and kept in an accessible place).

• I use these mesh bags inside my pool bag to store sunscreen, hand sanitizer, bandaids, hair ties, chapstick, and other necessities. 
• I also bought an inexpensive plastic storage unit and placed it in my front hall closet. 

Here’s what’s inside:

• Top drawer: sunscreen spray, sunscreen face sticks, bug spray
• Middle drawer: flip flops and crocs
• Bottom drawer: rolled up pool towels (was able to fit about 4 small towels)

But the real secret to staying organized the whole summer? 

Seeing your systems through.

For example: after coming home from the pool, throw all the towels and bathing suits in the laundry machine, once the towels are dry, roll them up and place them back in the organizer so they’re ready to go for next time.

Bathing Suit Organization

I’ve legitimately been using these drawer dividers since my girls were babies and turns out they actually work great for summer play clothes and bathing suits.

Below you can see how I’ve divided up the drawer into 3 sections with the middle section being for rolled up bathing suits. 

Just make sure to measure your drawer first to get the right size!

Outdoor Toy Storage Ideas

Here’s an easy way to store all those toys your toddler loves to play with on the driveway (using something you may already have!)

• We had this tiered wire shelf that we repurposed to be a toy shelf.
• No fancy organization, just all of their outdoor toys on one shelf, where they can reach (and put things away!).
• I even put their rainboots on the bottom of the shelf to make them easy to grab for messy play.

Want a small space solution?

Here are 2 different hacks for storing outdoor toys, plus essentials like chalk and bubbles. 

On the left: this Sterilite heavy duty caddy is great for storing chalk, bubbles, toy cars, and other small outdoor toys.
On the right: this Dollar Tree caddy is not quite as sturdy, but is an inexpensive option that works great for mud kitchen supplies.

Staying Organized with Summer Supplies

Probably the most important thing we need to keep track of this summer: where all the sunscreen is 🙂

We live in the South where it gets incredibly hot and sunny, so I literally keep sunscreen everywhere in the summer. 

I never want to be without it, so I stash a sunscreen stick or spray in every bag I own!

In my pool bag (shown above), I store sunscreen sprays and sticks so that we always have them when we take the bag to the pool.

Aside from that, I also store sunscreen sticks in our bathroom vanity since it’s easy to access and use on the way out the door.

Summer Caddy 

As you can tell, I love to use caddies for different things, and this Summer Caddy is one of my favorite ideas.

Store it in your half-bath or on a shelf near the front door or if you have a mudroom/laundry room situation downstairs.

Keep all of your go-to summer supplies organized like:

• Sunscreen
• Bug spray
• Detangler
• Bandaids & First Aid
• Hair bands
• Sunglasses

Shop all of my storage & organization supplies on Amazon. 

and all of my go-to summer supplies, here.

Paper Plate Hack

In the summer we always end up using paper plates for outdoor grilling & feeding the kids outside while they’re all messy.

Last year, I got this *absolutely genius* paper plate dispenser (that doesn’t take up any extra space), and it’s a game-changer for summer hosting and cookouts. 

It doesn’t require any tools to install either! I’m telling you, you’ll love this thing!!

Summer Snack Storage

Kids + being home = snacks. 

I know this isn’t just my kids, right?

And of course it helps to follow a feeding schedule and have predictable meal & snack times in the summer, but even so, kids in the summer just seem to eat more snacks.

• That means the snack drawer or pantry shelf needs to be organized!
• I like to use clear organizers so everyone can see what’s inside. 
• These are so helpful for corralling quick snacks like yogurt drinks or string cheeses, plus dry snacks in the pantry.

To make it easy, I’ve linked these organizers for you, here. 

My kids’ favorite though?

The popsicle bin in the garage freezer 🙂

Let me know which of these ideas you’re going to try first!

You’ll also love these smart ideas:

• Mommy Camp Theme Ideas
• Summer Survival Guide (PDF)
• How to Have an Organized Summer with Kids
• What to Feed Kids in Summer
• Healthy Grab & Go Snacks

Follow Marla on Instagram for more practical solutions for everyday #momlife