Kids, by nature, aren’t the tidiest creatures. But it doesn’t help when a playroom is ill equipped to stow their toys, games, and dizzying array of crayons. When Sharon Boothe, 44, a legal-conference producer based in Philadelphia, and her husband, Noel, 45, a stay-at-home dad, converted the sunroom of their 1960s Colonial into a playroom, they felt that the abundance of natural light would make the space an ideal art studio for their six-year-old daughter, Palmer, who loves to paint and draw. But “the room’s inadequate storage meant the floor was always covered with art supplies and Barbies,” says Sharon. “The play kitchen became the storage unit. We kept her Polly Pockets in the refrigerator.” To restore order, Real Simple carved out areas for creating and displaying Palmer’s masterpieces and ensured that there were enough cubbies for each marker and paintbrush to have a home.

Before the Makeover: What Sharon Has Always Liked

The space itself, which is adjacent to the kitchen. “When we bought the house, I envisioned myself keeping an eye on Palmer while cooking,” says Sharon.

The room gets great natural light.

Before the Makeover: What She Wanted To Change

The lack of usable floor space in the playroom forced Palmer to cart toys into the family room. “It drove me nuts,” says Sharon.

Storage was at a minimum. “Game pieces went missing all the time,” Sharon says.