The kids are playing outside and they’ve got equipment — lots of it. Bikes, scooters, helmets, bats, balls of every shape and size, knee and elbow pads, mitts…. Here are some easy tips to organize all that sports gear.

In the Garage

Step 1: Sort your gear. Go through all the equipment and break it down by category. The more specific and categorized you make the system, the easier it will be to maintain. Purge or give away anything outgrown, broken, or unsafe.

Step 2: Create an all-in-one sports station. You can designate shelves with labeled bins or purchase a heavy-duty sports storage rack. These storage racks have separate compartments and open spaces for the hockey sticks, bats, tennis rackets, etc. Also consider a pegboard — these large, wall-mounted boards have holes drilled into them at regular intervals, so you can add hooks for helmets, baskets for smaller balls, and a pallet bar stand for bats. Amazon sells baseball bat racks that are inexpensive and can hold a large variety of bats and sticks. Large laundry baskets are a great way to store all your balls in one place.

Step 3: Get everything off the floor. Purchasing specialty wall racks or hanging mesh bags will ease the clutter, and they can hold everything from skateboards to sticks and helmets.

Step 4: Invest in a bike rack. It will keep bikes lined up neatly and comes with spaces for helmets, bags, and other accessories.

In the Mudroom

• Use hooks! Whether your son is part of a baseball league or your daughter is running to gymnastics, they’ll need a gym bag. Hooks in a mudroom or designated area are key. The kids can hang up their own bags at appropriate heights and smaller gear can be stored in the bags. No more frantically running around and searching for that lone ballet slipper or favorite baseball.
• Label, label, label! No matter the space, whether indoor or outdoor, this is the key to short- and long-term maintenance. Even if your children know where each item belongs, they’re more likely to put it back if it has a designated, labeled spot. For children who are too young to read, print pictures of each item. The more eye-catching and colorful the system, the more likely kids will be to respond and cooperate. (This works on husbands, too.)

While it may seem overwhelming to tackle all the out-of-control sports gear, these simple steps will help restore order and organization to your home. Once the systems are in place, tripping over sports gear will be a thing of the past.

Yocheved Werther is a personal organizer in Brooklyn, NY. She can organize any size space and assist you with all your organizing, packing, and/or moving needs. She can be contacted through Family First.