Categorization based on an item type

Hello! Bear with me while I try to describe my dilemma. I am trying to group similar items and put them under umbrella terms. For example, in my sheet I have noted various rooms and the items contained in those rooms. Some rooms have similar items, others do not. I would like to reference a cell (For example, B2) and check if it is considered a "Toy", "Food", or "Clothing" item. Once it has identified it, I would like it to automatically print the associated category in A2. Once completed, I want to create a pivot table that neatly displays the total amount of Toys, Food, and Clothing items throughout the building. 

Rather than formulate a large if statement, would there be another formula or process that would allow me to do it faster?

Thank you for your time!