10 Easy Ways to Organize Toys

Rachael Grad

by Rachael Grad
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With a kid in the house it can feel impossible to keep things organized especially toys. As soon as you clean up, the toys are out and everywhere. Do you want to keep that toy mess in check? Here are 10 easy ways to tackle the mess and organize your kids’ toys so that your home doesn’t look like a toy store after an earthquake!

Storage containers and other organizing tools represent so much hope for a clean and organized house. Just wandering through the container aisles in stores makes me fantasize about a tidy home. The top storage products for kids’ stuff are listed below. Get the free PDF on “5 Tools for Organizing Tools” by clicking here.

BUT let’s start with what you can do with your home right now. Before you get excited about buying new organizing tools for your home, take some time to reevaluate your living space.

Reconsider your cleaning habits and where you store and leave your kids’ toys. 

Move the Play Area Out of Your Living Room 

Do you have the room for a separate playroom or play area, even just a corner of a room?  If you live in a home with multiple levels, can you move the play area to a different level from your living room? If you have the space for a playroom, keep the playroom on a different level from your living room. For lucky folks with the space, this is the most effective way to stop toys from overtaking your house. It’s amazing how clean your main room will be if your playroom is in your basement or an upstairs room, especially if you do arts and crafts with your kids.

Make a Rule for Giving 

Explain to your child that for each new toy she brings home, she must pick one toy to give to someone else. You can choose to give the toy to the child’s sibling, relative, or friend (if you think you’ll want to keep it) or an outside program or charity. The Giving Rule teaches your child how to share and is a great way to introduce charity and giving to people in need.

Make Clean Up Fun

Pick a song for cleaning up and make it into a game. Use the same song (it can be a recorded one like this one on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6uR7ZDwT70) or one you make up with silly words and motions. Turn cleaning into a game while your child is still young!

 

organize your home
organize your home

Set a Timer and Move ALL Toys to the Play Area.

This may seem obvious but if you give it a try, you’ll be amazed at how many little bits and pieces of toys and games are scattered around your house. Timers work really well to get toddlers and distracted adults to focus on the task at hand…

make your home clutter free
make your home clutter free

Store Toys Inside Furniture

Chairs, coffee tables, benches (like the one in the photo), and beds with storage are wonderful ways to hide books and toys! If you need to buy a new piece furniture, consider something with a double-purpose for storage.

Now on to the Storage Goodies

  1. Collapsible Fabric Bins – great for use over long periods of time as your child’s interests change. You can easily store these for future use.
  2. Book Shelves –sturdy bookshelves and floating/wall shelves look great and work well to store and showcase small toys and books.
  3. Clear Plastic Containers – use containers to keep small parts together – ex. puzzles, arts & crafts (beads, etc.), playmobile pieces, lego.
  4. Labels – use labels on your bins and containers! Even on the clear containers, it’s helpful to have a label so that you know what’s inside without having to move the box and sort through it.
  5. Hooks – Hang stuff up and encourage your kids to do so. Install lowered hooks for kids’ clothes inside closets.

Want more ways to organize and decorate your home? You can instantly download the free PDF on “5 Tools for Organizing Tools” by clicking here.

Bonus: Check out 10 Ways to Make Your Child’s Bedroom Decor Unique & Special

Bio: Rachael Grad (www.rachaelgrad.com) is an Artist, Writer, Mom, Dog and Animal Lover. Her artwork and tips on décor have been featured on Dwell Magazine Online, Apartment Therapy, and the Washington Post Express.

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