How in the Heck Do I Organize My...Kid's Toys
Mamas, I see you…staring at the mess of toys all over the house at the end of the day (or in our current times, all throughout the day). And I’m right there with you. But I’ve found some great storage solutions that allow me to pick up the house in five minutes or less and get on with my evening (whether that is cracking open a book, pouring a glass of wine or just crawling into bed a few minutes earlier).
Kids toys can be a whirlwind of clutter & chaos...strewn about your home in a matter of minutes. But is there a method to the madness? In my opinion, of course! I have a few tips to help keep those kids toys tidy & save you a few (ok, a lot) of headaches.
Kids toys are just one of those unavoidable things that seem to collect faster than the dust bunnies under your couch. It’s a birthday here, a holiday there & before you know it...piles of toys E V E R Y W H E R E.
TIP #1: BACK TO THE BASICS - If the amount of toys your child has isn’t overwhelming enough - seeing them scattered in every crevice of your house is. Go back to the Montessori basics and leave out a handful of favorites, the tried-and-true, played with everyday toys. Then, store away the “specialty” toys and those that take up a lot of space. Once every week (or so), bring out one of these toys. This method keeps things fresh and keeps your house looking a little more pulled together.
The Baby Baer’s Toy Library lives in our coat closet. First, we donated a bunch of coats that we were no longer utilizing and then I added a shelf to the space. It helps that those little Baers can’t open doors yet - but this is where most of our toys live. We rotate toys each day and they all go back at the end of the night. It seriously keeps me sane having all of these put away!
TIP #2: BINS, BINS, BINS - Bins and baskets are my favorite way to disguise all of the Fisher Price and Melissa & Doug. Baskets are great for storing stuffed animals. Cubby systems are my go-to for the smaller categories of toys. With those cubby systems, organize items by theme (things with wheels, dolls, balls, blocks, etc.) and then create labels that have pictures on the front so your kids can help put things away. You’d be surprised at how kids can manage a simple system if it meets them where they are at. Beautiful labels with calligraphy aren’t going to work for your kiddo who doesn’t know read.
Here are some of my favorite baskets and bins as of late:
TIP #3: AGE APPROPRIATE - Every 3 months (or so), I take a look through the toys and weed out anything that is not being played with or my kids have outgrown. This keeps toys relevant & also really helps to keep the clutter from piling up.
From there, involve your kids as you pull together a pile of items for donation and share how their well-loved toys will bring joy to another kids in the community. Once you’ve gathered donations, here are a few great places to donate:
A local school/teacher/child in need
Keep toys for future ages tucked away in the basement or another storage area that you don’t access frequently. They don’t need to be taking up prime real estate, and this keeps them a surprise when you do pull them out!
TIP #4: AN EYE FOR AN EYE - The best way to keep the toy count at a reasonable level is this: they get a new toy, they choose a toy to either store or donate. This not only keeps toys from compounding but teaches great life skills as well. Choose an organization that you would like to donate to & make your child a part of the process.
If you are being really proactive, try and share experience-type gift ideas with parents and friends as birthdays and holidays roll around. This is a great way to keep the toys in control from the get-go.
I vow to never have more stuffed animals than fit in this basket! ;) Wish me L U C K !
Hopefully these tips help you get started on a path to more organized toys, a more organized home, & a more organized life!
The Baer Minimalist helps busy families create ORGANIZED + STYLIZED spaces throughout Indianapolis. She is utilizing this time of social distancing to catch up on all of the great blog topics you’ve been sending her way! Keep em’ coming!
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