Are you one of those parents who find it hard to resist your kid’s charm? Are you drawn to buying them new toys all the time? When they give you the pouty lips and the puppy eyes, it’s game over. Are the endless toy gifts from friends and relatives, especially the grandparents, adding to the pile and slowly taking over your house? Are you feeling in desperate need of ways to organize your toys? Here are some things you can do.
Sort Them Out, To Keep vs. To Donate
A study on toys showed that too many toys lead to less meaningful playtime. The more toys they have, the less their imagination and creativity will be stimulated.
Ask your son or daughter to help sort the toys out. Sort the toys into two boxes, a box for keeping and a box for donating or selling. By doing this, it will lessen the toys that you need to organize after.
If your kids decide to donate their toys, they now know the value of giving and sharing. On the other hand, if your kids decide to sell them, they can learn about the importance of money and how it works.
Best Toy Organizing Tips
Admit it, you are outnumbered. The urge to just put everything in a box and store them as far away from your kids as possible has crossed your mind.
Take some deep breaths and manage your expectations because you cannot finish everything in a day. To make it more fun and a bonding time with your kids or the whole family, involve them in this organizing project.
Remember, when kids are involved, they may be more apt to appreciate the effort it takes to clean up their toys and hopefully they will do the same after every playtime. Below are tips on how to organize toys.
Keep It In Your ClosetÂ
This is the easiest way, especially if you have an extra closet or cupboard space. But don’t just stuff them in there. You don’t want accidents like a toy avalanche when someone tries to open the door.
Sort them out first into different boxes and label them accordingly. Putting labels will make it easier for your kids to know which box to get and where to put the toys back after.
Use Wicker Baskets for Soft Toys
Plushies and stuffed toys are usually big and bulky. They are hard to keep because they take up a lot of space. These can be dust magnets, too. To save on shelf space, try using a big wicker basket to put all soft toys in one place. You can also try squishing them flat with vacuum bags often used to flatten and store duvets.
Legos on Boxes or Clear Hanging Shoe Organizer
Have you ever experienced walking barefoot in your house only to step on a Lego piece? The agony, right?
Store them neatly in boxes according to color. Or you can try using a clear hanging shoe organizer so your kids can easily spot the colors of the Lego pieces they want to play with. There are also available containers with built-in or adjustable dividers that can also be handy in keeping this kind of toy.
Zip Lock Bags for Smaller Toys
These can be handy for sorting and organizing different doll accessories, including shoes, dresses, and even dollhouse furniture.
Put all food accessories in one zip lock bag, shoes in another bag, etc. Or if you want to take it up a notch, organize the accessories by outfit. Each zip lock bag contains one complete get-up for the doll, including shoes and accessories.
It will be easier for your kid to dress the dolls up by just browsing through the various outfit bags you have prepared for her. The dolls, on the other hand, you can put in a box. Clear boxes are always better because you don’t need to put labels on them.
Maximize Multipurpose Furniture
If you don’t have a playroom and have limited floor space, having multipurpose furniture can be a big help. They can give you your much-needed additional storage space. Ottomans and the likes can be used to keep frequently used toys for easy access.
Use the Space Under the BedsÂ
Maximize the spaces under your beds, closets or couches. Choose tubs or boxes with rollers so you can easily slide them in and out when you need to get something and for ease of cleaning. Double-check the height of the boxes and the spaces you intend to put them to make sure that they will perfectly slide under.
Look for Unused Spaces in Your HouseÂ
Here you can install additional shelves and storage space. You can build a window bench that has shelves and drawers underneath.
It can be a good reading spot for your kids where you can keep their books, arts and crafts supplies, and other toys. Try adding shelves on your existing cupboards and closets to have extra space in there, too.
Setting the House Rules
You can implement house rules regarding toys. For example, whenever the toys are left in a mess after playing, the toys automatically go to the donation box. Or if they want a new toy, they have to let go of some of their old ones.
Ask them to save or raise half of the money to buy the toys they want. This may teach them the value of hard work and appreciate the toys more. Remember, you have to be firm in following the house rules to instill discipline on them and on yourself as well.
Having a hard time saying no to your kids whenever they ask for a new toy can cause a huge toy clutter issue in the long run. Regular decluttering and weaning of old toys are important to keep the toys to a minimum and to keep your sanity in organizing them. Ask relatives and friends for support. Request for books or arts and crafts as gifts, instead of toys.
Get Help When Cleaning the Toys
Clean My Space’s residential cleaning services can also help you with organizing your toys. Check out our full suite of services and have a lovely-looking home all the time. Call us at (860) 539-8725.
