You Too Can Experience the Miracle of Organised Children's Toys
Playtime becomes more inspired and creative your kid's toys are organised and easy to access
Where there are children, there are toys. And where there are toys, there is the potential for full-blown chaos. Keeping toys in order is not only possible, but once you’ve reined in the unruly mess you’ll find toys last longer, and that your children will be more inclined to spend time playing with them.
Discard broken toys
Grab a large cardboard box and throw any broken toys straight in there for the recycling bin. These may be puzzles with missing pieces or remote-control cars that no longer work. If you have a child who finds it hard to part with broken toys, explain to them that a broken toy is a good sign that they used their toy to its full potential.
Grab a large cardboard box and throw any broken toys straight in there for the recycling bin. These may be puzzles with missing pieces or remote-control cars that no longer work. If you have a child who finds it hard to part with broken toys, explain to them that a broken toy is a good sign that they used their toy to its full potential.
Outgrown toys
Inevitably you’ll also find toys that are in good condition but that your children have outgrown. This is normal, and by sending them to an op-shop or selling them you’re giving them a new life with a new family.
Inevitably you’ll also find toys that are in good condition but that your children have outgrown. This is normal, and by sending them to an op-shop or selling them you’re giving them a new life with a new family.
Some children get nostalgic about their baby toys, but rather than keep them out of guilt, suggest taking a final photo with the toy or helping them think about the new child who will enjoy playing with the toy instead.
Not interested
Has your child ever been given a gift that you expected would be a huge hit, but which they’ve never been interested in playing with? Rather than let these gifts gather dust in your home, donate or sell the toys your child doesn’t enjoy.
Has your child ever been given a gift that you expected would be a huge hit, but which they’ve never been interested in playing with? Rather than let these gifts gather dust in your home, donate or sell the toys your child doesn’t enjoy.
Group together
Once you’ve decluttered your toys down to what your children actually love and play with, it’s time to organise them. Group categories together so you know how much of each thing you have. Put board games in one pile, Lego in one pile and Shopkins in another. This is also a great chance to return pieces to games that have come loose from their packaging.
Once you’ve decluttered your toys down to what your children actually love and play with, it’s time to organise them. Group categories together so you know how much of each thing you have. Put board games in one pile, Lego in one pile and Shopkins in another. This is also a great chance to return pieces to games that have come loose from their packaging.
You may have one pile for make-believe play and another for outside play. There might be one for play dough and another for blocks; each home will have different categories, but grouping them together will set you up for the next step, which is deciding on storage solutions.
Storage solutions
This is the fun part – deciding how you are going to store the toys you have left in your home. Do you want to keep all the toys in one room, or have some in each bedroom and some in the living space? Do you prefer toys hidden out of sight behind cupboard doors, or are you happy to have them within reach of little hands for ease of access?
Put storage boxes to good use in any room
This is the fun part – deciding how you are going to store the toys you have left in your home. Do you want to keep all the toys in one room, or have some in each bedroom and some in the living space? Do you prefer toys hidden out of sight behind cupboard doors, or are you happy to have them within reach of little hands for ease of access?
Put storage boxes to good use in any room
Match making
My suggestion when it comes to toy storage is to be consistent in the containers you choose to buy. This way, once your child has outgrown building blocks and you donate or sell them, you can re-use the container for the remote control cars they are now into. Matching containers not only look great, they are easier to store as they can stack and use space efficiently.
13 ideas to conquer Lego storage once and for all
My suggestion when it comes to toy storage is to be consistent in the containers you choose to buy. This way, once your child has outgrown building blocks and you donate or sell them, you can re-use the container for the remote control cars they are now into. Matching containers not only look great, they are easier to store as they can stack and use space efficiently.
13 ideas to conquer Lego storage once and for all
Good habits
Teaching your children to pack up after themselves is a life skill they will take with them into adulthood. While they are still young, this will usually require modelling from you – and working alongside them as they pack up. You want them to develop the good habit of packing up after themselves when they’re finished playing with a particular toy. Using labels (either with words or pictures) is a great way of making this process straightforward.
How to use chores to your advantage
Teaching your children to pack up after themselves is a life skill they will take with them into adulthood. While they are still young, this will usually require modelling from you – and working alongside them as they pack up. You want them to develop the good habit of packing up after themselves when they’re finished playing with a particular toy. Using labels (either with words or pictures) is a great way of making this process straightforward.
How to use chores to your advantage
Play time
Now that the toys are decluttered and organised, your children will love spending time playing. The miracle is that in having less, and keeping what they do have organised, children are far more likely to lose themselves in creative play with their remaining toys.
TELL US
Do you have any more suggestions for organising kids’ toys? Tell us in the Comments below and join the conversation.
Now that the toys are decluttered and organised, your children will love spending time playing. The miracle is that in having less, and keeping what they do have organised, children are far more likely to lose themselves in creative play with their remaining toys.
TELL US
Do you have any more suggestions for organising kids’ toys? Tell us in the Comments below and join the conversation.
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The first step in undertaking an accurate stocktake of toys is to gather them all together in one space. This doesn’t mean you necessarily have to keep them all together in one room once you’ve finished, but having them together will help you to know exactly what you have in your home.
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