When we moved recently, I was so shocked at how many toys and games had piled up in the past few years. It was a total mess and moving could not have been any more stressful! So much is still boxed up and I don't even want to think about it. For now, we have just the right amount in my children's rooms and in their playroom. I want to make sure I keep it under control and in order this time. It took some trial and error to figure out what we should do (and we are still learning), but here are some tips!
Ten Tips for De-Cluttering and Organizing Toys In Your Child's Playroom!
1.
Clean-Up Often! Teach your children the responsibility of cleaning up. This is priority for keeping any room clean, especially a play room. It's so much easier to clean up a few toys compared to at the end of the week when there are a million scattered around the room.
2. Make a List- I am big on making lists! Map out the area and make a plan on how you would like the playroom set up. It's much easier to have the idea in your head and go from there.
3.
Toy pieces together! So often toy pieces get lost in the mix. Try to find all pieces to each toy (blocks, puzzles, train tracks). Once you find them all, they can be organized much more easily.
4.
Boxes, Baskets & Drawers, Oh My! I am all about boxes, baskets and plastic containers. They really, really help contain the mess. The plastic boxes, such as the shoe boxes are perfect for puzzle pieces. Baskets are great for smaller toys you don't mind having out. Drawers can contain other messes.
5.
Bookshelves are a must! Without bookshelves, our playroom would not have a floor. Bookshelves make it easier to keep up with books, keep them organized, and it's easier for kids to find a book they are looking for. Plus, bookshelves always look nice in a room.
6.
Get an art bin, easel, and art table. These also look great in a playroom and you have no idea how often they will get used. The art bin can be anything, even a 3-drawer plastic container. That's what we have. Each of the drawers are organized by paper and coloring books, crayons, color pencils, and markers, and then extras and art kits. The kids love sitting at the table and drawing. We have an easel that holds a roll of drawing paper, too, which is great because it keeps it contained in one place, can be pulled over the top of the easel to draw or we can cut it off to have art time at the table!
7.
Donate Toys Often. Like I mentioned, toys pile up even after a few months (at least they do in our home) and kids lose interest in the old ones. Be sure to go through every few months and donate toys the kids are no long interested in. Chances are, another little boy or girl would love to play with them and it will really de-clutter your area. It also educates children on the importance of helping others.
8.
Box up toys, too. There will inevitably be toys that you don't want to get rid of. They hold too many memories for you and for the children. If they are not played with often and/or are no longer age appropriate, box them up, label the box for future use, and put it away.
9.
Make a to-do chart for the kids. For art time, make a fun chart to post on the wall for the kids. List all of their chores and to-dos for the week. Every time they complete a task, put a check by it. Be sure to put something like cleaning up toys, books, etc. Then, at the end of the week, do something small to reward them for their good behavior if they do all the chores!
10.
Resist the urge to buy more toys! Parents, you must exert some sort of control over the toys YOU buy. There comes a time when you just have to say no. I know how hard that can be and am very guilty of buying cool toys for the kids (that I secretly want to play with, too!) Limit yourself to the toys bought each month. Also, buying items that serve as multiple play items are great. We just bought a picnic table that doubles as a water/sand table if you take the lid off! This will save room and it's 2 toys in one!
There you go! I know it isn't as easy as it sounds, but it really is our responsibility as parents to keep up with all the toys and help the kids learn responsibility, too. This is the one area I really struggle with. It takes some time and attention from the entire family, but can be done.
Do you organize your playroom? What do you do to organize?
I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hot Wheels® blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here.
