So the holidays have come and gone…this was my first one with a child and I felt like I was swimming in boxes and toys after it was all said and done. If you are feeling “stuck” and looking for some ways to best organize your child’s new collection, here are a few tips that will hopefully help you out!
1. De-clutter the old
Before you even begin to find a place for the new, take a look at the “old”. If your child hasn’t played with a certain toy in months or is beyond the developmental level it was intended for, consider donating it or giving it to a friend or family member with children that age. If you had holiday books and toys out, put them away with your holiday decor until next year. Most big retail stores have sales on storage bins after the holidays, so it is the best time to stock up.
Did your child get a book or toy they already have? If you have the receipt or know what store it was purchased at, you could always return it and exchange it for a new book or toy. However, before jumping in the car and heading to the store, think about if it is something that would be beneficial to have two of— an extra copy of a favorite book for the diaper bag, a toy that a sibling always wants too, etc.
2. Utilize “display” storage
Sometimes I feel like children aren’t even aware of the toys that they have. It’s so easy for toys to be overlooked when they are piled up in a closet. Consider buying a display shelf (the one we have is posted below) to allow your child to easily see what toys they have. Another bonus of having this type of shelf is that it helps with clean up time. There is nothing I personally love more than when everything has a place…it is my goal to also label the bins with words/pictures of what toys go where (I know, I know so “teacher-ish” of me). This way when my little guy is a bit older, he can learn to independently clean up his toys.
This type of shelf also encourages you to only have a select amount of toys out at a time (see tip #3)…you can even have your kids help you decide which of their toys they want to go in the bins and put the rest away for later!
3. Put away toys that aren’t developmentally appropriate
If your child received toys for the holidays that are a little “above” them, put them away and save them until they are ready for them. It is important that you look at the age recommendations on these items because A LOT of toys marketed toward older children do have small pieces that are choking hazards for the little ones. If it is safe but doesn’t interest your child right now or he/she doesn’t seem “ready” for it, it still wouldn’t hurt to put it in storage until they get bored of their current toys and are ready for something new!
4. Rotate books (and toys!)
This bookshelf was something I purchased while teaching and took with me when I left the classroom. I LOVE display bookshelves because they look so inviting and they limit how many books can be out at once. If your child received new books for the holidays, display a few at a time and box up the rest. Rotate 10-12 new books every month to keep them interested as well as expand their vocabulary and knowledge of new topics & types of books.
5. Bins are your friend
When in doubt, buy bins. There is no rhyme or reason to this basket in my living room, but it is a nice home for the little toys that would otherwise clutter my floor and wait to be tripped over or stepped on. Baskets and bins are a great easy way to have your little ones clean up before moving on to new activities or leaving the house. BEWARE–if you have a toddler, open baskets and bins are also an appealing invitation for them to practice cause-and-effect by dumping all the contents of the basket out onto the floor. Be sure to limit how much is available to your child at once, so that even when it is all “put away”, you don’t have 100 items in a basket that gets dumped and causes more mess.
If you have other tips & tricks for organizing toys please share them with us!
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