The Toy System You Need If You Have Kids Around

If you’ve stepped on one forgotten doll or sharp building block too many, get started on setting up a toy organization system today! Wood Country Building Services knows the importance of keeping your home clean and organized, especially for busy parents.

Step 1: Set Up the Organizers

To help keep toys contained within a reasonable amount of space, decide how much room you’re willing to give to toy storage. Some ideas include designating a spare closet, an old dresser, or a shelving unit that can sit inside a playroom, a kid’s bedroom, or a living room.

Decide on where you’re keeping the toys before you begin decluttering. This way, you’re forced to get rid of any excess toys that don’t fit in the space you’ve set aside.

Next, decide which kind of organizers work best for your space. In a closet, hanging organizers are a great way to save space. These organizers come with many compartments and in a variety of sizes based on what you need.

For a dresser or shelving unit, purchase smaller plastic containers that can sit inside drawers or on shelves for easy compartmentalizing.

If you’re keeping toys that require supervision (like messy crafts or games with small parts), use boxes with latches or childproof seals to keep your kids safe.

Don’t forget to include magazine racks for books and colouring sheets! Bento boxes or tackle boxes are also a great addition for tiny items like colouring supplies, magnets, or doll accessories!

Step #2: Sorting the Toys

To start the decluttering process, bring all the toys into the same space to sort through. The easiest way to do this is to simply dump them out onto the floor so you can see everything.

To start, take out any toys your kids have outgrown and haven’t played with in at least six months. Also, remove any hazardous toys, such as broken items with sharp edges.

From here, you can complete the decluttering process yourself or involve your kids. Letting your kids make some decisions will prevent tantrums later if they notice a toy is missing. It’s also a good chance to teach them about donating to kids in need and how to keep their space clean and organized!

Start by breaking the toys down into categories. If each of your kids has their own toys, separate them by child, with a category for toys they share. This will help your kids learn responsibility over their own belongings, as well as how to share toys with others.

After that, break down each child’s toy collection into similar items. For example, all dolls together, all cars together, all sports toys together and so on.

Go through each item and set aside any that are no longer needed or are duplicates. Donate these or throw them out if they’re in poor condition.

Step 3: Putting the Organization System Together

Once you’ve narrowed down your selections, it’s time to put them all away!

Pay attention to what types of toys you have the most of that may need extra space. Decide which bins will be for which toys before you start putting them away.

Once you’ve decided on the bins, attach a label describing the contents so your children know, understand and follow the system. If your child cannot read yet, use clear bins so they can see what’s in them.

When writing labels, assign one coloured marker to each child. For example, if you have two children with their own doll collections, label one organizer in blue and one in purple. Use the same coloured marker to label the rest of one child’s organizers, and the other coloured marker for another child’s things. You can even purchase organizers in the same colour, and assign one colour to each child.

When assigning organizers, keep reachability in mind. If one child can reach a shelf that another child can’t, make sure the taller child has their belongings on the top shelf. You can also use this to your advantage! Toys that require supervision (such as messy crafts) should be out of reach.

Don’t be afraid to layer organizers. For example, a drawer of dolls can also contain a tackle box of doll accessories, and a bin of doll clothes to keep all the doll items together!

In just a few easy steps, your kids know exactly how to keep their toys off the floor and tucked away neatly! Say goodbye to tripping hazards!