Are your kids toys driving you crazy? If you had to stop and think about that question, odds are the answer is yes. I understand. Learning how to organize a playroom can be overwhelming for both children and adults. The first thing to remember when organizing is less is more. Seriously, it’s just that simple. Once you realize that de-cluttering your kids playroom will be a breeze. 
1. Set aside some time with the entire family and go through every toy, stuffed animal, board game, etc, one by one. Separate the toys into three separate piles donate, trash and keep. Place toys that have missing pieces or no longer work in the trash pile. Toss unwanted and toys your kids have out grown into the donate pile. For every toy your child donates allow them to keep two toys that work. Once everything is separated, bag the donate pile up and set it aside to drop off at the Salvation Army, or a family member or friends house. Trash the unwanted pile and get ready to organize everything in the keep pile.
2. Clean the remaining toys and storage bins, toy box, baskets and whatever else you’re using to store toys in or on.
3. Organize the toys by what’s played with most often. If your kids play with a certain toy daily, don’t place them in bins out of reach, instead display them somewhere easily accessible.
4. Put board games and books on shelves.
5. Label bins and boxes, according to what you place inside. You can sort them by stuffed animals, dolls, puzzles, hot wheels, legos, crayons, etc.
6. Rotate toys every three months. You can leave one or two bins (depending on how many kids you have) in the playroom and store the others in the attic, basement or garage. Be sure to check and make sure everything works before storing the toys away.
7. Keep out door toys outside. Don’t add to the clutter by storing balls, skateboards, etc., indoors.
8. When purchasing furniture, consider pieces that double as a storage unit.
9. Establish a daily ritual for toy pick up. It should take no more than 10 to 15 minutes a day and all toys should be put back where they belong.
10. Lastly parents our kids aren’t the only ones who need to learn to let go. Ask yourself. Do I really need to keep my son or daughters Halloween costume from 5 years ago or the baby clothes from 10 years ago? Do I have the space for the boxes and boxes of artwork from preschool and kindergarten? These questions will help when you decide whether something stays or goes.
By incorporating at least some of the above suggested tips, clean up time will become more manageable and less stressful.
I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hot Wheels® blogging program, for a gift card.
About Catherine
When my kids were small I’d take a big plastic tub and gather anything that was on the floor when they had been asked repeatedly to pick up there rooms. These toys and games went into time out for a month. They were so excited when these things reappeared that I seldom had to make the threat that some beloved toy was going into time out again. And if they did go into time out, it was like Christmas as they marked off the days till they could be played with again.
Toy Time Out – What a great idea! Thanks for the tip.
I think tip # 3 is most helpful!!! Thanks!!!
As a grandparent I love this idea. I haven’t been a parent for a while and I have to get use to getting the girls to put toys away again. This idea seems to work for all of us!!